DECEMBER, 15, 1899.] 
ing the ring smaller, until at a given signal 
they threw their half-burned torches into 
the very center and the pile blazed on high, 
making an impressive ceremonial. I have 
said I imprudently joined because I failed 
to anticipate the disagreeable consequences; 
the smoke of a half-a-thousand torches, the 
dripping grease, and the dust of the streets, 
combined with the moist exudation of my 
membranous integument, to form a black 
deposit that would have honored a stoker, 
besides ruining a suit of clothes. 
During wy residence in Heidelberg a la- 
mentableand terrible affair took place that 
threw a profound gloom over the University 
and the entire town. Two German stu- 
dents having quarreled decided the earth 
was not large enough for both of them to 
live in, and resorted to the diabolical prac- 
tice called the ‘American |Duel.’ In a 
darkened room the two young men drew 
lots, having sworn that he who drew the 
black ball would commit suicide. The un- 
happy loser went to his room and discharged 
a bullet into his breast, but missed his heart 
and lingered for several days on his death- 
bed; his parents were summoned by tele- 
graph and besought him on their knees to 
disclose the name of his antagonist, but he 
steadfastly refused and died with the secret 
in his breast. The students not only ex- 
cused his conduct but praised his courage, 
and when his remains were taken to the 
railway station to be transported to a dis- 
tant city, they accompanied the funeral 
cortége with torches and music. The stu- 
dents claimed he was nota suicide for he 
was killed in an honorable duel, and they 
maintained that his opponent was not ac- 
cessory to his death because he shot him- 
self; I had many arguments with them and 
never could convince them of their extra- 
ordinary tergiversation. 
The whole system of dueling at Heidel- 
berg is an interesting feature of student life 
that I had good opportunities of observing 
SCIENCE 
869 
without taking part, but, as Kipling says, 
‘that is another story.’ 
The intimacy of Bunsen and Kopp is well 
known, I have. often seen them walk 
through the narrow streets hand-in-hand 
like affectionate schoolgirls, Bunsen’s large 
frame and Kopp’s diminutive stature mak- 
ing a strong contrast. 
Bunsen had great talents and personal 
attractions yet he did not succeed in foster- 
ing original work on the part of those who 
studied with him; I think thisis partly due 
to the fact that they were chiefly beginners 
and when they had acquired the rudiments 
of general chemistry they took to the fertile 
fields of organic chemistry under other 
masters. Yet his pupils include some men 
of high rank in the profession, Lothar 
Meyer, Sir Henry Roscoe, Beilstein, Lieben 
and Carius. 
I last saw Geheimerath Bunsen during a 
brief visit to Heidelberg in 1891; he had 
retired from active duty and complained of 
the infirmities of advancing years, being 
subject to rheumatism, but he exhibited the 
same cordial manner, the charming smile, 
and a willingness to listen to the accounts 
of Americans who had pursued their studies © 
in the Heidelberg Laboratory. Bunsen 
died after a lingering illness, August 16, 
1899, at the great age of 88. 
Among the Americans contemporary with 
me may be named: 
Eli W. Blake, afterwards professor of 
physics at Brown University, deceased. 
Orren W. Root, afterwards professor of 
chemistry at Hamilton College, deceased. 
Charles Wolf, of Cincinnati, deceased. 
George M. Miller, of New York. 
Harry McBurney, of Boston. 
Lyman Nichols, of Boston. 
Arnold Hague, of the United States Geo- 
logical Survey. 
Frank Slingluff, of Baltimore. 
There was no club or association among 
the Americans such as exists in Gottingen, 
