3-066-084 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The International Medical Congress at Guildhall, 1881. 'The entertainment given by the Lord Mayor of London and the Lady Mayoress, at Guildhall, to the members of the International Medical Congress, on the Friday evening of last week, is the subject of one of our Illustrations...A medallion portrait of Mr. Sydney T. Day, the active Chairman of the City Lands Committee of the Common Council, is annexed to our Engraving, which shows one or two incidents of the evening's amusements. The beauty of the decorations was in no small degree enhanced by the employment of Siemens' electric light in the Guildhall, and of the Swann light in the Aldermen's Court-Room, while the Incandescent (Maxim) and the Arc light (Weston) were used to illuminate the Library, plate-room, board-room, and corridor. A chandelier of Maxim lamps placed over the staircase leading to the Museum was fed from a Faure accumulator, exhibiting in a practical form the principle of the conservation of force...A bowl of gold-fish, with the electric light in the midst of them, as shown in our Illustration, was greatly admired'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.