of the Poor of St. Francis, a religious order from Aix-la-Chapelle, who established their first charitable institution in that city in 1858. With his financial and moral aid St. Mary's Hospital was erected, and in it he served as first physician for many years. During this time he again visited Europe and studied the newly formed specialties of laryngology and rhinology under Czermak at Prague, and Tuerck at Vienna, being the first to introduce these specialties in Cincinnati, but after a few years again abandoned them to devote himself more particularly to the practice of obstetrics and general medicine. He became one of the organizers of the Cincinnati Medical Society, an offshoot of the Academy of Medicine in the early '70's. He there read an interesting paper on "Precolumbian Syphilis," in which he contended that this disease had been acquired by the Spaniards in the New World under Columbus and his fol- lowers, and then carried by them to Eu- rope. This theory caused considerable com- ment at that time, being bitterly opposed by many European and American authorities, but was as stoutly maintained by the author, who based his opinion on the result of his archeo- logical studies. For he was a diligent student of archeology, anthropolog)', and ethnology, to which he devoted all of his leisure time when not professionally engaged. In these branches he became a prolific writer. Under the auspi- ces of the German Pionier-Verein he founded a monthly periodical, Der Deutsche Pionicr, to which he contributed largely as editor, besides securing contributions from almost all the prominent German writers on the history of the German settlements in the United States. As a result of these studies he soon extended his researches to American antiquities in general, more particularly of the old Spau- ish possessions, making extensive trips through Central and South America for the purpose of visiting the places and searching the archives in these old settlements. These archeological and historical studies he brought forth in a work called "Die Culturvoelker von Alt-Amerika" (Primitive Peoples of Ameri- ca). Other travels in the Western Hemis- phere were recorded later, in a work with the title: "Zwischen Alaska und dem Feuerland" (From Alaska to Terra del Fuego). He. moreover, published papers on archeological and ethnological subjects in various German and American magazines devoted to these de- partments of science.
Accordingly, as his reputation among the cultured classes was that of a scientist and historian, Dr. Briihl became widely known with the masses, not only as a public speaker, but as a poet. He is indeed ranked as one of the foremost German poets of America. His subjects were chiefly derived from the talev and myths of the Indians, as well as the achievements of the early German settlers. Besides numerous smaller poems he wrote "Charlotte," and "Die Heldin des Amazon" Other verses are collected in two volumes en- titled, respectively, "Poesien des Urwalds" (Poems of the Primitve Forests) and "Abend- glocken" (Evening Chimes), the latter con- taining the production of "The Evening Tide of Life." A posthumous epic poem, "Skan- derbeg," was published by his family after his death, which occurred suddenly on February 16, 1903, of paralysis of the heart. He was for many years a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was a member of the first board of trus- tees of the University of Cincinnati. He mar- ried Miss Magdalen Reis, of Cincinnati, Jan- uary 31, 1849, and had four sons and one daughter.
Bruns, John Dickson (1836-1883)
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 24, 1836, John D. Bruns took his M. D. from the South Carolina Medical College. During the Civil War he was surgeon to a general hospital of the Confederacy and in 1866, after spending some time in study abroad, was professor of physiology and pathology in the New Orleans School of Medicine.
He wrote "Life, its Relations, Animal and Mental" (1857) and "Fever of the Lower Coast of the Mississippi River" (1880). As a poet and scholar he wrote many things showing considerable genius.
He made a specialty of diseases of the chest and throat. He was editor and proprietor of the Charleston Medical Journal and Review from January, 1858, to January, 1861.
His death took place in New Orleans on May 20, 1883.
In 18S8 he married Sarah, daughter of Dr. S. H. Dickson (q.v.) of Charleston. She died, leaving two children, Henry Dickson and Mar- garet Graham. In 1870 he married Mary, daughter of Levi Pierce, who survived him with two sons, John Pierce and Robert Martin.
Phys. & Surgs. of the U. S., W. B. Atkinson, 1878.
