54 The Life and Writings of 



the same Institution.&quot; In September of the same year he 

 left this post, and so far as known never again entered 

 a class-room as instructor. Ill health seriously interfered 

 with all his manifold occupations, but he still kept on 

 writing, amassing notes, publishing fragmentary articles, 

 and devoting not a little time to inventions and to his 

 medical business. 



THE Six PER CENT SAVINGS BANK. 



Probably the most interesting business adventure of 

 Rafinesque during these later years was the proposal, 

 elaboration and establishment of a kind of savings 

 bank which he called the Divitial Institution and Six 

 Per Cent Savings Bank. This institution had been a 

 favorite scheme for quite ten years before final organi 

 zation. The men who went into the scheme were all 

 men of small holdings; wealthy people would have 

 nothing to do with it. It paid stockholders six per 

 cent, and loaned money at the same interest rate. The 

 first year of its operation the bank divided a dividend 

 of nine per cent among the stockholders. How money 

 could be borrowed at six per cent, loaned at six per 

 cent, and current expenses be paid, does not appear, 

 unless, indeed, &quot;the commissions, fines, and casualities &quot;, 



