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Rh his work on "Chemistry in its Application to Physiology and Pathology," which he dedicated to Berzelius. In 1844 appeared his first "Familiar Letters on Chemistry," in the Augsburg Gazette. These letters were afterward published with many new ones from time to time in several editions, and by this means he contributed greatly to make chemistry popular, while still keeping it in the most scientific form needful. In 1850 he published a pamphlet on spontaneous combustion, on the occasion of the death of the Countess Görlitz, who had by experts and doctors at Darmstadt and Giessen been declared to have perished from spontaneous combustion, but it was afterward found out that she had not perished in that way, but that she had been murdered by her butler, and afterward burnt. About this time also Liebig effected a reform in the medical studies and examinations in the University of Giessen, and this reform was so important, and effected by so great a participation of public opinion, that we see there how great was his power, although in the university itself he was kept out of office as far as possible. These reforms amounted to nothing less than this—complete liberty of study. You know that in this country medical students have no liberty of study; they are obliged to attend lectures, to have heard at least two-thirds of the lectures given, and if it is not certified by the beadle, who comes in to every lecture and takes the names of all present, that they have been present at two-thirds of the lectures, they are not allowed to enter for the examination. This state of things also existed in the German universities previous to this reformation. At that time, however, this was completely done away with, and every student was allowed to obtain his knowledge where and how he pleased. He was not obliged to enter any university whatever, but he was obliged to pass an examination, and to pass that examination publicly, an examination which should so thoroughly test his knowledge that, after he had passed it there could be no doubt whatever about his fitness to follow his profession. Now let me recommend to your attention this most remarkable system of public examination. The extraordinary effect it had on the University of Giessen was this, that, whereas formerly many students coming unprepared were rejected, since the introduction of public examinations few rejections have taken place, because the students take great care to get up their subjects and to come so fully prepared that, in the presence of their countrymen, in the presence of any person who likes to enter the hall when the examination takes place, they can show that they are fit to follow their profession.

I have already, I see, passed the time allotted to me, and I shall not detain you many more minutes. In the autumn of the year 1852 Liebig left Giessen, having received a call to the University of Münich, where the then King Maximilian was desirous of following his father, Ludwig, on another path of glory. You know that Ludwig had made it his life-business to restore art in Germany and raise it to