188 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
In the field of pure mathematics, Dr. Strong was one of the 
leading minds of his day. But two of his contemporaries among 
American mathematicians may be mentioned as sharing his 
preéminence—Dr. Bowditch and Dr. Adrian—to whom and to 
Dr. Strong more than to any others, is due the introduction of 
the study of the higher mathematics into the schools of this 
country. 
(From J. P. Brap ey, in Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of 
Sciences, vol. 2, 1886, pp. 1-28.) 
JOHN TORREY 
Born, August 15, 1796; died, March 10, 1873 
Although most widely known as a botanist, Torrey’s life was 
spent as a professor of chemistry. His father, William Torrey, 
was of New England ancestry. He served throughout the 
Revolution in a New York infantry regiment of which his uncle, 
Joseph Torrey, was a major, and returned to that city at the close 
of the war. Here his son, John Torrey, was born on August 
15, 1796. His early education was obtained in the schools of 
New York and Boston. While still a youth, he became 
acquainted with Amos Eaton, who taught him the elements of 
botany, and he soon developed a taste for other branches of 
natural science. At the age of nineteen years he began the study 
of medicine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and three 
years later began medical practice in New York. His first 
scientific papers were published while he was still a medical 
student, the earliest being one on plants growing near New York, 
which appeared in 1817. In 1824 he published the first volume 
of his “ Flora of the Northern and Middle Sections of the United 
States,’ an important descriptive work, which, however, was 
never completed. ‘The same year he became Professor of 
Chemistry, Mineralogy and Geology at West Point, and three 
years later transferred his field of labor to the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons, New York, where he became Pro- 
fessor of Chemistry and Botany (“ practically that of chemistry 
