No. 6.] BRUSH — AMERICAN MINERALOGY. 325 



interest in the science of mineralogy. Besides this Dr. Bruce 

 entered into extensive correspondence with others interested in 

 the subject, was active in visiting and discovering new mineral 

 localities, and in advising, encouraging and inspiring young min- 

 eralogists. Finally, after well considering the matter, he estab- 

 lished the first purely scientific periodical ever published in 

 America. This was called the American Mineralogical Journal, 

 and the first number of it was published in 1810. It contained 

 original contributions, chiefly on mineralogy, from a number of 

 investigators. ''It was received,'' says the elder Silliman, "in 

 this country and in Europe in a flattering manner; it excited at 

 home great zeal and efibrt in support of the sciences which it 

 fostered, and abroad it was hailed as the harbingtr of our future 

 exertions." But alas ! it was in advance of the age, and after 

 struggling lor several years was given up on the publication of 

 the fourth number. Possibly it would have continued longer had 

 it not been for the failing health of its founder. This journal 

 contained several important papers by Dr. Bruce, among them 

 the investigation and description of two new mineral species, 

 the native magnesia of Hoboken and the red zinc oxide of Sus- 

 sex Co., New Jersey. These are the first American specimens 

 described by an American mineralogist. So thoroughly was the 

 work done by Bruce, that three species remain to-day essentially 

 as he described them, and his papers may well be studied by 

 mineralogists now as models of accuracy and clearness of state- 

 ment. Dr. Bruce did much also for the elevation of the medical 

 profes>ion, wns one of the founders of the New York Medical 

 Society, and was largely influential in obtaining the charter of 

 the College of Physicans and Surgeons, in which he was subse- 

 quently the Professor of Materia 3Iedica and Mineralogy. He is 

 described as a successful teacher, a man of wide acquirements 

 and of great integrity, which qualities with abounding generosity 

 and hospitality, commanded the respect and regard of all who 

 knew him. It was a great loss to science and to his country 

 that so able an investigator should have been cut ofi" at the early 

 age of 42. He died in New York, Feb. 24, 1818. 



I have mentioned that the importation and exhibition of col- 

 lections of minerals from Europe had contributed much to excite 

 an interest in the study of mineralogy. It was necessary to have 

 known minerals for study and comparison in order properly to 

 determine those obtained by exploration here. In 1805, Colonel 



