Laboratory Course.
This is arranged for three classes:
1. The First Class meets twice each week during the session, on
each occasion spending from two to four hours in practical experiment
in the Laboratory. A regularly arranged course of practice in
Chemical Manipulation is first pursued; Qualitative Analysis is then
taken up, and the means of detecting the most important chemical
substances having been learned, students are required to find out for
themselves, by analysis, the constituents of unknown materials presented
to them. Special attention is given to substances having useful
applications in the Arts or connected with Agriculture. Towards
the close of the session the elements of Quantitative Analysis are
taught, so far as the limitation of time will permit.
2. The Laboratory will be open to the Second Class on five days of
each week during the whole of the working hours of each day. A
full course of instruction in Practical Chemistry, including the Qualitative
and Quantitative Analysis of Ores, Soils, Manures, Technical
Products, &c., will be given; and students will be assisted and
encouraged to undertake original research.
3. The Third Class is one specially intended for students of Medicine,
and will meet for lessons of two hours each once in the week
for four months of the session. To this class the practical applications
of Chemistry to Medicine will be taught — the detection of Poisons,
chemical and microscopical examination of Animal Products, urine,
blood, &c.
Amongst the works recommended to laboratory students are
Fresenius — Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis; H. Rose — Hand
buch der analytischen Chemie (also in French translation); Greville
Williams — Handbook of Chemical Manipulation; Wöhler — Examples
for Practice in Chemical Analysis; Bolley — Handbuch der technisch
chemischen Untersuchungen; Odling — Practical Chemistry for Medical
Students; A. H. Church — Laboratory Guide for Agricultural Students.
The Diploma of Graduate in this School will be conferred upon
such students as attend with diligence the Course of Lectures and
the Second Class of Laboratory Instruction, and give evidence on
examination of satisfactory attainments in the same. For the requirements
in this school for the degrees in Mining and Civil Engineering,
&c., reference is made to the general notice of Degrees.
Very liberal provision has been made by the Board of Visitors for
the material means of illustration of the teachings of this Chair. A
new Laboratory building of ample size, specially designed for the
purposes of working students, has been erected, containing all necessary
rooms, fitted with double windows for the preservation of
uniform temperature, and amply supplied with gas, water and all
proper laboratory fixtures. All needful apparatus, chemicals, minerals,
models, &c., and an unusually fine collection of specimens
illustrating the various arts and manufactures as practised on the
great scale, have been procured from England, France, and Germany
It may safely be said that the University of Virginia is in this
department inferior in material preparation for instruction to no
institution of learning in America, and in some respects is probably
superior to any.
