The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-17

in Savannah, GA. His four years of resi-
dence in that city formed no exception to
the usual experience of young doctor; u
very small practice and an increasing
family. 1t afforded, however, an excellent
opportunity for study and research, and it
was during this period that he made his
most important contributions to medical
literature. These at once established his
reputation in the profession as an acute
observer, cautious, exact and industrious.
The first OF them, entitled "A Cass Of Car
cinoma of the Stomach" published in the
New York Medical Gazette in 1912, was
the initial outcome of a series OF observa-
tions on cancer that has been continued
from time 10 time, even after Dr. lie Conte's
abandonment of the practice of medicine.
AT this period he probably paid more atten-
ton to physiology than to any other of the
departments included in medical science,
and his fondness for research interfered to
some extent with the efforts that might
have been made to secure paying patients.
In August, 1916, DR.. lie Conte accepted
the chair of Natural Philosophy and Chem
1stry in Franklin c ollege his alma mater
from which he had gone forth eight years
before as the best scientific student in his
class. This decided his withdrawal from
tue field OF practical work in medicine
Henceforth he devoted himself to tire study
of physical science, but without failing to
keep pace still with the progress of physi-
ology. He retained his professorship at
Athens for nine years, resigning it in the
autumn Of 1855 to become lecturer on
chemistry in the College of Physicians and
Surgeons, his medical alma mater. In the
spring of 1856, at the conclusion of his
course Of lectures in New York, he ac-
ceptepted a call to the South Carolina Col
lege at Columbia, where he had been unani-
mously elected to fill the chair, then first
created, of Natural and Mechanical Phil
osophy. This position he held until the
college was disbanded soon after the OPEN
then put in charge of the
Niter and Mining Bureau of South
Carolina. In 1866 the University of South
Carolina was organized, and DR.. LIE Conte
was elected to the same chair that he mad
held in the college of which this was the
new development. This position he re-
tanned until 1869, when he gave up his resi-.
dence in Columbia to become an adopted
citizen of California. Here his home has
continued up to the present time.
The period of thirteen years embracing
DR.. lie Conte's connection with the South
Carolina College and University, al
though clouded by the saddening events in
cident to the civil war, constituted the
pleasantest and most satisfactory period Of
his life. The institution was governed by
board of trustees composed of gentlemel
of refinement and culture, who entertained
a genuine sympathy for the iabors of the
student who strives to plant himself at the
most advanced outposts Of science and
literature. The community amid which
the college had been developed was
strongly Influenced by the atmosphere of
scholarship which il produced. There was
q nt1iat cTtrit Of ayarf INF n LEARNING
which, by its freedom from pretension,
furnished the most grateful incentive to
study. 1t was during these years that Dr.
LIE Conte established European reputa-
ton through his writings, which were pub
lished chiefly in the american Journal
Of Science and the London Philosophical
Magazine. 1t was in 1857 that he made
the remarkable discovery Of the sens tive
ness of flame to musical vibrations--a dis
covery which served as the starting point
for Barrett, Tyndall and Koenig in the ex-
quisi o applications that have since bee /
worked out by the use of flame for the de-
lection of sounds too delicate for the ear to
perceive, and for the optical analysis of COM
pound tones. Unfortunately, DIR. LIE Conte
did not possess the wealth of Instrumental
appliances needed for the development Of
his unique discovery, but his priority was
gracefully proclaimed by Tyndall in the
now classic book on sound, made up of lee
lures delivered at the Royal Institution.
Among other papers that attracted marked
attention IN Europe was one ION the Ade-
quacy of Laplacs's Explanation to account
tor tne Discrepancy between the Computed
and tue Observed Velocity of Sound in Air
and Cases." written in 1861 and published
in 1864. Laplaces modification OF New
toms formula had been questioned by emil
neat English mathematiclans and
physicists. DIR. LIE Conts showed that the
obscurity into which the subject had been
thrown was due to misconception Of the
physical theory of Laplace, and to tle diff
culties and obscurltles which invest the
mathen ltical theory Of partial diffsrential
equations in the application to physical
questions. This paper evoked replies from
Profs Challis, Earnshaw and Potter, in
England but the Am 3ricau PHYSICISTS posi-
ton is generally accepted to-day. The
paper is model ofexact physical reasoning.
In addition to the discussion OF Laplace's
views, it contains an original investigation
of the bearing of the phenomena attending
the propagation of sound in air on the ques-
ton whether the gases constituting our at
mosphere are in state OF mixture or OF
combination.
Just before the close of the war the home
of DIR. La Conte was included in the belt of
desolation that was left by Gen. Shermans
march through South Carolina. Among
the losses by fire was a manuscript Of vol
ume on general physics, the product OF Dr.
LIE Conte's many years OK experience as a
teacher and student Of this subject. The
tribulations of the reconstruction period in
South Carolina during the years following
the war ma 10 scientific investigation i'm
possible. The political turmoil, and the in
auguration of the rule of ignorance and
vice in place of intelligence, left no refuge
but expatriatiou for those whose occupa-
lions depended upon the embellishments OF
civilization. To this source Of disquietude
was added the burden Of domestic affection
in the loss of an only daughter in the bloom
of early womanhood.
At this critical tune came a call to the
Pacific coast, to assume the chair of Physics
and Industrial Mechanics In the University
of California, which was then in the in
cipiency Of its organization. The offer was
accepted, and DIR. Le Conte arrived in San
Francisco in April, 1869. Being imme-
diately appointed acting president, he drew
I'D the first prospectus Of the university, in
which was set forth a synopsis OF the pro-
posed courses Of instruction. In September
of the same year exercises were begun in
temporary buildings at Oaklan1, where
during the following summer he conferred
the baccalaureate degree on three young
men. and then retired from executive du-
ties in order to build up more thoroughly
his own department OF work. On the resig-
nation of President Gilman in 1875, DIR.
LIE Conte was Induced again to assume the
presidency, which he retained until June,
1881. but still performed the duties Of his
worcestershire Since that date he has con-