THOMAS STERRY HUNT (1826-1892) One of the most distinguished of American chemists. H e was horn in Norwich, Connecticut, and studied chemistry under the elder Silliman a t Yale. He served as chemist and mineralogist t o the Geologicel Survey of Canada from 1847 t o 1872, us Professor of Chemistry a t L a d University, Quebec, where he lectured in French, from 1856 t o 1862, and in a similar position a t McGill University, Montreal, from 1862 to 1868. From 1872 t o 1878 he was ProCeshor of Geologv a t t h e Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was President of the American Chemical Societv in 1879 and 1888. He ~ublishedman" DaDers and books on various chemical subjects, ch'iefly on mineral ch'irnistry and on
chemical theory. H e originated the theory of simple water types, and the germs of the ideas usuall attributed t o Gerhardt may be found in his earlier papers. f i i s researches upon the eq;ivulent volumes of li uids andsolids were a remarkable anticip ation of Dumas. ~ e % a definite d and significant ideas on the real molecular complexit of mineral substances. He was o l e of the first, the z i t American chemist, to define organrc chernidry & "the chemistry of carbon and its compou"ds." He invented, and patented in 1859, the permanent green ink which has found wide use in the ~ r i n t i n ot e greenback currencv. (Confr,'bulrd 62, T&nc.y L. Dauiz.)