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 PRENTISS

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PRESCOTT

of Washington and Columbian Univer- sity. He married Emilie A. Schmidt, daughter of Frederick Schmidt, of Rhenish, Bavaria, October 12, 1864, and two of his sons became doctors. He held the A. M. of Cohimbia College, District of Columbia, and the M. D. of Pennsyl- vania. After graduation Dr. Prentiss engaged in general practice in Washing- ton and held a prominent position in the profession. From 1879 he was professor of materia medica and therapeutics in the medical department of Columbia University; physician in charge of the eye and ear service of Columbia Dispen- sary from 1874 to 1878; visiting physician to Providence Hospital in 1882; member of the Medical Society, Medical Associa- tion, Obstetrical and Gynecological Soci- ety. Some contributions to medical literature are as follows: "Croupous Pneumonia" — report of eleven cases occurring in private practice, from Feb- ruary to June, 1878, read before the Medical Society; "Remarkable Change in the Color of the Hair from Light Blond to Almost Black, in a Patient while under Treatment by Hypodermic Injections of Pilocarpine;" "Membranous Croup treated with Pilocarpine;" "Change of Color of Hair," 1881; " Avi Fauna Co- lumbiana," being a list of the birds of the District of Columbia, revised and rewritten by Dr. Elliott Coues and Dr. D. W. Prentiss, 1883; "Gall Stones of Soap," 1889; "Report of Five Hundred Consecutive Cases of Labor in Private Practice," 1888; Case of the Change of Color of Hair of Old Age to Black, Produced by Jaborandi;" a "Paper on Pilocarpin, Its Physiological Actions and Therapeutic Uses."

In the "National Medical Review," 1899-1900, ix, page 542, it is stated that Dr. Prentiss became a member of the National Medical Society in 1864, and was active in its scientific work and a warm promoter of all measures that tended to advance the best interests of the profession. Much of his work was original and his writings all showed his early work in the natural science. The Vol. 11-19

cases reported l)y him were usually of rare forms of disease or of conditions before undescribed.

He died on November 10, 1899.

D. S. L.

Atkinson's Physicians and Surgeons, 1878. Tr. of the Med. Soc, D. C, vol. iv, 1899. National .Med. Rev., vol. ix, 1899-90.

Prescott, Albert Benjamin (1832-1905). Albert Benjamin Prescott was born at Hastings, New York, December 12, 1832; son of Benjamin and Experience (Hunt- ley) Prescott whose ancestors emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1640. This ancestor, James Prescott, was the fourth generation from James Prescott, who for bravery was made Lord of the Manor of Derby in 1564 by Queen Eliza- beth. When nine years old Albert B. Prescott suffered a severe injury to his right knee which entailed long suffering and permanent disability. His general education was with private tutors and in 1864 he graduated M. D. at the Michigan University Medical Department. In May, 1864, he passed the regular examina- tion for the United States Army and was commissioned assistant surgeon with duty at Totten General Hospital, at Louisville, Kentucky. On August 22, 1865, he was discharged from service with the brevet rank of captain of the United States Volunteers and immedi- ately entered upon his life work at Ann Arbor, in the Laboratory of the Univer- sity of Michigan with the rank of assis- tant professor of chemistry and lecturer on organic chemistry and metallurgy. On the organization of the school of pharmacy, in 1868, its management was placed in his hands. He was successively professor of organic and applied chemis- try and pliarmacy; of organic chemistry and pharmacy; professor of organic chemistry. From 1876, dean of the school of pharmacy; from 1884 director of the chemical laboratory; fellow of the London Chemical Society; in 1886 presi- dent of the American Chemical Society- in 1899 president of the American Phar; maceutical Association. In 1886 Michi-