The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-05-05
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST AND
INVESTIGATION PASSES AWAY
IN THE CITY OF MEXICO.
MARTYR TO HIS SCIENCE
In the Midst OF His Experiments, This
Man, Beloved in Montana and Hon.
ored in the World Of Learning, is
Stricken by the Very Aiment for
Which He Sought a Remedy.

Stricken with the deadly fever. a
cure for wh'h he was trying to find.
Dr. II. T. Ricketts,, eminent scientist
and prominent pathologist died In
Mexico city Tuesday afternoon The
news of his death came yesterday To
: his assistant. j. G. Moore of this city.
While studying the fatal ;yphus fever
of Mexico In the interests If the Me-
mortal Institute Of Chicago. Dr Rick
etts contracted the disease. and after
lingering Illness. from which moth
Ing could save MIN. he passed away
The news came az "A sudden and un-
expected blow to Mlssoula people. for,
through his work on the Rocky Noun
tain sDotted fever. the doctor had at
tfacted the attention of all western
p.ople.
Howard Taylor Ricketts, was born In
Findlay. O.. on February .. 1871. He
took his A. -. degree at the Univer-
sity of Nebraska in 1894 and his VI. ID.
from Northwestern university in 1897.
Following his graduation from North
western. DR. Ricketts, spent several
years In Berlin. Vienna and Paris. and
following that became an inferno in
the Cook county hospital In Chicago.
lie afterward became associate In
structor in pathology at the Univer-
sity of Chicago and was president of
the Chicago Pathological institute
during 1905 and 1906.
hospital, Dr Ricketts, had been inter
ested In the two forms of disease
which he was studying AT the time of
his death He has written number
of scientific articles on blastomyctie
dermatatis and cytotoxins in relation
to infectious diseases. and was the au-
thor of book on Serum Theraupy
and Immunity" which Is In use as a
textbook In almost every medical
school In the Unted States. In 1908
Dr. Ricketts, was given an l.. L. d. de-
gree by the University Of Montana In
recognition of his work on spotted
fever.
DIR. Ricketts, leaves wife and two
children In Chicago. Mrs. Ricketts,
spent last summer with her husband
In Misoula and with him made many
friends In the city. DR. Ricketts, was
la have been IN Mlssoua this week
for the purpose of carrying on his
experiments and he was In high hopes
of finally solving the northwestern
tick problem. The work will be car
pried on this summer however. de-
spite his death and with the valuable
uta ~ Aaft ha haa pikaD thaua his "a d
sstants he:e To finish the task
DR.. Ricketts, was a classmate of DIR.
J. =. Rowe of the University of Mon
tana while attending Nebraska uni
yerstv and Or Rowe was intimately
acquainted with him. He was one Of
the most wonderful men that ! have
ever known" DR. Rowe said yester
day although he was but 80 years
old he had already gained n national
reputation and the future which seemed
to be before him was brilliant. He
was recognized as one Of thesrreatest
scientists IN the United States and his
death viii he a severe blow To all
who have had either personal or pro-
fessional relations with him.
Or Ricketts, was to have resigned
his position Ia the University of Chi
eago this spring for the purpose of
taklng the chair In pathology at the
University of Pennsylvania. to which
he had been elected, This position Is
recognized as one Of the most promi-
inent in the pathological field and was
n tribute to DR.. Ricketts, reputation.
That the life of a man of such Won
dcrful possibilities should be suddenly
snuffed out by the very disease on
which he was working with the idea
81 relieving his felowmen. Is tragic.
Dr Ricketts, was taken In the midst
Of his work and his loss In truly a
serious one. Without the hone Of
financial reward he faced death In
fighting the fatal typhus and spotied
fevers. His only hope was that he
might relieve tie world of mystifv-
in~ disease aid enlighten his scientific
fellows. and in his sudden death In the
prime Of life, he Is real martyr to