In Alemoriam Adolph Wislizenus. M.D, 



The St. Louis Academy of Science grieves to record the loss by death 

 of one of its founders, Dr. Adoiph Wislizenus. 



The name of Dr. Wislizenus will ever be honorably associated with 

 the history of science in St. Louis. Immediately after coming to St. 

 Louis, he in 1S39 traveled as far west as Utah in a company of fur traders . 

 where he gained experience of great value to him in his later work. In 

 1846-7 he made a tour of Northern Mexico, where he gathered valuable 

 collections, resulting in a memoir published by the U. S. Government in 

 184S. He with his friend, Dr. Engelmann, had taken an active part in the 

 work of the Western Academy of Natural Sciences, which was organized 

 in 1S37. Later, in 1856, he took part with Engelmann, Shumard, Eads, 

 Prout, and others, in the organization of the St. Louis Academy of 

 Science. 



In 1861 he began a laborious series of observations in atmospheric 

 electricity, using for that purpose the best instruments then known. He 

 hoped to be able to devise some method of predicting the arrival of storms. 

 This work was carried on for over eleven years. Although his hopes in 

 this direction were not realized the failure was not his failure, but was 

 one of the many cases where investigation is necessary in order to show 

 the exact facts. A negative result is never without value. 



His work during his tour to Mexico will be regarded as his most valu- 

 able contribution to the science of his time, and was publicly acknow- 

 ledged by Humboldt as of value to him in his studies in that region. 



It too often happens that we fail to appreciate the labors of those who 

 have done their work in a former generation. The knowledge which they 

 so painfull}' acquired, often under the most discouraging circumstances, 

 has become the common property of students everywhere ; it has lost the 

 freshness and interest which it possessed to them. But it is nevertheless 

 true that the advantages of the present are to be regarded as the heritaoe 

 transmitted to us from the past. In holding in honored remembrance the 

 worthy men who have preceded us, we simply recognize our indebtedness 

 to them for what we have received from them. 



The report of the committee was accepted. 



November ^tk, 1889. 



Vice-President Leete in the chair ; fourteen members present. 



Prof. Wheeler made some remarks on the WestphaHan coal 

 field. 



Dr. Engelmann presented by title a memoir of Dr. A. Wisli- 

 zenus, which was referred to the Committee on Publication. 



