OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 10, 13 January 1932, Page 10

OBITUARY

DR. F. C: MASKELL

News has been received of !.the death in England "of one, of the, foremost, of the younger'scientific men of New Zealand, Dr. F. G.Maskell, lecturer? ia Zoology at Victoria University- College. Dr." Maskell had a 'distinguished University career. ■ Asa student at Auckland University' College, .he: graduated B.A. and B.Sc. and^ later at. Victoria University College he. took the :degrea of M.Sc, with Honours in First Class in Zoology, and, itf 1930, that of Ph.D. He presented. for this degree: an embryological thesis that was regarded as of very high merit. His' researches threw additional light on. the- origin of the-thyroid gland and-on -tha earliest, appearance in comparative! a-sstomy of the islets of Langerhans, .those important groups of cells in the pancreas that are, in the higher, animals, concerned with the production of I insulin. He was pursuing further investigation's in this field until the illness that resulted in his death. .' ' '.'■'. '■•''■

Dr. Maskell was appointed, to the Staff of Victoria. University College in 1923. He showed .always a, thorough devotion.to_ his work, and was a. very clear and interesting exponent of the matter that ho had . to , present' to students, t whose complete, confidence he seeuved. Providing a capable substitute in the-laboratory .of his, col/ege, lie obtained leave of absence to visit Europe last year for the sake of.gaining experience, of laboratories^ abroad and of gaining the inspiration, that was to be found in meeting leading teachers of Britain and of;other comitries. After spending some time ..at .Cambridge and at the Marine Laboratory at'Plymoiltb, ho went.to Freiburg and almost at once had to enter hospital. , The doctors diagnosed septicaemia,; and took a grave view of the case. . The New Zealand lady he; was to have married' crossed to Germany, and under her capable charge ho was removed to hospital in England. His mother went to England hoping to be able soon to'bring him back home, and she was with him up. to the time of his death on-Thursday last. He was the son of Dr. I. W. Maskell,'of Auckland, and the valued friend of. all that came to : know him.

In losing Dr. P.' G- Maskell Victoria College and New Zealand lose a worker of very great ability ana proniisc and a man. . ■ . ■ . ' ; ' v