John Strong Newberry

Abstract

IT is not only in the United States that the death of this veteran of scientific research will bring wide-spread regret. To many geologists and palæontologists in this country and on the Continent he was personally known, and those whom he honoured with his friendship will feel keenly the loss they now sustain. He was born at New Windsor, Connecticut, on December 22, 1822, and took the degree of M.D. from the Cleveland Medical College, Ohio, in 1848. Before beginning the practice of medicine, which he intended to be his occupation in life, he spent two years in Europe. During his stay at that time in Paris he acquired a good knowledge of the French language, and had many opportunities of cultivating a love of science, which soon manifested itself as one of his distinguishing characteristics. Returning to his native country, he began practice as a medical man at Cleveland in 1851. Even at the outset of his professional work he contrived to find time also for scientific enquiry. His first published paper appeared in the same year in which he started in his medical profession. It is devoted to the geographical distribution of land and fresh-water shells.