Initially, Bose chose to study medicine at the University of London. But his delicate health could not handle the chemicals used in the medical laboratories of the time, and he had to quit prematurely. However, his prodigious skills ensured his admission to Christ College, Cambridge, to study natural sciences. Here Bose was exposed to such famous personalities as Lord Rayleigh, Francis Darwin and Francis Balfour, and developed an appreciation for the work of western scientists. While still at Cambridge, Bose also had the opportunity of meeting Prafulla Chandra Roy, the celebrated chemist, with whom he developed a lifelong friendship.