and Collége de France in 1873–74, and, returning to New York, received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1875 from New York University Medical College.
Dr. Witthaus was associate professor of chemistry and physics at the New York University from 1876–78, professor of chemistry and toxicology at the University of Vermont from 1878 to 1898, professor of physiological chemistry at the University Medical College (New York) from 1882 to 1886, of chemistry and physics at the same institution from 1886 to 1898, professor of chemistry and toxicology at the University of Buffalo from 1882 to 1888, professor of chemistry and physics at the Cornell University Medical College from 1898 to 1911, and professor emeritus at the same institution from 1911 until his death. Dr. Witthaus was a member of the Chemical Societies of Paris and Berlin and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was called as expert witness in a very large number of poisoning cases, notably in the cases of Carlyle Harris, Buchanan, Mayer, Fleming, and Molineux.
Dr. Witthaus wrote a large number of toxicologic articles, the most important of which were on poisoning by hydrocyanic acid, oxalic acid, opium and strychnine, and on ptomaines (in Wood's "Handbook of the Medical Sciences"). Others were: "On Homicide by Morphine," "The Detection of Quinine," "The Post-Mortem Imbibition of Poisons," "Researches of the Loomis Laboratory." He was also author of the following books: "Essentials of Chemistry" (1879); "General Medical Chemistry," 1861, (in Wood's "Library of Standard Medical Authors"); "Manual of Chemistry" (1879, 6th ed. 1908); "Laboratory Guide in Urinalysis and Toxicology" (1886). The crowning achievement of his life, however was the colossal "Witthaus and Becker's Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine, and Toxicology" (1894, 4 vols.), of which he was editor-in-chief, and to which he contributed the introduction and the entire fourth volume. A second edition of this work appeared in 1906.
Dr. Witthaus was a man of undersize, lean until late in life, of a sandy complexion, blue-gray eyes and very light, reddish-brown hair. He wore a mustache and rather long side whiskers until past middle age, when he wore the mustache alone. He was a man of quiet, unobtrusive manner, but inclined, at times, to be irascible. His views about religion were very cynical. He married in 1883 or 1884 a widow by the name of Ranney. He was not a man of many friends, but his friendship won was a matter to be appreciated. His life was dedicated, almost wholly, to his professional calling. He died in New York City, December 20, 1915.
Wolcott, Alexander (1790–1830)
Alexander Wolcott, Indian agent and first resident physician at Chicago, was born at East Windsor, Connecticut, February 14, 1790. The ancestor of the Wolcott family in America was the Honorable Henry Wolcott who came from Tolland, England, about 1628. The father of Alexander Wolcott was also named Alexander Wolcott, an attorney of Windsor, Connecticut, who was a graduate of Yale and a distinguished lawyer. He removed to Middletown, Connecticut, where he was collector of the port through the administrations of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and John Quincy Adams. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1818. The grandfather of Dr. Wolcott was a physician of prominence in Windsor, chairman of the committee that examined applicants for the post of surgeon, or surgeon's mate. Before and since his time, many Wolcotts have been members of the medical profession. One, who became well known to the profession in Chicago, was Dr. Erastus Bradley Wolcott, who settled in Milwaukee in 1839, regent of the Wisconsin State University and surgeon-general of Wisconsin.
Alexander Wolcott was graduated from Yale in 1809, studied medicine with Nathan Smith (q.v.) in Hanover, New Hampshire, and in March, 1812, enlisted in the army of the United States as surgeon's mate and in April, 1816, was promoted to the rank of post surgeon. He resigned from the army in 1817 and in 1818, President Monroe appointed him Indian agent to the Lakes (Chicago). Governor Cass, territorial governor of Michigan, was superintendent of the northern division of Indian tribes, which comprised the entire northwest. This brought the doctor and governor into close personal relations. In 1819 John C. Calhoun, the Secretary of War, arranged with Governor Cass to organize an expedition to explore the upper lakes region and find the source of the Mississippi River. The expedition set out from Detroit on the first of May, 1820, in boats constructed by Indians and rowed with oars by soldiers from the garrison at Detroit and Indian helpers. Henry Schoolcraft of New York was sent by the government as mineralogist and Dr. Wolcott as physician, to the expedition. Owing to the large size of their boats, the shallow
