398 NATURAL SCIENCE. December, 



In chronicling the death of Luigi Palmieri, the well-known 

 vulcanologist, we had no space to give details. He was born at 

 Faicchio ; occupied the chair of mathematics at three Italian Univer- 

 sities, and then that of physics at Naples. In 1854 ^^ ^^^ appointed 

 Director of the Observatory at Vesuvius, a post which he occupied 

 with the greatest distinction till his death. Regardless of personal 

 danger, he studied all the eruptions of the volcano, and published a 

 book on that of 1872. He was also the editor of the annual 

 publication, Annales de VOhsevvatoire du Vesiive, and an inventor of 

 several scientific instruments, notably a rain-gauge and a seismometer. 



Three eminent medical men have lately died. Sir John Eric 

 Erichsen, Surgeon Extraordinary to the Queen, was born on 

 July ig, 1818, and died at Folkestone on September 23 last. He 

 filled successively the posts of Professor of Surgery at University 

 College, Surgeon to the Hospital, Emeritus Professor of Surgery, and 

 at the time of his death was the President of the College. He had 

 also been President of the Royal College of Surgeons, and of the Royal 

 Medical Society, and had occupied other honourable positions. His 

 chief work was the well-known "Science and Art in Surgery." Sir 

 George Murray Humphry, who was born in 1820, died on 

 September 24. He had lived more than 50 years at Cambridge, and 

 was, to quote the Times, " one of the greatest benefactors to the 

 University of modern times," in that he placed the teaching of natural 

 science on a firm and permanent basis. He was appointed Professor 

 of Anatomy in 1866, and in 1883 accepted the Chair of Surgery. Plis 

 best known writings are "A Treatise on the Human Skeleton," 1858 ; 

 " On Myology," 1872 ; "Old Age and Changes incidental to it," i88g. 

 George Harley was born at Haddington in 1829. After graduating 

 in medicine at Edinburgh, he studied in Paris and other Continental 

 centres, and on his return to England held a Professorship at 

 University College. In 1859 he became Physician to University 

 College Hospital. Dr. Harley specialised on the liver and kidneys, 

 and was an exponent of the A.C.E. mixture for anaesthetics. In 1877 

 he published a book on spelling reform. 



i 



Our obituary list has been so heavy of late that we can do little 

 more than mention the following : — F. C. S. Roper, botanist, at 

 Eastbourne ; Alexander S. Smith, of Cumberland, who possessed a 

 unique knowledge of bird life on the Solway marshes, and gave 

 many valuable specimens to the Carlisle Museum; on September loth 

 Dr. R. Zander, botanical assistant in the Agricultural College 

 at Berlin ; on September 26th, at BerHn, the botanist, L. Rudolph, 

 aged 83 ; the coleopterist, Dr. E. Eppelsheim, an authority on 

 Staphylinidae, in Bavaria ; Dr. Max Muller, an eminent surgeon 



