the War Department to survey and map the Upper Mississippi 
country. Nicollet spent some days in St. Louis and met with 
the members several times. 24 And, of course, the individual 
members continued the study of natural history. Most outstand- 
ing was Dr. Engelmann, who, in addition to his own work of col- 
lecting and identifying plants, bought specimens from collectors, 
and distributed them among museums in the United States and in 
Europe. 2* 
The scientific work of these men was quite limited, from a 
modern viewpoint, since it was almost altogether the collection 
and identification of specimens. But since so many new plants 
and other natural history objects were being found in the new 
country to the west, this taxonomical work was of the greatest 
importance. 
But, aside from these weighty things, the members of the 
Western Academy of Natural Sciences received personal inspira- 
tion from their association with men of like interests. In 1840 
Engelmann made a trip East, and sent back a barrel of oysters 
to his friends. Dr. Brown wrote to thank him, saying: 
You may readily guess my surprise when your communi- 
cation arrived. . . and to show a proper respect for the 
documents [he meant the barrel oysters] and also the source 
from which it emanated, I was not slow in communicating it 
to the body scientific which caused a general turnout and 
resulted in the firm resolve that Shorlach Burger [was this 
a brand of beer?] was the only proper medicine in which 
sentiment might be embalmed for the occasion and kindred 
spirits talk the matter over—accordingly six corks were 
drawn and as many times our wandering friends were cheered.^ 
But that barrel of oysters. . .--it's too much to think on. 
But, in spite of the interest and enthusiasm of the members, 
the Western Academy of Natural Sciences ceased to exist as a 
formal organization about 1843. It did not get the public sup- 
Port it needed, because, as President Henry King had once said, 
People are too occupied with the wants of life."" 
As has been noted, however, the Western Academy of Natural 
Sciences of St. Louis was only one of several organizations 
founded in the Middle West in the first half of the nineteenth 
century. Antedating the St. Louis group by nineteen years was 
the Western Museum Society of Cincinnati, founded by one of tne 
"ost dynamic civic leaders of the time. Dr. Daniel Drake, physi- 
cian, author, businessman and scientist. Drake, born in Kentucky 
^<i reared on a pioneer farm, studied medicine with a Practicing 
Physician in Cincinnati and then attended the medical school as 
sociated with the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. 
238 
