2S8 
EDITORIAL. 
at this time so far declined, owing to an affection of the heart, 
as to render it necessary for him to resign his duties and seek 
restoration in the milder climate of the West Indies, at Santa Cruz, 
where he spent the winter. On his teturn from the South, Dr. 
Griffith occupied himself with experimental agriculture near Baltimore, 
and gave free scope to his enquiring mind in that interesting pursuit. 
He left Maryland in 1842, and has since resided near and in his native 
city, closely engaged in literary pursuits, chiefly of a medical and 
botanical character. During this period, " Griffith's Medical Botany,'"' 
and "Griffith's Universal Formulary," both original works, have issued 
from his pen. and several foreign works have been republished here 
under his supervision, the most prominent of which is " Dr. Chris- 
tison's Materia Medica." 
Dr. Griffith was for many years an active member of the Aca- 
demy of Natural Sciences, and at the time of his death was one of 
its Vice Presidents. His love of science was ardent and enthusiastic, 
and was manifested in his correspondence with many of the first 
scientific minds of Europe. 
His health during the past few years has been extremely 
precarious, so as to confine him almost entirely to the house during 
the winter season, notwithstanding which, his industry has been 
unfailing 
As a man, Dr. Griffith was so cheerful and amiable as to en- 
dear him to all his associates, and so unassuming as to be ap- 
proachable by all who desired to draw from the stores of knowledge 
which his observant mind and very retentive memory had enabled, 
him to accumulate, the accuracy of which his friends have frequently 
had occasion to admire. His cheerfulness never forsook him during 
the many trying domestic afflictions w T hich have marked the latter 
period of his career, and which he bore w T ith great fortitude and 
resignation. 
On Wednesday, May 8th, the decease of the justly celebrated 
Chemist, Gay Lussac, took place at Paris 
