GETTING DRUNK

"A character representation of the effects produced by
inhaling nitrous oxide gas. The accuracy of which no man
breathing can deny. Price 25 cts."

To-day, nitrous oxide means a benign anaesthetic, so helpful and
merciful when one is brought under the knife of the skillful surgeon.

The honor accorded Cutbush by his election to the Presidency of the
Columbian Chemical Society was merited. He was not only an active,
intelligent chemist, devoted to the advancement of his science in all
directions, but he seems to have been an ardent enthusiast in the
cause of education, for on the 7th of November, 1811, he delivered an
Oration on Education before the Society for the Promotion of a
Rational System of Education. His audience was large and consisted of
the very best people of the city. The printed oration shows that in
addition to his chemical knowledge he was versed in the humanities, in
mathematics, in philosophy and ancient history. To-day the intelligent
reader would pronounce the oration scholarly in every particular. His
chief purpose seems to have been to introduce into what was then the
customary curriculum in schools a definite amount of science--natural
and physical. This is marked in the title of the organization before
which he appeared on the occasion referred to, in Old St. John's
Church. The whole community was interested in education. A society of
educators had existed for a number of years. Neef had for a long time
been advocating a system which was in reality a modification of the
Pestallozian System, and men in every walk of life were seriously
considering the innovations and advancements in this all-important
subject.

Little can be found in regard to the Society for the Promotion of a
Rational System of Education, but it may be inferred that the society
had branches throughout the city and perhaps far beyond, because
elsewhere Cutbush spoke of the society as under the Presidency of John
Goodman, Esq., and that its purpose was to bring about a reformation
in education. Further, Goodman was a prominent layman in the Church of
Old St. John, who with his associates, Messrs. Greiner and Braeutigam,
fellow churchmen, deeply impressed with the new thought, seem to have
established a school "formed out of the Lutheran congregation of the
Church of St. John ... instituted several professorships ... one of
which, that of Chemistry, Mineralogy and Natural Philosophy" was
conferred u