Soseph Leidy. —Hrazer. a) 
books or papers while the other hung free at the side; a 
straight toed walk with a sailor’s swing from one side to the other 
at each of his long and easy strides; these things made him 
noticeable anywhere. People who knew him but slightly would 
go out of their way to wish him good morning, and would feel a 
touch of satisfaction at receiving his always hearty response. There 
is a beautiful conservatory in Philadelphia, on Chestnut street, 
near 'l'welfth, where he often stopped to admire the exquisite flowers 
which the generous owners expose to the delectation of their fellow 
citizens, The lucky acquaintance who joined him at such times 
was treated to an exposition of the peculiarities and beauties of 
the various flowers which ran as smoothly and unconsciously from 
him as if he were simply discussing the weather, but which opened 
new vistas of admiration, both of him and of the works of nature 
in his listener. 
For years he was accustomed to pass a part of every Sunday in 
the mineral cabinet of the late Richard L, Vaux and after Mr. 
Vaux’s death in that of Mr. Clarence Bement. Many were the un- 
sound determinations set right and many the fruitful discussions 
over minerals and everything else, 
Like the true naturalist that he was, he bequeathed his body to 
his colleagues in the interest of amthropometric science, his friends 
and pupils Dr. Harrison Allen and Dr. Francis X. Dercum having 
extracted, weighed, measured and preserved that wonderful brain. 
His remains were cremated, and thus passed from earthly form 
one of the loveliest, wisest, and gentlest of men. May his exam- 
ple be of service to us all. 
Novre:—Since writing the above | am indebted to the nephew of the 
subject of this sketch, himself an eminent physician, for the following 
additional facts: 
* *« “The weight of the brain was 454 0oz., somewhat smaller than 
normal, and the appearance of the surface presented an unusual increase 
in the convolutions. No microscopic examination has as yet been made. 
The points of pathological interest were the presence of a hemorrhagic 
pachymeningitis on the right side and an unusual hardness of the blood 
vessels at the base due chiefly to atheroma. By a singular coincidence 
the brain of my father (Dr. Philip Leidy who died within a few hours 
of his brother, P. F.) weighed exactly the same to a grain and presented 
very much the same microscopical appearance, showing a decided fam- 
ily trait. They both suffered from anurism, Dr. Joseph Leidy of the 
aorta and Dr. Philip Leidy of the heart. In all my experience, which 
has been large, at the post mortem t-ble, I never saw the blood vessels 
at the base of the brainso largeand hard. They were typical pipe stems.” 
In a subsequent note, he adds: “Dr. Harrison Allen assisted by Dr. 
Dercum, as representatives of the anthropomoric society, performed the 
autopsies in both cases. Drs. Wm. Hunt, J.J. Levick, John Packard and 
Joseph Leidy, Jr. (the writer P. F.) were present. * * Both bodies 
were cremated in the Germantown crematory.” 
