THE INCORPORATORS 1 75 



more, March 29, 1813, was only seven years old when his mother 

 died. He was tenderly cared for, however, by Rev. Adam P. 

 Empie and his wife, and in gratitude to them he adopted Empie 

 as his middle name. Although his brothers, after his father's 

 death, favored the idea of his becoming a civil engineer, he was 

 more inclined toward teaching, and in preparation for this work 

 continued his studies in botany, geology, and mineralogy. He 

 added to these a medical course at the University of Pennsyl- 

 vania. Though receiving a doctor's degree in 1836, he did not 

 practice medicine but turned his attention to chemistry, in which 

 he had become deepl)^ interested, and joined his brother Henry 

 as chemist of the first Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. In 

 March, 1842, he had the gratification of receiving an appoint- 

 ment as Professor of General and Applied Chemistry in the 

 University of Virginia. In conjunction with his brothers James 

 and William, Dr. Rogers made many experiments, wrote numer- 

 ous valuable scientific papers, and published text-books on chem- 

 istry. Indeed, so intimately were the four brothers connected 

 in their researches that the results were often spoken of as those 

 of " the brothers Rogers." No jealous rivalry existed among 

 them. 



At the death of James, in 1852, Robert was chosen to fill his 

 place as Professor of Chemistry in the University of Pennsyl- 

 vania, and afterwards became dean of the medical faculty. To 

 his numerous duties he added those of assistant surgeon in the 

 Military Hospital, and while showing a woman the dangers 

 connected with the use of a steam mangle, he was so unfortunate 

 as to lose his right hand. He soon learned to use his left hand 

 and his right arm with great skill in carrying on his experiments. 

 In 1872 Dr. Rogers took part in an investigation concerning the 

 waste of silver in the United States Mint at Philadelphia, and 

 devised new methods of refining precious metals. He also pre- 

 pared the plan for the refinery at the San Francisco Mint. On 

 account of changes in the administration of the University of 

 Pennsylvania, Dr. Rogers, after twenty-five years of service in 

 that institution, withdrew from it, and accepted in 1877 the chair 



