OBITUARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 319, 27 December 1862, Page 5

OBITUARY.

Sir Ebsjamin Brodis.— In modern times it is not possible, perhaps, to nnme any on j wiio lias more powerfully contribiUed to the improvement of medical science in any of its branches, or who has v.ore asii luously exes-feel himsjlf to acquire scientific and professional iaforma ion, and ungru Igingly to disseminate that knowledge, than the illustrious surgeon whose decease took place on the morning of 21st October, at his residence, Broome park, B;jtchworth, Surrey.- Certainly nn member of the profession had reached co high a position, or maintained that distinction fin* s»long a period, as the late President of the Royal Society—for Sir Benjamin Brodie was tha first surge h upon whom this honor hai b-ea conferred. Sir Benjamin was the third son of the Rev. ■P.-.8. Brodie, Kector pt Wiuter.-low.au influential magistrate and deputy-lieutenant of South Wilts, and of Sarah, dausrhter of Benjimiu Collins, Esq , of Milford, near Salisbury, in whic'i city a brother of the deceased, tie well known banker and late Parliamentary representative, now resides. Sir Benjamin was born on the 9fch June, 17d3, and consequently afc the time_of his decease was in his 80fch year. After acquiring a souud preliminary education under the paternal ro >f, to which he often said he was maihiy indebted for the success he has since met with, he was placed under the care of Messrs Wilson and Thomas. These distinguished surgeons (tlie latter of whom became President of the Royal College of Surgeons) were at that time engaged in ; teaching anatomy at the Hunterian School in Great Windmill-street (now a printing-office). In 1803 he became the pupil of Sir Everard Home, at St. George's Hospital, where he was observed as a most industrious, hardworkiug student, and, as a result of this application, was enabled to pass his examinations and become a member ofthe college on the 18fch Oetob3i\ 1805; imme liately after which, he began to assist Mr Wilson as Demonstrator of Anatomy, and continued in this office until 1809, when he was ; fiss^iated with his former master as lecturer on tbis subject. In 1808, when only 23 years of age, he was appointed assistant-surgeon to St George's Hospital, and had the principal charge of Sir Everard Home's patients in that institution, as well as for some years those of Mr Gunning, then absent with the Duke of Wellington's army in Spain. In 1810 he was elected Croenian Lecturer to the Royal Society, the subject of his discourse being '' the Influence of tne Brain in the Generation of Animal Heat." He continued his inquiries, and laid before the society an elaborate paper on the subject, and was rewarded with the Fellowship, and in the-following year received the Copley prize from the same learned society. It was not until 1822- an unusual long period to"have acted as assistant—that Sir Benjamiu was elected full surgeon, and .six montlis later made his debut as lecturer on surgery, and continued to give a regular course to a large class until 1830, when his increasing praciice compelled him to relinquish all but clinical lectures. As a lecfcuver he was plain and easy in his delivery— acute and always to the point; not a sentence could be spared, for every sentence had its value ; to lose it was to lose the thread of his discourse, to break the connected series of argument or detail of facts upon which his opinions were legitimately based. In 1819 he was honored with the appointment of Professor of Anatomy and Surgery to the Royal Collage of Surgeons, and held this office until* 1523. In 183 ihe was appointed Sergeant-Surgeon to William IV., by whom be was made a baronet, the patent bearing date August 21, 1834, and on the accession of her Majesty she Mas pleased to retain him iv the same olhce. From hi* own college he received aii the honors that institution has in its power to bestow on those members who have upheld the honour, dignity, and welfare of the profession, having been elected professor, a member of tiie council, of the court of examiners, Hunterian orator and, finally, in 181 1, president. The journals of the 9th May last rec trded the regrets of his colleagues at receiving his resignation of all collegiate appointments. He had previously retired from the position of President of the Iloyal Society, owing to increasing bodily infirmities (his mental faculties remaining unimpaired), and for a few weeks preceding his death had suffered acutely from some disease of the shoulder joint. Sir Benjamin Brodie had contiibutad largely to the advancement of medical aud chirurgical knowledge, and was a member of most of the teamed an 1 scientific societies both afc horns'and abroad. He leaves a widow and two sons, one of whom, who succeeds to the title, has greatly distinguished himself as an accomplished chemist. Lord George Gordon.—-On the 25th September, the Rev. Lord George Gordon died at his rectory, at Chestertou, near Peterborough. The noble lord had been seriously ill for some months, and his decease, though rather sudden at the last, was not unexpected. The deceased nobleman wis the third son of George, ninth Marquis of Huntly, and was therefore the brother of the present marquis, He was born on the 27th January. 1794, and was consequently in his 69th year. On the 29fch July, 1851, he married Charlotte Ann, daughter of Mr Thomas Wright Vaughan, of Woodstone, who survives him. Lord George Gordon took little or no part in public affairs, and of late years seldom moved away from his parish, where his unobtrusive, kindness aud charity had secured him general respect. Admiml Sir Jamks Whitley Deans Dundas. —This gailant officer expired afc Weymouth on the 3rd October, after a protracted illness, attended by severe suffering, fc-ir James entered the navy in 1799, and at his decease had attained the rank of Admiral of the White. Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor in 1857 for his service in the Biack Sea. He married, fir^t, the Hon. Miss Whitley Dundas, only daughter and heiress of the late Charles Dundas,