done much in keeping alive professional interest in investigations which have turned out to be remarkably fruitful in practical results.
Birch published several pamphlets in opposition to the practice of vaccination, and in favour of inoculation, for the small-pox. He also gave evidence before a committee of the House of Commons in the same sense, His objections have no longer much scientific interest, but the point of view from which he regarded the subject is probably fairly represented in his monumental epitaph, as follows: 'The practice of cow-poxing, which first became general in his day, undaunted by the overwhelming influence of power and prejudice, and by the voice of nations, he uniformly and until death perseveringly opposed, conscientiously believing it to be a public infatuation, fraught with peril of the most mischievous consequences to mankind.' Birch was buried in the church in Rood Lane, Fenchurch Street, where a monument was erected to his memory by his sister Penelope Birch. The epitaph, from which some of the dates given above are quoted, is printed in a posthumous edition of his tracts on vaccination. His portrait, painted by T. Phillips and engraved by J. Lewis, is rather commonly met with.
He wrote: 1. 'Considerations on the Efficacy of Electricity in removing Female Obstructions,' London, 1779, 8vo; 4th edition 1798 (translated into German). 2. 'A Letter on Medical Electricity,' published in George Adams's 'Essay on Electricity,' London, 1798, 4to (4th edition); also separately, 1792, 8vo. 3. 'An Essay on the Medical Applications of Electricity,' 1802, 8vo (translated into German, Italian, and Russian). 4. 'Pharmacopœia Chirurgica in usum nosocomii Londinensis S. Thomæ,' London, 1803. 12mo. 5. 'A Letter occasioned by the many failures of the Cow-pox,' addressed to W. R. Rogers. Published in the latter writer's 'Examination of Evidence relative to Cow-pox delivered to the Committee of the House of Commons by two of the Surgeons of St. Thomas's Hospital,' 2nd edition, 1805. 6. 'Serious Reasons for objecting to the Practice of Vaccination. In answer to the Report of the Jennerian Society,' 1806, 8vo. 7. 'Copy of an Answer to the Queries of the London College of Surgeons and of a Letter to the College of Physicians respecting the Cow-pox,' 1807, 8vo. The last two were reprinted by Penelope Birch, with the title 'An Appeal to the Public on the Hazard and Peril of Vaccination, otherwise Cow-pox,' 1817, 8vo. 8. 'The Fatal Effects of Cow-pox Protection,' 1808, 12mo (anonymous, but ascribed to Birch in the 'Dict. of Living Authors,' 1816). 9. 'A Report of the True State of the Experiment of Cow-pox,' 1810 (on the same authority).
[Biog. Dict. of Living Authors (1816); Callisen's Medicinisches Schriftsteller-Lexikon (Copenhagen. 1830-45), i. 264, and Appendix; Archives of St. Thomas's Hospital; Birch's Works.]
BIRCH, JONATHAN (1783–1847), translator of 'Faust,' was born in Holborn, London, on 4 July 1783. When a lad he had a strong desire to become a sculptor, but in October 1798 he was apprenticed to an uncle in the city. In 1803 he entered the house of John Argelander, a timber-merchant at Memel, where he remained until Argelander's death, in 1812, much of his time being employed in travelling in Russia, Sweden, and Denmark. In 1807 the three eldest sons of Frederick William III of Prussia took refuge with Argelander for eighteen months, and became warmly attached to Birch, in whose company they took delight.
In 1812 Birch returned to England and turned to literary pursuits. In 1823 he married Miss Esther Brooke, of Lancaster, who bore him five children, of whom only two survived, a boy and a girl. His son, Charles Bell Birch, A.R.A., became a sculptor.
After many minor essays in literature he published 'Fifty-one Original Fables, with Morals and Ethical Index. Embellished with eighty-five original designs by Robert Cruickshank; also a translation of Plutarch's "Banquet of the Seven Sages," revised for this work,' London, 1833, 8vo. The preface is signed 'Job Crithannah,' an anagram of the author's name. The Crown Prince of Prussia accepted a copy, and renewed the friendship formed at Memel. Birch next produced 'Divine Emblems; embellished with etchings on copper [by Robert Cruickshank], after the fashion of Master Francis Quarles. Designed and written by Johann Albricht, A.M.' (another anagram of Jonathan Birch), London, 1838, 8vo ; Dublin, 1839, 8vo. On sending the crown prince a copy he received in return a gold medal, of which only thirty were struck, and given by the prince to his particular friends. He now undertook a complete translation of Goethe's 'Faust,' being the first to attempt the two parts. The first was published in 1839, and dedicated to the crown prince, who, on coming to the throne in 1840 as Frederick William IV, sent him the 'great gold medal of homage.' In 1841 Birch was elected 'foreign honorary member of the
