Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-14
TORE OUT HIS EYES
Awful Result Of An Explosion
at Ann Arbor
PROF. CAMPBELL STRUCK BLIND
While Experimenting IN the Chemical
Laboratory Of the University He
Wanted to &c Killed Outright

Ass AasoR. Mica. April l3.-An
awful accident occurred Ia the
chemical laboratory of the university
yesterday. oae OF the members of the
faculty, the son OF . distinguished
father and himself young scisatst OF
rare promise. Aaa both syes cut out
with the Fragments Of . glass bottle
blown to pssces IN "a explosion.
IL was 3 O'Clock when the explosion
took place. Tho basement of the
chemical laboratory ~ss crowded with
eco or 800 students. Edward ID. Camp
bell. assistant professor OF chemistry,
WAS engaged in = demonstration with
hydrogen gas, With . !arxe array of
bottles ON thu desk IN front o. him.
He vas 10 measure the amount or
HYDROGEN liberated by the action OF
aclds on steel and the gases as gen.
Grated were passed through piece OF
spengy palladium. The palladium be-
came red hot during the progress OF
the experiment. Prof. Campbell had
lust bent down TO look In the bottle
which held the gas, when 10 exploded
with loud report, driving the giass IN
the smallest splrnters directly INTO his
eyes.
BitsA for Life.
DR.. Carrow, who Was called ut once,
found that one eye WAS cut into shreds
and the sight OF the other totally de-
strsyed. Tue unfortunate professor
was taken directly TO the hospital,
whore treatments vas applied IL the
two ghsstly holes left under his eye
brows by the explosion. Later the
maugled organs OF vision were re-
moved. The shock so Mr.. Campbell
when the doctor, at his earnest request,
informed him that he would be a
sirhtless man for life was terrible
one. He besought the doctor 10 put an
end to MS existence.
The professors face was not much
cut; nearly the whole OF the flying glass
having apparently lodged in his eyes.
Hugh Vandeventer. q student who
stood BY him NJ the time OF tho expio-
sion, was not much injured. The
patle Mt on whom permanent darkness
has descended, must remain IN the
hospital some DAYS. Fears are ex-
pressed that the snock To his system
and reflection on the awfu!ness of his
condition may prove too great for ma
ture to withstand. and that he may die
OF nervous exhaustion. The pc Jslclans
In charge, however. express conf
dence that bis life will be spared.
The Usivsrsisy World Appalled,.
The result OF tho explosion, the first
serious accident IN the laboratory IN
years. made . most profound iInpres-
sion throughout the university. The
question in eyervbody's mouth now 10,
what can Professor Campbell do. if no
lives? He can no longer teach, of
course, and the unanimous opinion Is
that the regents should pension him or
create some special Office TO whose du-
ties his great misfortune would not
render BIN ineligible. He is a son of
tho late Judge J. V. Campbell, OF the
supreme bench, and has wife and
two children, one . mere infant. He
10 not yet 80 years old and had been
connected with the university for only
year anA . half. A slight accident
attended . similar experiment per-
formed by him last week.
Mrs. Campbell was not Informed as
20 the full extent OF her husbands in
lures and remained for some hours 10
Inc belief that the loss Of sight was only
tsmp0rary.