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EDITORIAL. 
he  has  always  kept  himself  abreast  of  the  foremost  in  his  intimate  and 
accurate  knowledge  of  every  new  discovery."  "  His  position  as  the  most 
widely  known  American,  with  his  personal  attractiveness,  made  his  com- 
pany and  correspondence  to  be  sought  by  many  admirers  in  both  hemi- 
spheres. Having  a  tolerable  patrimony,  he  was  able  to  exercise  a  liberal 
and  graceful  hospitality,  and  hundreds  will  remember  the  hours  spent  in 
his  house  as  among  the  brightest  oases  of  life." — N.  Y.  Independent. 
Prof.  Silliman  mingled  in  the  reunions  of  the  last  College  commencment 
in  July  with  his  usual  vivacity  and  amenity,  but  the  last  five  years  had 
told  on  the  firmness  of  his  step  and  his  power  of  endurance.  He  was 
somewhat  unwell  a  week  or  two  before  his  decease,  but  awoke  on  the 
morning  of  his  death,  from  a  refreshing  sleep,  and  soon  after  performing 
his  usual  morning  devotion,  he  quickly  asked  his  wife  to  raise  his  head, 
and  was  dead  almost  in  an  instant  after.  "  Thus  ended  most  fittingly 
a  beautiful  life.  The  model  organism,  so  balanced  in  all  its  parts,  and 
so  true  and  regulated  in  its  movements,  had  run  its  full  time — and  stopped." 
Frederick  L.  John,  one  of  the  most  able  and  successful  pharmaceutists 
of  Philadelphia,  died  on  the  11th  of  December,  1864,  in  the  fifty-fourth 
year  of  his  age.  Mr.  John  was  born  at  Gehoven,  in  Prussia,  on  the  10th 
of  April,  1811,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  January,  1842.  In  1844 
he  commenced  business  in  Race  street,  on  the  site  of  his  present  establish- 
ment, and  long  before  his  decease  had  acquired  a  well  deserved  reputation 
as  a  practitioner  of  pharmacy.  His  application  to  business,  in  the  earlier 
part  of  his  career,  was  unremitting ;  especially  was  he  devoted  to  the  la- 
boratory duties,  which  he  superintended  in  person,  and  took  great  pride 
in  having  thoroughly  done.  Mr.  John  was  regularly  educated  in  Prussia 
as  a  pharmaceutist,  and  during  his  residence  here  cultivated  an  acquaint- 
ance with  American  botany.  Among  the  medical  profession,  Mr.  John 
had  many  friends,  and  stood  deservedly  high.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  and  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical 
Association,  and  sometimes  attended  the  meetings.  Mr.  John  was  retiring 
and  unassuming  in  his  demeanor,  possessed  great  integrity  of  character, 
and  was  charitable  in  his  relations  with  the  needy.  Our  intercourse  with 
him  has  always  been  favorable  to  his  excellence  as  a  man,  to  his  thorough- 
ness as  a  pharmaceutist,  and  to  his  liberality  as  a  votary  of  science. 
