2 
Prof.  J.  M.  Maisch. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharoi. 
Jan.,  1894. 
tunities  awakened  in  the  young  man  a  decided  liking  for  the  natural 
sciences  and  in  great  part  shaped  the  course  of  his  after  life. 
Beinhauer  was  orthodox  and  while  Roeder  was  an  ordained 
preacher,  his  passion  for  the  natural  sciences  led  him  more  and 
more  into  different  channels  until  he  taught  only  these  branches. 
Having  the  companionship  of  two  such  men,  the  idea  of  the  union 
of  religion  and  science  had  something  fascinating  for  Maisch,  which 
was  further  encouraged  by  the  promise  of  his  teachers  to  prepare 
him  for  the  University  and  the  wish  of  his  mother  to  see  her  son  a 
pulpit  orator. 
The  school  which  Maisch  was  attending  did  not  have  in  its  curri- 
culum the  necessary  branches  to  permit  his  matriculation  at  a 
university  and  this  forced  him  to  obtain  outside  private  lessons, 
especially  in  the  dead  languages.  Of  much  greater  importance  was 
the  beginning  of  the  instruction  in  chemistry  under  Dr.  Bromeis, 
for  he  took  great  interest  in  chemical  experiments  and  was  known 
among  his  companions  as  a  very  earnest  student.  Bromeis 
encouraged  his  students  to  begin  original  researches  and  he  per- 
mitted Maisch  to  assist  him  in  the  continuation  of  his  work  on  the 
fatty  acids  and  resins.  These  opportunities  caused  Maisch  to  give 
up  his  intention  of  studying  theology  and  devote  himself  entirely  to 
the  natural  sciences  as  a  life-work,  but  it  seemed  as  if  fate  had 
ordained  otherwise. 
It  was  the  intention  of  his  teachers  to  prepare  him  so  that  he 
would  be  admitted  into  one  of  the  upper  classes  of  the  Gymnasium  ; 
this  demanded  from  him  extraordinary  exertion,  which  was  too 
much  for  his  weakened  constitution,  and  at  the  close  of  the  school 
year,  we  find  him  confined  to  his  bed  by  sickness.  On  his  recovery, 
and  after  a  conference  with  his  physician,  his  teachers  advised  him 
to  relinquish  the  idea  of  studying  at  a  university,  as  they  considered 
it  beyond  his  powers  of  endurance.  With  a  sad  heart  he  followed 
their  advice,  and  intended  to  take  up  the  study  of  pharmacy,  but 
here  similar  obstacles  were  encountered,  the  improbability  of  his 
obtaining  the  concession  of  an  apothecary  being  the  principal  one. 
He  then  entered  the  service  of  Hesse,  and  about  this  time  he  joined 
the  Turners  of  Hanau,  and  with  them  made  the  excursions  which 
have  become  memorable  in  the  history  of  the  valley  of  the  Main. 
These  excursions  were  not  taken  so  much  to  extend  the  use,  or  show 
the  value  of  gymnastics,  as  to  spread  the  sentiments  of  revolution, 
