New-York tribune., 1894-04-22
BROWN-SEQUARD.
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE

Paris. April g.
DIR. Brown -Sequard's death reminds me that NJ
Of the many great cid men whom II has
been my good fortune TO know. He died at the
age Of seventy-sx in the house in the Rue FRANCOIS
Premier where he resided for more than twenty
years Brown -Sequard knew what the most bitter
poverty was. The friendship and sympathetic COM
panionshp. both In his student days and later, Of
the late Cesar Daily enabled him to hod to life
DAILY was. like himself semIrish. semi French
brimming with talent. enthusiasm for scien-
tihc truth. and above him in ardent passion
for human progress. His purse and his table were
open to Brown-sequard. The friendship that be-
gan somewhere in 1sio continued to the death
OF Cesar DAILY, which took place last winter
Brown-Sequard belonged to Ireland. the United
States and France His father was a native OF
Galway. who. when young. entered the United
States Navy. in actions against the British
between 1872 and 1914. and sent before the
peace signed TO intercept East InGiamen
plying between the ports Of India and Great Britain
He lay to in the Isle OF Bourbon When the peace
signed he went TO MaurItius. and married
there a Nine. Stquard. young woman Of French
family. He was recalled soon after the marriage
and was. while returning to America, attacked by
pirates within sight OF her fathers villa, which
stood a mountain Port Louis. The pirates
had the best Of the fight. and Brown probably had
walk the plank. for he never more heard Of
Mauritius had been taken b. the English from the
French in 1912. and the former kept the island
which then like st. Helena and the Cape the
halting place for East Indsmen. The naval ofr-
GERS widow let lodgings TO British officers and
persons who wanted TO break the long sea journey
between England and Bombay Madeira or Cal
cutta. II was in this way that her came 10
speak English and French with equal fuency. The
Sequards had been long established in the island.
The Doctors grandmother Maabar woman.
He had the flaming black eyes OF her race which
~
power OF expression Of the French race. its taste
for clear-cut formula. and the warm impulse Of tho
Irish. The eyes magnificent. and as eloquent
a his tongue. He made the hearts OF those he ad-
dressed burn within them more magnetic man
never lived. Science his god.
Brown Sequard the founder Of the vivisecton-
lst school lie and Claude Bernard associated
in early lie in finding in living creatures the solu
ton OF physiological problems The sufferngs OF -
four-footed animal a matter OF utter indiner-
ence TO Brown-Sequard though he was kind
hearted man. He survived three wives. two OF
whom rich. Their fortunes rendered him in
dependent OF his practice a doctor and enabled
him 10 devote himself to his professional duties at
the College Of France and to search after scientific
truth for its own sake. The last OF the three wives
was Miss Dakin English woman. She was a
widow when she married him. He overworked her
as his secretary. and took no account OF the pain
fu impressions a delicate person Ike her OF his
experiments on frogs, guinea pigs uoSs anu other
animals which she recorded while they were being
made lie was too much absorbed in them 10 think
Of her. she proud OF the name and fame
he won, she did not complain.
Brown Saquarl was OF transparent tru,hfuness
The simplicity and candor OF childhood remained to
him through his maturity and old age. 1t cost him
no effort TO admit in the face of the world that he
was wrong when he awoke TO the conviction that
he had gone astray Thus. somewhere in the fifties
he thought he made discovery in regard to the
cellular tissue OF the brain. His theory was taken
TN BY the scientific world here and passed unchal-
enged for twenty-three years. lie then found out
that IL was erroneous and lost time in declaring
t to be at a meeting OF the Academy OF Medicine
The great doctors who had followed him were
aghast-and furious From that day TO the hour OF
his death they and those others who were under
their influence combined to hold him down. He was
not aware OF this and was unable understand
why they should be angry with him. The notion that
he had inflicted a mortal wound on their vanity
could enter his mind. Had he not. he said,
right. and was Il not his duty. himself in
the wrong Their idea that retcence undsr the
circumstances was the first duty. they having taken
what he said trust In saying his mea cupa the
world gave him credit for magnanimity. The dis
ciples had not such a compensation.
se9uard VAS Was enthusiastic about his So ss
himself. lie said that II fount Of youth
fulness. but that 1t was Il powerful stmulant TO
the spinal marrow "LoGk at pe" he used to say,
fit for any exertion. and sic down with p.e~surs
to my meals. Eating used 10 10 me pen
ance imposed by Nature. | walk withouy fatigue.
| 10 long spells OF work without exhaustion. and
scarcely feel that have body" Yes. But there
was a sudden outburst Of varlcose veins. Then he
suffered acutely from phlebolite and ultimately
blood cot in the brain said, Your sequardine is Inn
potent to bring you further In his will he direct
ed that kind OF fuss was TO be made about his
remains II II gave satisfaction to his son and
daughter (the children OF the first and second wives).
"A Protestant pastor might ofiicate at the house in
which he died. and say some consolng words for
them beside his grave. But there were to be none
OF those funeral oratons which are feature Of
the funerals OF all eminent Frenchmen. His rank
In the Legion OF Honor TO be proclaimed
by troops coming salute his dead body in the
coffin. and there to be show OF flowers oy
the hearse or grave.