EDITORIAL.  93 
reference  to  the  sale  of  liquors,  the  stamp  tax  on  proprietary  articles,  and 
especially  in  reference  to  the  reduction  of  the  tax  on  alcohol,  as  being 
greatly  conducive  to  the  interests  of  pharmaceutical  and  chemical  manu- 
facturing ;  and  as  probably,  by  giving  less  inducement  for  illicit  distilla- 
tion, and  greater  consumption  in  the  arts,  causing  an  equal,  if  not  greater, 
revenue.  What  the  final  influence  of  the  commission  will  effect  on  Con- 
gressional action,  we  cannot  yet  know  ;  but  we  know  that,  on  the  main 
points,  considerable  harmony  of  ^opinion  existed  between  the  principal 
commissioner,  and  three  members  of  the  committee  who  consulted  with 
him  in  regard  to  the  more  important  changes  needed. 
The  Richmond  Medical  Journal.  E.  S.  Gaillard,  M.  D.,  and  W.  S. 
McChesney,  M.  D.,  Editors  and  Publishers.  January,  1866,  Vol.  I., 
No.  1.    Richmond,  Va.,  1866. 
The  first  number  of  this  journal  has  reached  us  just  as  we  are' going  to 
print.  It  is  announced  by  the  Editors  as  a  monthly  octavo  of  eighty 
pages ;  and  the  Editors  have  made  arrangements  which,  they  think,  will 
give  it  a  standing  among  first  class  journals  of  medical  science.  We  wish 
it  and  them  success,  and  cheerfully  put  it  on  our  exchange  list. 
OBITUARIES, 
John  T.  Plummer  M.  D.,  died  on  the  10th.  of  April,  1865,  at  Rich- 
mond, Indiana,  at  the  age  of  58  years,  after  much  suffering  from  cardial 
disease,  growing  out  of  frequent  severe  attacks  of  acute  rheumatism,  Dr. 
Plummer  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Maryland,  in  1807,  though 
his  parents  were  residents  of  Baltimore.  In  1816  he  was  placed  at  Nine- 
Partner's  Boarding  School,  in  New  York,  where  he  remained  four  years. 
In  1819  his  father  removed  to  the  west  and  settled  finally  in  Richmond, 
Indiana,  where  the  subject  of  this  notice  passed  the  larger  portion  of  his 
life. 
"His  boyhood  was  characterized  by  great  devotion  to  books,  and  a  re- 
markable absence  of  the  love  of,  or  indulgence  in  youthful  sports  and  pas- 
times," and,  according  to  his  own  statement,  prior  to  nineteen  years,  he  was 
avaricious  of  knowledge  and  pursued  it  with  intense  earnestness.  He 
had  a  great  aptitude  for  language,  and,  later  in  life,  acquired  a  critical 
knowledge  of  the  English,  and  studied  French,  German,  Latin,  Greek  and 
Hebrew,  and  was  the  personal  friend  and  correspondent  of  Noah  Webster. 
"  Dr.  Plummer's  scientific  acquirements  were  general  and  profound,"  but 
especially  in  the  direction  of  natural  history  and  chemistry.  He  studied 
medicine  with  Dr.  Thomas  Griffith,  of  Richmond,  and  graduated  in  the 
medical  department  of  Yale  College  in  1828,  at  the  close  of  his  21st  year, 
soon  after  which  he  commenced  practice  in  Richmond,  Indiana,  and  con- 
tinued it  to  the  close  of  his  life,  a  period  of  37  years.  Of  all  his  studies 
Chemistry  and  Pharmacy  were  his  favorites,  and  the  pages  of  this  Journal 
testify  to  his  ability  and  thoroughness  in  chemical  pursuits.  These  essays 
will  be  found  in  the  22d,  24th,  25th,  27th  and  28th  volumes,  whilst  his 
