Sir Joseph Henry Gilbert. 239 



at it was tenaciously held, and if attacked was vigorously defended. 

 Sir Henry Gilbert was an antagonist who never tired. His contro- 

 versies with Liebig, on the subject of his mineral theory, and, in later 

 years, with other German investigators, on the source of fat in the 

 animal body, will be well remembered by his contemporaries. 



The life work of Sir Henry Gilbert will chiefly be found in the pub- 

 lished reports of the Rothamsted investigations, which, at the time of his 

 death, had reached ten volumes; the subjects of these investigations will 

 be briefly noticed at the close of this biography. His work, however, 

 frequently extended beyond the sphere of the Kothamsted experiments. 

 He was Mr. Lawes' scientific adviser, and as such he played an active 

 part in the trials which took place in the Law Courts respecting the 

 alleged infringment of Mr. Lawes' patent. He made reports on 

 deposits of phosphates at home and abroad. He superintended the 

 experiments relating to the disposal of sewage at the time when Mr. 

 Lawes was a member of the Royal Commission of 1857. Other 

 important undertakings will be mentioned presently. 



Dr. Gilbert was married in 1850 to Eliza Laurie, daughter of the 

 Rev. G. Laurie. His wife died in 1853. He married a second time, in 

 1855, Maria Smith, who survives him. Sir Henry Gilbert owed much 

 to his second wife's untiring assistance. The feeble condition of his 

 eyesight obliged him to rely a good deal on clerical help. Both foreign 

 and English papers were read to him by Lady Gilbert, while the greater 

 part of his own work was dictated to an amanuensis. His great pluck 

 and determination, with the assistance thus rendered, enabled him to 

 accomplish a very large amount of work notwithstanding the serious 

 difficulties under which he laboured. 



Sir Henry Gilbert was an active member of many scientific societies, 

 a regular attendant at their meetings, and a member of many scientific 

 committees. The Rothamsted investigations undoubtedly gained 

 by the intercourse thus obtained with other investigators, though 

 the time occupied by visits to London was often considerable. 

 Sir Henry Gilbert was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1860. 

 Pie was the author, with Sir John Lawes, of seven papers in the 

 "Philosophical Transactions." In 1867 he received, with Sir John 

 Lawes, one of the Royal medals for the work done at Rothamsted. He 

 served on the Council in 1886-8. Sir Henry Gilbert joined the 

 Chemical Society in 1841, a few weeks after its formation, became a 

 member of the Council in 1856, and a Vice-President in 1868. In 

 1882 he was elected President of the Society. Sir Henry Gilbert 

 delivered four lectures before the Society, and was the part author of 

 several other papers. In 1898 a memorable dinner was given by the 

 Society to six Past-Presidents, all of whom had been members of the 

 Society for more than fifty years ; of these Past-Presidents Gilbert was 



