LINNEAIS" SOCTETT OF r.O>fDON. 35 



John Eliot Howaud, the scientific chemist and quinine 

 manufacturer, probably iuheribed his love of scientific research 

 from his father, Mr. Luke Howard, F.E.S., a well-known meteo- 

 rologist in his da}', and a correspondent of Groethe, who admired 

 his works sufficiently to write a poem on their author. He was 

 the great-grandson of an officer who lost his fortune and estate 

 in tlie cause of James II. ; and his wife vi'as descended from the 

 Westons, Earls of Portland. Their son was born on December 

 11th, 1807, and passed a long life of active usefulness. His diligent 

 researclies connected with the history of febrifuge alkaloids led, 

 in 1858, to his purchase at Madrid of a manuscript by Pavon, and 

 of a large collection o£ specimens of Peruvian bark collected by 

 that botanist iu Peru. He also employed the botanical artist, 

 Mr. W. H. Fitch, to proceed to Madrid and execute careful 

 drawings from Pavon's specimens. The result was the publicaliou, 

 in 1862, of Mi". Howard's magnificent illustrated work, ' Illustra- 

 tions of the ' Nueva Quinologia ' of Pavon, and Observations on 

 the Barks described.' When Mr. Clements Markham introduced 

 the cultivation of Cinchona plants yielding the febrifuge alka- 

 loids, from South America into India, he found in Mr. Howard a 

 most valuable adviser, ever ready to take any trouble, and to 

 help by all means iu his power iu furthering an under taldug 

 which he believed to be of great public utility. Mr. Howard 

 rendered his assistance in the most public-spirited way, and 

 without a thought of recompense or remuneration. He under- 

 took the laborious analysis of barks grown on the plantations in 

 India, and furnished a series of Eeports which have beeu in- 

 valuable as guides to the cultivators. In 1869 he embodied the 

 results of his investigations in another costly work, entitled 

 ' Quinology of the East-India Plantations,' which has also been 

 of essential use to all who are engaged in Cinchona-cultivation. 

 Mr. Howard's aid has thus been of great value and importance 

 from the first in securing the success of this great undertaking. 

 His disinterested services were highly appreciated by the Gfo- 

 vernmeut; and on October 17th, 1873, the Duke of Argyll, then 

 Secretary of State for India, caused a letter to be addressed to 

 Mr. Howard conveying the thanks of Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment to him for his valuable assistance in connexion with Cin- 

 chona-cultivation. Mr. Howard was the author of numerous 

 pamphlets and papers in pharmaceutical journals ; but his literary 

 work was by no means confined to the subject of quinology. He 

 took a deep interest in the general progress of science; he 

 thought much on the questious which are occupying the minds of 

 learned men ; and on severtil occasions he gave the results of his 

 meditations to the world. The high position he had gained as a 

 man of science was recognized by his election as a Fellow of the 

 Eijyal Society ; and he was also elected a Fellow of the Liunean 

 Society 3rd February, 1857, Corresponding Member oi the Societe 

 de Pharmacie de Paris, and of numerous other scientific Societies 



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