822 LEONARD PARKER KINNICUTT. 



the inspiring influence of Bunsen from whom he acquired an apprecia- 

 tion of the value of careful and accurate analysis. Here also under 

 Bunsen's guidance he was initiated into the refinements of gas analy- 

 sis. This was the period when organic chemistry was developing with 

 tremendous rapidity especially in Germany. Bunsen had passed the 

 zenith of his career and was not in sympathy with the new tendency 

 which was manifesting itself in chemistry. It is not surprising then 

 to find the ^oung Kinnicutt leaving Heidelberg and matriculating at 

 Bonn. Only ten years before, Kekule had been called to the Uni- 

 versity of Bonn to take charge of the newl}' built laboratory which at 

 that time was the finest in all Germany and after which later labora- 

 tories were patterned. Kekule's was a charming personality. His 

 lectures were a model for simplicity of arrangement and clearness of 

 presentation, and the experimental demonstrations were carried out 

 with such fascinating ease and dexterity that the young Kinnicutt 

 was captivated by the spirit and beauty of organic chemistry and 

 devoted himself diligently to its study. 



He was fortunate in being accepted into the private laboratory of 

 the master, where he became associated with Richard Anschiitz, the 

 present director of the Chemical Institute at Bonn. In collaboration 

 with Anschiitz he published a number of papers, chiefly on phenyl- 

 glyceric acid. This association ripened into a lasting friendship. 

 Returning to the United States in 1879, he spent a year in study with 

 Ira Remsen at the Johns Hopkins University, and then three years 

 at Harvard, where he served as instructor in quantitative analysis 

 and as private assistant to Wolcott Gibbs, at that time Rumford 

 Professor of Chemistry. In 1882 he received from Harvard the degree 

 of doctor of science and in September of the same year accepted an 

 appointment as instructor of organic chemistry at the Worcester 

 Polytechnic Institute. In the following January he became assistant 

 professor of chemistry; three years later he was made full professor, 

 and from 1892 was director of the department. 



As early as 1885 Professor Kinnicutt began to give attention to the 

 question of sewage disposal and sanitary problems. He became an 

 authority on the sanitation of air, water and gas; on the methods of 

 anal;^sis and on the disposal of wastes. He paid particular attention 

 to the examination of water and watersheds and the contamination of 

 rivers and ponds by trade wastes and sewage. He made numerous 

 reports, both as regards private and public water supplies. 



He ^•is^ted Englanfl on an average every other year since 1894, 

 familiarizing himself with the work done in that country and the 

 results were embodied in various articles which he published on the 



