Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 16.djvu/875

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
SKETCH OF DR. CHARLES F. CHANDLER.
841

in chemical pursuits, but was not a success financially, and, after running six years with very considerable loss, it was discontinued. Professor Chandler has devoted much attention to chemical industries, and has written and lectured upon them frequently. He is often consulted by both manufacturers and the courts in regard to scientific questions involved in the arts.

Dr. Chandler is an effective popular lecturer, having an excellent voice, and a clear, direct, and vigorous style of delivery. His subjects chosen are those of technical and special interest, such as petroleum and kerosene accidents, water-supply, gas-lighting, prevention of fires, public health, etc., which are always practically and instructively treated. These lectures are of very great value, and, having been given in most of our principal cities, have exerted a wide and excellent influence. He has also been remarkably active as a writer. The list of his scientific papers is very comprehensive. It embraces the results of varied original investigations, covering wide ground, and making a catalogue too extensive for insertion here. He is the author of numerous scientific papers, cyclopædia articles, and addresses and reports, which have been published in the journals and proceedings of societies.

Dr. Chandler was President of the Convention that met at Northumberland in 1874 to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of oxygen by Dr. Priestley. He published in full the interesting proceedings and addresses in "The American Chemist." The success of the Northumberland meeting led to the founding of the American Chemical Society, of which Chandler was one of the most active projectors, and of which he has been a Vice-President from the beginning, having refused the regular nomination for President almost every year since it was organized.

Besides the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts, obtained as a student, Professor Chandler has received the honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of New York and Doctor of Laws from Union College. He is a life-member of the Berlin, Paris, and American Chemical Societies; he is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the London Chemical Society, the Sociedad Humboldt of Mexico, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Philosophical Society, New York Academy of Sciences, and several pharmaceutical, sanitary, and other societies.