Reminiscences of Samuel Latham Mitchell / by John W. Francis ; enlarged from Valentine's City manual.

  • Francis, John W. (John Wakefield), 1789-1861.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reminiscences of Samuel Latham Mitchell / by John W. Francis ; enlarged from Valentine's City manual. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    the phosphorescence of the waters of the ocean, on the fecundity of fish, on the decortication of fruit trees, on the anatomy and physiology of the shark, swelled the mystery of his diversified knowledge. His correspond- ence with Priestley is an example of the delicious manner in which argument can be conducted in philo- sophical discussion; his elaborate account of the fishes of our fresh and salt waters adjacent to New York, (166 species, afterwards enlarged), invoked the plau- dits of Cuvier. His reflections on Somnium (the case of Rachael Baker) evinced psychological views of original combination. His numerous papers on nat- ural history enriched the annals of the Lyceum, of which he was long President. His researches on the ethnological characteristics of the red man of America betrayed the benevolence of his nature and his gener- ous spirit; his fanciful article, Fredonia, intended for a new and more appropriate geographical designation for the United States, was at one period a topic which enlisted a voluminous correspondence, now printed in the proceedings of the New York Historical Society. He increased our knowledge of the vegetable ma- teria medica of the United States, and he wrote large- ly on the subject to Barton of Philadelphia, Cutler of Massachusetts, and Ramsey of S. Carolina. He intro- duced into practice the sessamum orientale. He wrote amply to Percival of Manchester, and to other philoso- phers in Europe, on noxious agents. He cheered Fulton when he was dejected; encouraged Living- ston in appropriation ; awakened new zeal in Wilson, when the governor of the State had nigh paralyzed him by his frigid and unfeeling reception; and with John Pintard, Cadwallader D. Colden, and Thomas