TORREY 1155 TORREY following year. Under his administration of the Medical Department the important work of antityphoid inoculation in the army was carried out as well as the successful campaign against beri-beri in the Philippines. He died in Washington, December 27, 1914. General Torney was a stern and conscientious man, a true soldier and an administrative officer of rare ability. A. Allemann. Tour. .'mer. Med. Assoc, Chicago. 1914, vol. Ixii, p. 52. Mil. Surg., Chicago, 1914, vol. xxxiv, pp. 196- 198. Portrait. Torrey, John (1796-1873). John Torrey, best Itnown as a botanist, the son of Captain William Torrey, a Revolution- ary soldier, and Margaret Nichols, was born in New York, August 15, 1796. He graduated M. D. from the college of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, in 1818, with a thesis on "Dysenter}^" and, although eminent as a chemist and mineralogist, it was as a botanist that his fame reached the highest point. Throughout the world he was regarded as one of the foremost in this department of science. In 1824 he was appointed professor of chem- istry, geology, and mineralogy at the military Academy at West Point. From 1827, when he resigned this position, to 1855, he was pro- fessor of chemistry and botany in his alma mater, and subsequently was emeritus profes- sor. From 1830 to 1854 he was professor of chemistry and natural history in the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, and, in 1853, assayer of the United States Assay Office, and no political change in war or peace dis- turbed him in this position, to which a son succeeded. He was one of the earlier presidents of the New York Lyceum of Natural History. His published works are numerous and of the highest value. A catalogue of his works, which may be imperfect, is as follows : "Catalogue of Plants Growing Within Thirty Miles of New York," published in 1819; "A Flora of the Northern and Middle States of North America; or, a Systematic Arrangement and Description of all the Plants Hitherto Dis- covered in the United States of North America," 1824; "Compendium of the Flora of the Northern and Middle States," 1826; "Cy- peraceje of North America," 1836; "Flora of the State of New York," 2 vols., 1833-4; "Bo- tanical Reports of the Various Land Exploring Expeditions of the United States from 1822 to 1858"; "Appendix to Dr. John Lindley's In- troduction to Botany," 1831 ; "Flora of North America," 1838. This work was edited jointly with Dr. Asa Gray. Yale College gave him the honorary A. M. in 1823, Williams in 1825, and Amherst, that of LL.D. in 1845. He was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and twice president of the New York Lyceum of Natural History. Torrey will be remembered by the students- of the College of Physicians and Surgeons as- an excellent teacher. No man had a better un- derstanding of their character. Were they up- roarious — he joined in their glee, and they soon lent an attentive ear. Were they stupid — he was patient and painstaking. Were they rude — he was always a gentleman, and at once commanded respect. He quietly pursued his course, giving them the plain truth in a simple and comprehensive manner. The boys always had a good time in his room, for he relished a joke as much as any of them. In a serious and quiet manner he was closing a lecture with some remarks upon formic acids, when he was interrupted by the reception of a note from one of the students. His eye twinkled, and his benevolent face changed to a smile as he glanced at the question asked. "Is not formic acid an ant add?" He at once dismissed the class amid shouts of laughter, remarking that he was not prepared to give an immediate an- swer, but they should have the rest of the hour to themselves. Among his good works should be mentioned the gift of his valuable and extensive her- barium and his botanical library to Columbia College, Torrey's knowledge of old New Y'ork was great and interesting. He botanized along the stream which passed from the Collect across Broadway under a bridge to Hudson river, and many a stately mansion now stands in what he knew as a pasture or a wild wood. The city was but a hamlet when he first knew it, and as late as 1831, in the notice of his fath- er's death, the friends are informed that "car- riages will be in waiting at St. Paul's Church until half-past four o'clock" to take them to 402 Hudson Street to attend the funeral at 5 o'clock. John Torrey himself died at his house in the grounds of Columbia College on March 10, 1873. He married Elizabeth Robinson, a daughter of William Shaw, who came from Dublin, Ire- land, by whom he had several children. Med. Reg. of the State of New York 1873-4 vol. XI. John Torrey by Asa Gray. Amer. Tour, of Sci. and Arts, 1873.
