EDITORIAL. 
287 
from  the  ordinary  pathway  of  botanical  instructors  in  treating  of  this  division 
of  plants  first.  The  book  is  neatly  got  up,  and,  at  this  season,  when  botani- 
cal pursuits  are  opening  to  the  student,  it  appropriately  appeals  to  him  for 
an  examination. 
Notice  of  the  late  Dr.  Jonathan  Pereira. — Dr.  Pereira  was  born  on 
the  22d  of  May,  1804,  in  the  parish  of  Shoreditch,  London.  His  father  was 
a  London  merchant,  in  moderate  circumstances.  Young  Pereira  was  placed 
in  a  classical  school  when  ten  years  old,  and  at  fifteen  was  articled  to  a 
surgeon,  but  his  employer  becoming  deranged,  his  indentures  were  can- 
celled, and  he  became  a  student  at  the  Aldergate  General  Dispensary  in 
1821,  and  attended  the  Lectures  of  Clutterbuck,  Birkbeck  and  Lambe. 
Early  in  1823  he  became  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  Apothecary  at  this 
Dispensary,  and  was  fortunate  in  obtaining  it,  at  19  years  of  age.  Whilst 
in  this  position  he  established  a  class  of  pupils,  whom  he  privately  instruct- 
ed with  great  success,  and  also  published  several  small  works  for  their  use, 
among  which  the  Selecta  e  Prcescriptis  passed  through  11  editions.  In 
June,  1825,  he  became  a  member  of  the  College  of  Surgeons,  and  in  182G 
succeeded  Dr.  Clutterbuck  as  Lecturer  on  Chemistry  at  the  Aldergate  Dis- 
pensary. Having  acquired  the  German  and  French  languages,  he  com- 
menced a  systematic  and  thorough  study  of  Materia  Medica,  which  led  him 
to  form  the  idea  of  his  great  work,  and  to  the  accomplishment  of  which  he 
brought  the  most  indefatigable  industry,  often  working  sixteen  hours  a  day. 
In  1828  he  commenced  lecturing  on  Materia  Medica,  and  soon  had  the 
largest  class  in  London.  Early  in  1832  he  resigned  his  office  at  the  Dis- 
pensary, and  in  the  following  September  married  and  established  himself 
in  general  practice.  In  the  winter  of  1832  he  became  Professor  of  Materia 
Medica  at  the  New  Aldergate  School,  and  at  the  same  time  succeeded  Dr. 
Gordon  as  lecturer  on  Chemistry  at  the  London  Hospital.  In  1835-G-7  he 
published  his  lectures  on  Materia  Medica  in  the  Medical  Gazette,  and 
greatly  added  to  his  reputation  both  abroad  and  at  homo.  Meanwhile,  he 
had  been  diligently  pursuing  his  researches,  and  in  1839  published  the  first 
volume  of  his  Elements  of  Materia  Medica,  the  second  volume  appearing  in 
1840,  and  a  new  edition  in  1842. 
In  1840  Pereira  became  a  Licentiate  of  the  College  of  Physicians,  having 
in  the  previous  year  been  appointed  Examiner  in  Materia  Medica  at  the 
London  University.  In  1842,  after  the  establishment  of  the  School  of 
Pharmacy  by  the  Pharmaceutical  Society,  Dr.  Pereira  delivered  several 
lectures  before  the  members,  and  in  the  fall  of  1843  became  the  Professor 
of  Materia  Medica  to  the  Pharmaceutical  Society,  and  delivered  the  first 
complete  course  on  the  subject  that  had  been  delivered  to  British  Pharma- 
ceutists. Here,  adapting  his  subject  to  the  wants  of  his  listeners,  he  de- 
livered, during  a  series  of  years,  an  annual  course  of  lectures  of  the  most 
thorough  and  interesting  character.  His  connection  with  the  Pharmaceu- 
tical Society  was  mutually  fortunate  ;  to  himself  by  bringing  the  large  re- 
