DR. ABRAHAM GESNER — A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 



which was carrying horses to the West Indies. None of 

 these were proiitable, however, from causes beyond his 

 control. 



On one of his voyages he was wrecked in a gale at 

 Wreck Hill, Somerset Parish, Bermudci, the vessel 

 fortunately pounding over the reef before it went to 

 pieces. He and the survivors were brought to Halifax 

 by one of Her Majesty's frigates. 



On another of his voyages he was wrecked in the 

 schooner " Mason's Daughter " on Briar Island, at the 

 entrance of St, Mary's Bay, Nova Scotia. The crew 

 were washed ashore in a wintry surf, and barely escaped 

 being frozen to death. 



But his courage and industry were not quelled by 

 these misfortunes. 



At the age of twenty-eight he became a student of 

 surgery at Guy's Hospital, and of medicine at St. Bar- 

 tholemew's hospital, the first being under the direction 

 of Sir Astley Cooper, and the other under that of Dr. 

 Abernethy. 



He was noted whde at Guy's Hospital for his earnest 

 application and also his deep spirit of piety. When any 

 physiological mystery became a subject of speculation 

 his ultimate reason was always, '' God niade it so," and 

 the phrase came to be known as Gesner's reason, and 

 was habitually used among the students. 



He was married in 1824 to Harriet, daughter of Dr. 

 Isaac Webster, of Kentville, Nova Scotia, His children, 

 beside three who died in infiincy, \vere Henry, William, 

 George Weltden, Abraham Herbert, Brower, John Fred- 

 erick and Conrad. Of these two survive at the present 

 time, George Weltden and John Frederick, both of 

 whom are chemists and metallurgists and patentees of 

 improvements in various branches of applied science. 



