654 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[February 15, 1873. 
family 'of hydrocarbons” was also read by the author, 
Dr. C. R. A. Wright. In it he gives an aecount of his 
experiments with oil of nutmegs and oil of orange 
peel. 
The meeting finally adjourned until the 20th instant, 
when the following papers will he read—“ On Aurin ” 
by R. S. Dale and Dr. C. Schorlemmer, F.R.S. ; “ Re¬ 
searches on the Action of the Copper-Zinc couple on 
Organic Bodies. I. On Iodide of Ethyl,” by Dr. Glad¬ 
stone and A. Bribe ; “ Solidification of Nitrous Oxide,” 
by Mr. Wills; “Action of Hydrochloric Acid on 
Codeine,” by Dr. C. R. A. Wright. 
ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
Friday , January 17 th, 1873. 
Ox the Old and New Laboratories at the 
Royal Institutiox. 
BY WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE, ESQ., L.L.D., M.A. 
A time when, through temporary absence from one 
chair, and through a change of occupancy of the other, 
we are deprived of the presence of our two professors, 
seems to offer an opportunity for reviewing the past 
history, the scientific results, and the future prospects 
uf our laboratories. A time when, through circum¬ 
stances which cause us much regret, we are deprived, 
at our evening meetings at least, of the presence of our 
secretary, offers perhaps the only occasion when the 
task of such a review could fall into other hands than 
his. The fact that it has fallen into mine is attributable 
to the office in which your votes have placed me, rather 
than to any individual qualifications of my own; and it 
would have been impossible for me to undertake the 
task, had he not placed at my disposal his wide-spread 
information upon many branches of science, as well as 
his intimate knowledge of the history of the Institution, 
to the well-being of which his care and devotion have 
so largely contributed. 
The first dawn of our history is to be sought among 
those stormy years with which the last century drew 
towards its close, and out of which many new thoughts 
and aspirations of men took their birth. 
Its character, in accordance with the views of its 
■early promoter, Count Rumford, was at first far more 
industrial than it eventually became. Its two great 
objects were “ the general diffusion of the knowledge of 
all new and useful. improvements, and teaching the ap¬ 
plication of scientific discoveries to the improvement of 
arts and manufactures, and to the increase of domestic 
comfort and convenience.” The Institution was to con¬ 
tain models, or actual specimens of fire-places and 
kitchen utensils for cottages, farm houses, and large 
dwellings ; a complete laundry fora gentleman’s family ; 
grates and chimney-pieces ; brewers’ boilers ; distillers’ 
coppers ; ventilators, lime-kilns ; steam-boilers; spin¬ 
ning wheels; agricultural implements; bridges, etc. 
etc.; and at one time some eighteen or twenty youn«- 
mechanics were actually boarded and lodged in the 
house. The records of our early proceedings give an 
instance, illustrating the views of the founders. In 
January, 1800, when the designs for the theatre, model- 
room and workshops were formed, the architect pro¬ 
posed that the laboratory should occupy the position 
which it ultimately held. But with a view to giving 
more room to the workshops, the proposal was set aside 
in. the very next month, and the space in the basement 
under the theatre assigned to the purpose. Happily 
however, before the building had reached the first floor 
this position was found unsuitable; and further consider¬ 
ation devised the laboratory, which we have all known 
so well as that of Davy, of Faraday and of Tyndall. 
_A staircase leading to it from the front hall, although 
long since closed, was removed only in 1866, to make 
room for Tyndall’s smoke chamber. 
From Count Rumford’s final departure from England 
in 1802 we may date the decline of the industrial ele¬ 
ment, some echo of which still rings in our motto, “ Illus- 
trans commoda vitaland early in the following year 
a definite proposal to give up that part of the original 
plan was made. 
From a report to the managers in 1803, it appears 
that, although chemistry had always been a primary 
object of the Institution, yet from motives of economy 
nothing more had been done in the way of either labora¬ 
tory or apparatus than was necessary for the immediate 
purpose of the lectures. It was consequently proposed 
that the workshop should be added to the laboratory and 
fitted with seats for 120 persons, and the forge adapted 
to chemical purposes. The report ends as follows 
i ' This laboratory will be equal, or indeed superior, to 
any in this country, and probably to any on the Conti¬ 
nent.” 
The chemical laboratory was altered in accordance 
with that report, and remained unchanged until 1863, 
when, on the appointment of Dr. Frankland to the 
Professorship of Chemistry, the lecture seats were re¬ 
moved so as to adapt the room more properly to pur¬ 
poses of scientific research. 
It is interesting to contrast the verdict- of 1873 with 
that of 1803. “ Originally built,” to quote Dr. Bence 
Jones’s own words, “as a workshop for blacksmiths, 
fitted with a forge, and furnished with bellows which 
only last summer left the Institution, our chemical labo¬ 
ratory was probably the very worst in London.” 
The physical laboratory remained unchanged; and 
although Professor Tyndall for himself desired nothing 
more than to continue his researches in a place which 
his imagination filled with the recollections of his pre¬ 
decessors, he still acquiesced in the proposal for rebuild¬ 
ing, for. the sake of his successors, and in the interest 
of the sister science of his colleague. 
Thus much about the material fabric of our labora¬ 
tories. Next as to the scientific work of which they 
have been the birthplace. 
Of the great names connected with this building fore¬ 
most in order of time, and very high in scientific rank, 
stands that of Dr. Thomas Young. His “ Theory of 
Light and Colours ’ will always stamp him as one 
“whose genius has anticipated the progress of science,” 
and whose reputation has risen as men have better 
understood his worth. His first paper on the subject 
was presented to the Royal Society in November, 1801; 
but the earliest printed account of his views is to be 
found in his ‘ Syllabus of Lectures at the Royal Institu¬ 
tion,’ dated January 19th, 1802. 
With the criticisms of his theory published in the ‘Edin¬ 
burgh Review,’ with the circumstances which led to his 
withdrawal from the Institution, with his researches in 
Egyptian hieroglyphics, we are not here concerned. 
But it is not too much to say of him, that without the 
Wave Theory of Light (of which he was one of the 
prime and main founders) to serve as a guiding-thread 
through the labyrinth of phenomena, the long series of 
discoveries which have in this place culminated in those 
of Tyndall in radiation and absorption, would have been 
impossible. 
It is often remarked that little rills, which have 
threaded their way from distant mountains, ultimately 
discharge themselves as mighty streams into the sea. 
Yet between these two stages they flow quietly, but not 
therefore less usefully, past smiling meadows and the 
haunts of men. And here is a little scientific pastoral— 
if it may be so called—flowing out of the highest concep¬ 
tions of the theory of undulations, and furnishing—to 
use his own words—a simple instrument “ for measuring 
the diameters of the fibres of different kinds of wool.”* 
* The King at this time had his flock of merino sheep, and 
Sir Joseph Banks had the care of them at Kew. On his re¬ 
covery from his first mental attack the King would only call 
the P. R. S. his woolstapler. 
