FIRST FAILURE OF HEALTH. l6l 



of such noble work are preserved. At the last meeting of 

 the Association I had the pleasure of proposing that Dr. 

 Joule be elected President for the Bradford Meeting, and 

 our council succeeded in overcoming his reluctance and 

 persuading him to accept that office." 



"Nobly would Joule have discharged the duties of Presi- 

 dent had his bodily health been equal to the task ; but it 

 became apparent, after a while, that he could not rely upon 

 sufficient strength to justify him in performing the duties 

 of the chair, and in obedience to the orders of his physicians 

 he placed his resignation in the hands of the council about 

 two months ago." 



Joule was deeply grateful to Dr. Williamson for so 

 kindly coming to his aid ; but his distress at the incon- 

 venience which his illness involved, added much to the 

 severity of his attack. It was nearly three years before he 

 sufficiently recovered to resume either his experimental work 

 or his regular attendance at the meetings of the Society ; 

 and it was not till 1877 that he resumed the office of 

 President, which, in the meantime, had been held by Dr. 

 Schunck and Mr. E. W. Binney. 



Of the attack, Mr. B. St. J. B. Joule writes, quoting from 

 his diary, 1873, April 6: — " My brother had an attack of 

 bleeding from the nose. Dr. Samuel Crompton arrived 

 (Cliff Point) at 5 a.m. and remained, with two short intervals, 

 till 11 p.m. He inserted a plug." 1874, Feb. 20th (at 

 Southport) : — "James was returning from a short walk with 

 me, when bleeding from the nose commenced. I knew 

 that he had given strict injunctions at home that if bleeding 

 occurred again no doctor was to be called in, for he would 

 rather die than submit to the torture he had endured last 

 year. He would not allow a plug to be used on any 

 M 



