B. Howard Rand, M.D.
Click on image to enlarge
Elements of Medical Chemistry. By B. Howard Rand, M.D., Professor of Chemistry in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. T. Kllwood Zell & Co., 1867 : pp. 399, 12mo.
RAND, Benjamin Howard, educator, born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 16 February, 1792; died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 9 June, 1862. He settled in Philadelphia earn in the 19th century, and was engaged in the teaching of penmanship, in which for more than twenty-five years he had a high reputation. Mr. Rand published "The American Penman" (Philadelphia, 1856)" "Rand's Penmanship" (8 parts)" " Rand's Copy-Book " (9 parts)" and "Appendix" (5 parts). These books ran through several editions, and at the time of his death the sale of the different numbers had aggregated more than one and a half million copies.--His daughter, Marion Howard, author, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 5 January, 1824, died in Grahamville, South Carolina, 9 June, 1849. contributed largely to "The Offering," "The Young People's Book," "Graham's Magazine," "Godey's Lady's Book," and other periodicals. Specimens of her poetry are contained in Read's "Female Poets of America" and in May's "American Female Poets."--His son, Benjamin Howard, physician, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1 October, 1827; died there, 14 February, 1883, was graduated at Jefferson medical college in 1848, after studying under Dr. Robert M. Huston. During the last two years of his student life he served as clinical assistant to Dr. Thomas D. Mutter and Dr. Joseph Pancoast. In 1850 he was elected professor of chemistry in the Franklin institute, and he also held a similar chair in the Philadelphia medical college in 1853-'64. From 1852 till 1864 he was secretary of the Philadelphia academy of natural sciences. In 1864 he accepted the professorship of chemistry in Jefferson medical college, which he held until his resignation in 1877 Dr. Rand was elected a fellow of the Philadelphia college of physicians in 1853, a fellow of the American philosophical society in 1868, and, besides membership in other societies, was connected with the American medical association, tie made many contributions to medical journals, edited the third edition of Dr. Samuel L. Metcalf's "Caloric : its Agencies on the Phenomena of Nature" (Philadelphia, 1859), and was the author of " An Outline of Medical Chemistry" (1855) and "Elements of Medical Chemistry" (1863).--Another son, Theodore Dehon, mineralogist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 September, 1836, was educated at the Academy of the Protestant Episcopal church in Philadelphia, and then studied law. After his admission to the bar he opened an office in his native city, and has since continued in practice. Mr. Rand early turned his attention to natural science, especially to mineralogy, and his cabinet of specimens ranks as one of the best private collections in the United States, containing very nearly a complete set of the rocks and minerals of Philadelphia and its vicinity. In 1871 he became a member of the board of managers of the Franklin institute, and since 1873 he has been treasurer of the American institute of mining engineers. Mr. Rand has been a member of the council of the Philadelphia academy of natural sciences since 1875, and director of its mineralogical and geological section. His publications include many papers on the mineralogy and geology of Philadelphia and its vicinity in the transactions of scientific societies of which he is a member, and he has prepared a geological map and explanatory text for the reports of the geological survey of Pennsylvania.
