January 8, 1914] 
NATURE 
535 
published some poems. From that time onward 
he continued to write poems and novels. The 
most successful of these was “Hugh Wynne,” a 
novel which dealt with life and manners in Phila- 
delphia at the time of the Revolution. This novel 
showed an ‘intimate knowledge of the history of 
the time, and of-the people who took part in the 
great national movement. The figures he 
described were no mere puppets, but seem to 
be living and breathing men and women, and the 
work was of such high literary excellence that it 
at once placed him in the foremost rank of 
American novelists. Of very few men can it be 
said that as a young man he took a first place 
amongst the physiologists, as a middle-aged 
man amongst the physicians, and as an elderly 
man amongst the novelists of his country. His 
extraordinary mental power was combined with 
an almost equally extraordinary bodily activity, 
so that until about a year before his death he 
would think nothing of a walk of ten miles. 
As a host he was most cordial and genial; as 
a friend he was most kind, trusty, and true; and 
his great information, broad views, and power 
of expression made a conversation with him a 
pleasure, and a stay in his house a delight to be 
remembered for the rest of life. He seemed to 
possess in a very marked degree the power of 
saying and doing the right thing at the right 
moment. His loss leaves the world the poorer, 
and will be a personal sorrow to everyone who has 
ever known him. 
Little more than a week ago I received a 
Christmas card from him headed, “The Star of 
Bethlehem,” containing four verses of poetry 
printed, but signed in his own handwriting, and 
I think probably his own composition. In view 
of his death so soon afterwards, the last verse 
seems almost prophetic, and it gives such an 
insight into his feelings, character, and hopes 
that I think perhaps I may be allowed to quote 
it :— 
“Still in our heaven of memory keep 
Remembrance of the gifts He gave; 
The guiding life, the star of love, 
To glow for us beyond the grave.”’ 
Lauper Brunton. 
NOTES. 
Tue chief distinction of interest to the scientific 
world in the list of New Year Honours is the appoint- 
ment of Sir Archibald Geikie, K.C.B., F.R.S., to the 
Order of Merit, in recognition of the eminent services 
which he has rendered to the nation and 
to the world at large in the science of 
geology. Mr. James Bryce, O.M., F.R.S., who 
retired recently from the post of British Ambas- 
sador at Washington, is created a viscount. Sir Chris- 
topher Nixon, Bart.. professor of medicine in Univer- 
' sity College, Dublin, has been made a Privy Councillor 
in Ireland. Sir Rickman J. Godlee, Bart., presi- 
dent of the Royal College of Surgeons, has been made 
a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 
and Sir William J. Collins has received a like honour. 
Among the forty new knights are Prof. E. Rutherford, 
NO. 2206, VOL. 92] 
F.R.S., Langworthy professor of physics, University 
of Manchester; Mr. R. Blair, education officer of the 
London County Council since 1904; Prof. H. B. Allen, 
professor of pathology, University of Melbourne; and 
Surgeon-General A. T. Sloggett, director, Medical 
Services in India. Major A. Cooper-Key, Chief In- 
spector of Explosives, Home Office, has been appointed 
a Companion of the Bath (C.B.); Dr. A. Theiler, 
director of veterinary research, Department of Agricul- 
ture, Union of South Africa, has been promoted to be 
Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael 
and Saint George (K.C.M.G.); and the new Com- 
panions (C.M.G.) of the same Order include Mr. A. G. 
Bell, Inspector of Mines, Trinidad; and Prof. J. 
; Shand, professor of natural philosophy, University of 
Otago, New Zealand. Major J. D. E. Holmes, Impe- 
rial bacteriologist in charge of the veterinary labora- 
tory at Muktesar, has been made a Companion of the 
Order of the Indian Empire (C.1.E.). 
Mr. W. PoprpLewELtL Broxam, whose death we 
announced with regret last week, contributed to the 
Chemical Society many papers which testify to his work 
for the advancement of science. In the early ’nineties 
of last century he devoted his energies to the task of 
unravelling the mysteries surrounding the alkali poly- 
sulphides and their oxidation changes; no doubt his 
attention was turned in this direction by Debus, under 
whom he started his professional career. Having 
filled a position as locum tenens professor of chem- 
istry at Presidency College, Madras, Bloxam was re- 
tained in India by the Government of Bengal to in- 
vestigate the question of improving the cultivation and 
manufacture of indigo, and from 1902-5 much work 
was carried on at the Dalsingh Serai Research Station, 
culminating in a report in conjunction with H. M. 
Leak and R: S. Finlow, now cited as authoritative. 
The underlying chemical investigations are to be found 
in the Transactions of the Chemical Society. A fur- 
ther Government grant enabled Mr. Bloxam on his 
return to this country to continue his researches at 
Leeds, whence there emanated several papers for the 
Chemical Society, in conjunction with Prof. A. G. 
Perkin and others, on the constitution of indirubin, 
the analysis: of indigo, and the like. Another subject 
which came under Mr, Bloxam’s notice was,the com- 
plexity of the proteids of blood, and’ in. the Proceed- 
ings of the Physiological Society is to be found a paper 
dealing with the constitution of. these compounds as 
they occur.in.-horse.serum. As a whole Mr. Bloxam’s 
work was sound, and his death at a comparatively 
early age deprives us of a genuine enthusiast in the 
cause of chemical research. 
Dr. Huco Miene, associate professor of botany in 
the University of Leipzig, has. succeeded the late 
Prof. H. Potonié as editor of the Naturwissenschaft- 
lichen Wochenschrift, published by Mr. Gustav 
Fischer, Jena. 
Dr. R. WorMELL, instructor in mathematics at the 
Royal Naval College, Greenwich, in 1873, headmaster 
of the Central Foundation School, London, from 1874 
to 1900, and the author of several valuable works on 
scientific and educational subjects, died on January 6, 
at seventy-four years of age. 
