xiv INTRODUCTION 



Columbia decided to greatly extend the zoological courses of the 

 college, and Professor Henry Fairfield Osborn was invited from Prince- 

 ton to plan a Department of Biology for the institution. The result 

 was the creation of a strong department, including a number of pro- 

 fessors and instructors. On the 5th of May Dr. Northrop was ap- 

 pointed Tutor in Zoology in this new department, especially in charge 

 of invertebrates. In order to perfect himself for the duties which he 

 expected to assume he obtained leave of absence for a year and in- 

 tended to start during the early part of September, 1890, for Germany 

 to study under Professor Her twig in Berlin and Professor Haeckel in 

 Jena. 



At the very opening of this bright outlook for the future and attain- 

 ment of this splendid preparation, in which Dr. Northrop had shown 

 such rare ability and resourcefulness, came the tragedy of his sudden 

 death, connected with the performance of his duties as curator of the 

 zoological collections in the School of Mines Museum. 



In the afternoon of June 25 Dr. Northrop had occasion to obtain 

 some alcohol for use in the preservation of zoological specimens. As a 

 measure of safety the main supply was stored in a fire-proof vault 

 under the School of Mines building. Two janitors accompanied him, 

 and together they proceeded to draw off some of the alcohol from a 

 large cask into a smaller vessel. The vault was dark, and a match was 

 struck in order to see how the vessel was filling. Just what happened 

 we shall never know ; but the alcohol ignited, there was a momentary 

 glare of flame around the faucet, a flash, an explosion, and a sea of fire 

 in the vault. All three of the men were thrown down and badly burned, 

 but evidently Dr. Northrop' s clothing had become saturated with the 

 alcohol, and his injuries were so severe that he died during the follow- 

 ing night. On July 5, 1891, just ten days after Dr. Northrop's death, 

 his son, John Howard Northrop, was born. 



It is difficult to measure the loss to Columbia College, so soon 

 (1896) to become Columbia University and to assume its important 

 part in the scientific work of America. His memory will be per- 

 petuated in Columbia by the Zoological Library which he was in- 

 strumental in getting together, through the generosity of his uncle, 

 Mr. Charles H. Senff, and in the zoological material which he col- 

 lected and arranged for the Zoological Museum. 



The finished and unfinished work which Dr. Northrop left behind 



J 



