378 Linnean Society. [May 24, 



Edwin John Quekett, Esq., was born at Langport in the county of 

 Somerset in September ISOS. He received his elementary educa- 

 tion as a Surgeon in that town, and in 1828 commenced his attend- 

 ance on the Medical Classes at University College, London, where he 

 gained several honorary distinctions. He subsequently entered into 

 practice in Wellclose Square, and became Surgeon to the Tower 

 Hamlets Dispensary. In 1 835 he became Lecturer on Botany in the 

 Medical School of the London Hospital, and in the following year 

 was elected into the Linnean Society. He took an active part in 

 the formation of the Microscopical Society, which was founded in 

 1840, and contributed the first paper to its ' Transactions.' In 1843 

 he became joint- editor with Dr. Goodfellow of the ' London Physio- 

 logical Journal,' a monthly periodical devoted especially to micro- 

 scopical investigations, but of which five numbers only were pub- 

 lished. Mr. Quekett had the reputation of a well-informed and 

 sound practitioner, and was greatly esteemed for his kindness of 

 disposition and indefatigable attention to his patients. He died on 

 the 28th of last June, of a singularly anomalous and distressing 

 complaint, first affecting the pharynx and subsequently the lungs, 

 and for a long time rendering deglutition impossible. 



As a microscopical observer Mr. Quekett is deserving of great 

 credit. A skilful manipulator and possessed of considerable tact in 

 the preparation of his subjects, he combined much mechanical inge- 

 nuity with an accurate theoretical as well as practical knowledge of 

 the capabilities of his instrument ; and his observations were conse- 

 quently entitled to a high degree of confidence. The more import- 

 ant of his contributions to science are contained in our ' Transac- 

 tions,' in those of the Microscopical Society and in the ' Physiolo- 

 gical Journal.' A few also appeared in the ' London Medical Gazette,' 

 and in the ' Pharmaceutical Journal.' 



The following are the titles of Mr. Quekett's papers in the ' Trans- 

 actions ' of the Linnean and Microscopical Societies : — 



" Observations on the Ergot of Rye, and some other Grasses," 

 Linn. Trans, xviii. p. 453. 



" Some further Observations on the Nature of the Ergot of 

 Grasses," ibid. xix. p. 137. 



" On the Development of the Vascular Tissue of Plants," Trans. 

 Micr. Soc. i. p. 1. 



*' On the Structure of some Tissues possessing hygrometric pro- 

 peties," ibid. p. 23. 



" On the Nature of Vessels possessing longitudinal as well as spi- 

 ral fibres, found in certain Plants," ibid. p. 157. 



" On an instance, of Monstrosity in a Moss," ibid. p. 160. 



