OBITUARY NOTICES. >tl 



the University of Marburg, studying chemistry under Bunsen and 

 physics under Gerling. In January, 1845, ne presented his disser- 

 tation to the Faculty and was graduated with the degree of Philo- 

 sophiae Doctor. The subject of this thesis was: " Beitrage zur 

 Kenntniss des Kupferschieferhutten-processen, erlautert durch die 

 Untersuchung der auf der Friedrichshiitte bei Riechelsdorf gewon- 

 nenen Producte." Shortly afterward he became Chemical Assistant 

 to Prof. Bunsen, and was subsequently appointed a Privat-Docent in 

 the University. He held this position for about three years, resign- 

 ing it in the spring of 1848. In the summer of that year he sailed for 

 Baltimore, and soon after his arrival there he went to Philadelphia, 

 where he established one of the earliest analytical laboratories in 

 America. In the fall of 1849 he received an offer of the position 

 of Superintendent of the Washington (now Silver Hill) mine, in 

 Davidson county, North Carolina. This offer he accepted, giving 

 up his laboratory in Philadelphia and removing in October to 

 Davidson county. Here he remained until August, 1850, when he 

 resigned this position and returned again to Philadelphia, where he 

 reopened his analytical laboratory and devoted himself to research, 

 to commercial analysis and to the instruction of special students in 

 chemistry. It was in this laboratory that the chief part of his 

 admirable work on the ammonia-cobalt bases, as well as the earlier 

 portions of his mineralogical investigations, was done. This work 

 of research attracted general attention, and in 1872, upon the 

 death of Prof. Wetherill, he was tendered the Professorship of 

 Chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania, then just entering 

 upon the new era of prosperity consequent upon its removal to West 

 Philadelphia. This position he at first declined because of the 

 pecuniary sacrifice which it involved ; but subsequently he accepted 

 it with the understanding that his private work might still be car- 

 ried on. He continued to hold his chair, with credit to himself 

 and satisfaction to his colleagues, until the fall of 1888, when he 

 severed his connection with the University and for the third time 

 returned to his private research laboratory and to his professional 

 work. 



The earliest scientific paper published by Dr. Genth appeared in 

 Leonhard a?id Bronri 's Jahrbuch for 1842. It was entitled " Bin- 

 nenconchylien lebender Arten im Kalktuff von Ahlersbach," and 

 shows the influence not only of his father's early training in the 

 natural sciences, but also of that of Leonhard, with whom he 



