▁famous ▁labor atory ▁of ▁Robert ▁Bun sen . ▁ ▁John ▁Mac ad am ▁then ▁became ▁assistant ▁to ▁Dr . ▁George ▁Wilson , ▁L ect urer ▁in ▁Chem istry ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁College ▁of ▁Medicine ▁and ▁V eter inary ▁Medicine ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁to ▁ 1 8 4 7 . ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁Medical ▁School ▁was ▁then ▁as ▁now ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁pre em inent ▁medical ▁cent res ▁of ▁learning ▁and ▁from ▁then ▁on ▁pre em inent ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁chem istry . ▁After wards ▁John ▁Mac ad am ▁returned ▁to ▁Glasgow ▁for ▁further ▁medical ▁studies ( before ▁em igr ating ▁to ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁where ▁he ▁died ▁aged ▁ 3 8 ). ▁ ▁Stevens on ▁then ▁became ▁Dr . ▁George ▁Wilson ' s ▁assistant , ▁in ▁his ▁brother ' s ▁stead , ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁Sur ge ons ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 5 . ▁ ▁It ▁seems ▁likely ▁that ▁the ▁various ▁types ▁of ▁complex ▁chemical ▁processes ▁involved ▁in ▁their ▁father ' s ▁factory ▁in ▁his ▁cal ico ▁printing ▁and ▁manufact uring ▁business ▁was ▁what ▁got ▁William ' s ▁sons ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁chem istry , ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁were ▁to ▁play ▁such ▁a ▁pione ering ▁role ▁in ▁their ▁later ▁lives . ▁Of ▁the ▁four ▁sons ▁three ▁took ▁to ▁chemical ▁science ▁as ▁a ▁profession . ▁Sub sequently , ▁two ▁more ▁gener ations ▁were