Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 1.djvu/404

 ELGELMANN

ENGELMANN

this from Darwin's conceptions, which, as Virchow proves, are not founded upon a scientific basis. This essay was soon followed by a monograph, also in Latin, on the habits of a little creeper he found on a hazel bush. It was printed in Germany, and delighted scientists on account of the minuteness and per- fections of the observations. Largely due to him is the honor of having intro- duced the present method of classifica- tion of plants based on microscopical examinations and investigations. His whole heart was given to this work. He always investigated systematically and accepted in science nothing for granted until it had passed through the search- ing crucible of his analogical mind. After thorough observations he publish- ed in America his master-piece "The Monography of North America Cuscu- tinse," this production being republish- ed by botanical periodicals in England and Germany, also in America in 1842, by the "American Journal of Science." His descriptions of the cactacese of the Pacific Railroad survey followed, and several years later came his most re- nowned work on the cactacese of the boundary, which forms a highly interest- ing portion of "Emory's Report of the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey," the magnificent illustrations of which were engraved in Europe un- der Engelmann's direction.

Many other papers on botany were also published by him at different times, "The Yucca," "The Agave," The Conifera," "The American Oaks," etc. However, his publications on the North American vines should be particularly mentioned, for they have become very important to the grape-growers of this country as well as of Europe.

A list of Engelmann's botanical pa- pers has been published by Prof. C. S. Sargent in Coulter's " Botanical Gazette" for May, 1884, who enumerates one hundred and twelve entries and also counts thirty-eight scientific societies of which Dr. Engelmann was duly elect- ed a member.

Moreover, in 1856 he originated the St. Louis Academy of Science, of which he was first president. The Shaw Botanical Garden owes much of its beauties to his original ideas and plans.

He was a man of medium stature, well-proportioned, with a square German head and a countenance beaming with intelligence and kindness.

Before coming to America he spent a year in Paris to enlarge his knowledge of surgery, medicine and obstetrics. He remained there in 1832, although cholera was raging.

Dissatisfied with the political situ- ation of Germany, and attracted by the glowing descriptions which Dresden had published of Western America, at the end of 1S32 he embarked at Bremen for Baltimore, and after a long and tedi- ous journey arrived near Belleville, Illinois, at the home of his uncle, who had preceded him.

He soon began his explorations of the country, visiting Southern Illinois, Mis- souri, Arkansas and Louisiana, paying particular attention to his favorite stu- dies and discovering many plants which he afterwards described.

In one of his excursions through the wilds of Arkansas he stopped one night at a farmer's rude cabin, and while clean- ing the large knife which he used to dig out plants and roots, the farmer watch- ed him closely, and thinking that Engel- mann had some murderous design, step- ped forward and said, "Look ye here, stranger, let us swap knives" and at the same time brandishing a vicious look- ing "Arkansas tooth-pick." Engelmann was at some trouble to convince this backwoodsman that he used his knife only to dig out roots.

After making several excursions in the above states, he concluded in 1835 to settle down and commence practice at St. Louis, then only a small frontier town of ten thousand inhabitants. In order to defray the expenses of furnish- ing his modest office, then on Chestnut and Second Streets, he was compelled to dispose of his guns and pistols, but