1918.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 125 



presented several papers at the meetings of the Academy, deahng 

 mainly with the development of Bacillus tuberculosis, but including 

 also accounts of Bacillus typhosis and Actinomyces as well as of 

 beri-beri and the bacteriological examination of drinking water. 

 About this time, through his efforts, the Pennsylvania Antitubercu- 

 losis Society made the Academy its meeting place and Dr. Dixon 

 became its Vice-President, thus emphasizing his interest in what was 

 to become one of his greatest achievements. 



In 1898 Dr. Dixon was appointed on the Board of Public Education 

 in Philadelphia and took an active part in improving the hygienic 

 conditions in the city schools. He was Vice-President of the 

 Zoological Societj^ of Philadelphia, a Director of the Wistar Institute 

 of Anatomy, trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, Fellow of 

 the College of Physicians, Past President of the Pennsylvania State 

 Medical Society and a member of numerous medical and scientific 

 organizations. In 1909 the University of Pennsylvania conferred 

 upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws, and in 1916 Lafayette 

 College honored him with the degree of Doctor of Science. 



In a life so fully occupied with duties of his official and executive 

 position as was Dr. Dixon's there seemed literally no time for 

 recreation. But in the rare moments when he did indulge in holiday 

 trips or in days of rest in the beautiful country place which he had 

 built at Black Rock, near Bryn Mawr, his deep interest in nature 

 asserted itself. He was always quick to notice unusual birds, 

 striking wild flowers or strange insects, and upon his return to the 

 Academy would seek the aid of specialists in determining their 

 identity and learning something of their history, usually adding 

 some original suggestions as a result of his keen powers of observa- 

 tion. Horticulture, too, was a favorite hobby and the Rhododendron 

 thickets and beds of rare plants that he succeeded in establishing at 

 Black Rock Farm were a source of sincere pleasure and gratification 

 to him. 



His visits to the famous tuberculosis sanatorium which he had 

 established at Mont Alto were always a great pleasure to him on 

 account of the splendid mountain scenery and the beauty of the 

 more intimate natural surroundings, of which, on his return, he 

 never failed to speak. This love of nature was always in evidence, 

 and from early youth he had delighted in hunting trips with gun and 

 dogs, which led later to moose hunts in Maine and ducking trips to 

 the clubs of the South Atlantic seaboard. But he indulged in such 

 recreation far too little, especially during the later years of his life, 



