THE  AMEEICAK 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
NOVEMBER,  igog 
BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  CHARLES  DARWIN  AND 
THE  DARWIN  COMMEMORATION  AT  CAMBRIDGE. 
By  Frederick  B.  Power,  Ph.D.,  LL.D. 
Director  of  the  Wellcome  Chemical  Research  Laboratories,  London. 
Although  the  annals  of  the  ancient  University  of  Cambridge 
are  illumined  by  many  notable  historic  events,  an  occasion  which 
will  impart  additional  lustre  to  them,  and  one  which  will  be  espe- 
cially memorable  to  all  who  were  privileged  to  participate  in  it, 
was  the  commemoration  on  June  22-24  °f  the  centenary  of  the 
birth  of  Charles  Darwin,  and  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the 
publication  of  the  work  which  was  destined  to  exert  so  great  an 
influence  on  scientific  thought,  "  The  Origin  of  Species." 
The  occurrence  of  the  particular  period  of  time  which  had  sug- 
gested this  commemoration  had  in  other  parts  not  been  allowed  to 
pass  unnoticed,  for  it  had  already  in  some  measure  been  recognised 
and  honored  by  various  institutions  and  scientific  organisations 
throughout  the  world.  It  was,  however,  properly  reserved  for  the 
university  at  which  Darwin  completed  his  academic  studies  to 
inaugurate  such  a  celebration  as  would  render  an  adequate  tribute 
to  his  genius,  and  fittingly  commemorate  the  achievements  of  her 
distinguished  son. 
The  renewed  interest  in  the  life  and  scientific  work  of  Darwin, 
stimulated  to  a  considerable  extent  by  the  celebration  at  Cambridge, 
has  already  found  expression  by  more  or  less  complete  accounts  of 
the  latter  in  ephemeral  publications,  as  well  as  by  memoirs  of  a 
broader  scope  in  the  various  magazines  and  scientific  periodicals. 
Notwithstanding  this  fact,  the  writer,  having  been  accorded  the 
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