6 Obituary Notices. [sess. li. 



Southern Counties Department of the Asylum : — " He was 

 devoted to his duties, patient, attentive, kind, if anything he 

 lacked firmness, but by his unceasing attention and thought- 

 fulness he gained the confidence of his patients, and I have 

 known few men to whom they were more attached ;" and 

 after alluding to the admirable and successful treatment of 

 the insane pursued by Dr Browne, he goes on to say — " Dr 

 Gilchrist became one of the main agents in the carrying out 

 of this system, and his general knowledge of science proved 

 of great service. He gave regular courses of lectures on 

 Botany and Geology,- of which he was an enthusiastic student ; 

 and these were continued until he left the Crichton Institu- 

 tion to enter on his duties at Montrose. He also took the 

 patients attending his class out for walks, and gave what 

 may be called clinical instruction in these sciences. Fond 

 of music, and knowing it scientifically, he held music and 

 snigiug classes weekly in the Crichton Institution and 

 Southern Counties Asylum." He remained there till 1853, 

 when he was appointed medical superintendent of the 

 Montrose Asylum. Here also he devoted himself assiduously 

 and zealously to the discharge of his official duties, and 

 profiting by the able tuition of his esteemed teacher, he 

 carried his system of moral treatment into his new sphere 

 of labour, and strove to introduce one improvement after 

 another into his asylum, and it was by his efforts and advice 

 that the noble institution at Sunnyside was projected and 

 commenced. Here also his scientific tastes were cultivated 

 and extended, for, meeting as he did with Mr Alexander 

 Croall, an able and distinguished botanist and zoologist, who 

 gave special attention to the Cryptogamic portion of the 

 former science, we can easily understand how Dr Gilchrist 

 was led to direct his attention to marine zoology, and to 

 take a special interest in sea-weeds, mosses, and lichens. 

 These are still at Linwood, Dumfries, and I am authorised 

 l>y Mrs Gilchrist to state, that those who know and care for 

 such things may have an opportunity of inspecting them by 

 giving her notice of tlicir desire. In this kind and generous 

 offer she is following in her late husband's footsteps. It 

 was while here that he sent to our Society his paper on 

 the Geological Relation of Plants. Having in August 1853 

 formed one of a party who, under the auspices of my late 



