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DEATH OF ME. MOENS, THE DUTCH 

 QUINOLOCIIST. 



Many in Ceylon as well as in Java— and indeed 

 wherever an intelligent interest is taken in the 

 scientific culture of cinchonas, — will hear with 

 much regret of the death of Mr. Moens. We can 

 well add our own testimony to that which follows 

 as to the special attainments, ready courtesy and 

 genial hospitable disposition of the deceased gentle- 

 man. We are glad toj put on record, so full 

 a notice of our friend as is given in the journals 

 from which the following is taken : — 



[Translated for the "Ceylon Observer'" from the 

 Indische Mercriur of 9th October 1S80.] 



Johan Card Bernelot Moens, our friend and 

 fellow-laborer, unexpectedly succumbed to a short 

 illness on the 2nd October. In him Nctherland 

 loses one of her most meritorious sons in scientific 

 and colonial interests. And not only Nether- 

 land, but many friends and kindred spirits 

 through the civilized world will lament his death 

 as an irreparable loss. Since Nctherland was res- 

 tored from her deep humiliation to her position 

 as an independent state, she has had but small 

 weight in the scale of nations. Instead of being, 

 as in olden times, the leader in Europe, she has 

 generally occupied the back ground, and she would 

 in effect have shrunk up into an insignificant and 

 forgotten little land, had she possessed no colonies, 

 and no men to strive in those Colonies with giant 

 might. In the introduction of the cinchona tree 

 into Asia from America, Nctherland really set 

 the example, and maintained her ancient renown. 

 And this cultivation, of such vast benefit to all 

 humanity, and which commence under the skilful 

 guidance of the veteran leaders Korthals, Hasskarl 

 and de Vrij who survive— has in a great measure 

 to thank Moens for its success and development. 



Born at Kratingen in 1837, he devoted himself 

 from his sixteenth year to the study of Pharmacy 

 and the teaching of the late Professor (>. J. Mulder 

 who trained so many learned chemists, directed 

 the course of his life's labor. He went to Nether- 

 land's India in 185B as Military Apothecary of 

 the ;{rd class, and in 18(5(5 he had already at- 

 tained the 1st class. 



Heer K. W. van Gorkom who at the time 

 directed the Government cinchona cultivation at 

 Bandong did not long remain unacquainted with 

 the extraordinary zeal and ability displayed by 

 Moens in chemistry — and as early as 18(5(5 Moens 

 stood by him as a trusted friend with counsel 

 and cooperation. 



It was just then that the discovery of cinchona 

 Ledgeriana had tended greatly to develop cincliona 

 cultivation. Consequent on the large yields of 

 alkaloids obtained from this sort it assumed the 

 first place in general estimation, and of the earlier 

 known sorts, only officinalis and succirubra were 

 retained. Chemistry had now to come forward to 

 shew how by cultivation the greatest development 

 of alkaloids could be brought about. 



And when in 1872 the Government appointed 

 Moens to be Chemist to the National Cinchona 

 Cultivation, the way was prepared for important 

 impro/ements and for adding to the national name. 

 "A new era," said van Gorkom, "was then opened 

 that constantly brought striking facts to light, 

 and gave more positive form and greater strength 

 to the development of the cultivation." Three 

 iDjportant procesees were about this time 



brought into practice by the zeal and perseverance 

 of Moens: the partial stripping of the bark and 

 protecting with moss and other covering (first 

 employed by Mclvor at Madras), tlie collection 

 of bark by scraping, and the propagation of cin- 

 chona trees by cuttings. Let a word of homage here 

 be paid to the late Director of the National Botanical 

 Garden, Schaft'er, who co-operated with Moens and 

 to Messieurs van Romunde (the present Director) 

 and Venlemans, who have latterly continued his 

 work. The destructive disease of the cinchona trees 

 was discovered by the researches of Moens to be ' 

 caused by an insect and thus the way was shewn 

 for counteracting the evil as much as possible. 



On the nomination of van Gorkom as chief in- 

 spector of cultivation in 1875. Moens was appointed 

 to succeed him at the head of the cinchona culti- 

 vation — of which he was in sole charge for four 

 years, till in 1870 Heer van Romunde was sent to his 

 aid. In 1880 Moens was commissioned by the Go- 

 vernment to undertake a voyage to Ceylon, Madras 

 and Bengal for the purpose of examining the cin- 

 chona cultivation in those countries. This voyage, 

 of which he published an account in December 1880, 

 contributed not a little to establish the value of the 

 new processes. In 188:5 after a residence cf 25 

 years in India he obtained two years' leave for the 

 restoration of his health, and in 1885, at his own 

 request he was honorably relieved from his office 

 of Director of the cinchona cultivation. Soon after 

 his return home he was charged by the Govern- 

 ment witli the analytical examination of the 

 cinchona bark imported from Netherlands 

 India. With great zeal and scientific concieii- 

 tiousness he acquited himself of this task up to 

 the time of his death. His labors survive in 

 the great work he wrote, entitled " Cinchona Culti- 

 vation in Asia," containing a full review of the 

 cultivation from its introduction in 1851 up to 

 1882, illustrated by five photographic plates by 

 Carl Lang. This work written in Dutch has obtained 

 an international celebrity as well as his minor 

 writings and numerous contributions to the 

 ImVisehe Mfrcuiir, which were always republished in 

 the English and German scientific and commercial 

 periodicals. Notwithstanding that he was highly 

 appreciated abroad, Moens remained always a 

 warm patriot — he shewed this especially by the 

 intense perseverance he displayed in protecting 

 the Netherlands cinchona market from the over- 

 whelming infiuence of London. By constant 

 struggling for the Netherlands quinine manufacture 

 and by conscientious valuation of the imported 

 bark, he succeeded in preserving that market for 

 Netherlands until now. During the most unfavour- 

 able crisis of the cinchona prices he frequently 

 exclaimed "We can hold it no longer" —and only 

 an expert can judge how painful such a regret 

 must have been. 



Moens was an honorary member of tlie Society 

 for the Advancement of Medical Science in Nether= 

 lands India, and of the Netherlands Association of 

 Industry ; corresponding member of the Royal 

 Academy of Science, and member of many other 

 learned Societies at home and abroad. He was 

 made a Knight of the Netherlands Lion 1871. Married 

 in India to Augusta Schenck. He leaves 5 children 

 of whom the oldest is 19 years old, and the youngest 

 barely one year of age. Moens was a quiet and 

 retiring man, never coming uninvited to 

 the front. He always sacrificed his personality to 

 the great work for which he lived. But those who 

 knew him intimately soon learned to appreciate his 

 clear understanding and rich experience. There 

 was something sombre in his appearance, but on 

 his cherished subject he spoke with warmth and 



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