Joseph Francis James. — Gilbert. 3 
chiefly routine, and there was Httle gratification for his ambi- 
tion in the direction of original research. 
Having for many years struggled to support himself by 
avocations in harmony with his scientific pursuits, and having, 
either from the accident of environment or from lack of per- 
sonal adaptation, suffered repeated rebuffs and discourage- 
ments, he at last determined to adopt a more remunerative 
profession and relegate science wholly to leisure hours. Still 
retaining his official position and work, he devoted his even- 
ings to the study of medicine, and in 1895 graduated from 
the medical school of Columbian University. The following 
winter was given to hospital work and bacteriologic study in 
New York and London, and he then began practice in Hing- 
ham, where the last year of his life w-as spent. A letter from 
the leader of an exploring expedition to Greenland, inviting 
him to be the physician of the party, reacht his house the day 
after his death. 
Professor James's scientific work included the acquisition of 
knowledge through research and its diffusion through popular 
as well as technical publication. In research he was conscien- 
tious and patient, dealing largely with details of classification, 
generalization and explanation, and though enthusiastic, was 
not tempted into the field of speculation. No brilliant discov- 
eries nor theories were announced by him, but his contribu- 
tions to knowledge are substantial and useful. In publication 
he was not limited either to the record of his own investiga- 
tions or to the pages of scientific journals, but being deeply 
imprest with the importance of diffusing scientific knowledge, 
he appeared often as an expounder of the work of others, and 
made free use of newspapers and popular journals. The sub- 
joined lists would have been greatly extended by including 
reviews and book notices, and still more by adding the numer- 
ous short articles addrest in one way or another to the general 
public. 
When religious beliefs were under fire at ( ).xford, profes- 
sor James was accused of being an agnostic and defended as 
being essentially a Unitarian. So far as I knew it, his religion 
was an unswerving devotion to science. Science gave him 
only a modicum of that fame which is so dear even to the 
least selfish of her votaries, and she utterly failed to shield him 
from adversit}-, but his fealty endured to the end. 
