262 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



An amiable trait in our deceased friend was the encourage- 

 ment lie gave to young men studying at the University 

 by inviting them to his house, and by giving them every 

 assistance in his power in the prosecution of their scientific 

 studies, bestowing on them the fruit of his experience, as 

 well as the benefit of his advice. Frequently, indeed, he 

 assumed to act in loco parentis, not even sparing his censure 

 when he thought that was needed. Many of these students 

 are now scattered in distant lands, and not a few in after- 

 life continued to correspond with him. 



It is needless to say how beloved Dr M'Bain was in the 

 circle of his intimate friends. His unobtrusive sociality and 

 genial suavity of disposition threw a charm into the bond of 

 friendship, and for one to be able to look back on the many 

 pleasant days of rational and social intercourse spent with 

 our friend, not unfrequently in the green fields under the 

 blue canopy of the heavens, is a melancholy joy to be 

 cherished, and while memory has a place, is not likely to be 

 easily obliterated. 



Apart from this inner circle, Dr M'Bain's popularity was 

 great in various quarters. He was well liked by his brethren 

 of the Medical profession, with whom he always worked 

 harmoniously, and then again from having spent a large 

 portion of his life in the Eoyal Navy, a strong feeling of 

 good fellowship always existed between him and the 

 commissioned officers of that service. But his main and 

 conspicuous popularity was with the crews of the Guard 

 and Hospital ships, and Coastguard men, over whom, as 

 Medical Agent, he had the professional health supervision. 

 These crews looked up to him with truly filial affection. 

 Irrespective of his functions of Medical Attendant, he may 

 be considered as having been the permanent Father Con- 

 fessor of the Firth of Forth Fleet; for not only did these 

 honest fellows confess their peccadillos, but they poured 

 their joys, their sorrows, and their secrets into the capacious 

 bosom of our friend. We have his own authority for saying 

 that these unsophisticated sailors received and acted on his 

 advice on all sorts of miscellaneous matters with the faith 

 and simplicity of children, often seeming to feel — by experi- 



