130 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
lished a school for young ladies, to which both contributed their 
superior talents, and his earlier education was guided by them. 
At the age of 15 years he showed a great interest in botany, 
and began a collection of plants. Studying at home until his 
18th year, he entered the University of Heidelberg, in 1827. 
Here he formed a friendship with Alexander Braun, which 
lasted until the death of that distinguished scientist. 
Having joined in a political demonstration in Heidelberg, 
young Engelmann was obliged to leave the University, and 
went to Berlin. After two years spent there he entered the 
University of Wurzburg, receiving the degree of Doctor of 
Medicine in 1831. His inaugural dissertation, relating chiefly 
to the monstrosities and aberrant forms of plants, and illustrated 
by plates made by himself, is still considered one of the most 
philosophical of its kind, and was highly commended at the time 
by the poet-philosopher Goethe. Spending the summer of 1832 
in Paris with Braun and Agassiz as companions, where he says 
they “led a glorious life in scientific union in spite of the 
cholera” then raging in the city, Engelmann accepted a posi- 
tion as an agent of his uncles for the purchase of lands in the 
United States, and settled near St. Louis. He made many 
fatiguing horse-back journeys through the neighboring States, 
during which he kept a record of his botanical observations, 
which he afterwards used in his scientific work. 
Deciding to remain in St. Louis, then only a trading post, 
Dr. Engelmann commenced the practice of medicine with so 
little means, that he was forced to part with his gun and his 
faithful horse to furnish his offices. Four years later, however, 
his practice had become very successful. Familiarity with 
French and German added much to this success among the early 
settlers who spoke those languages. This and his great profes- 
sional ability brought him financial independence, but even to 
the last year of his life he did not hesitate to respond to the call 
of those desiring his aid. His vacations, spent at the Harvard 
gardens and herbarium in the company of his friend Dr. Asa 
Gray, or in Europe with his wife and son, were devoted to gather- 
ing data for his scientific work. 
