ighbors.

The Doctor was a man of fine attainments. Active in the church, he
served as vestryman at Christ Church; public spirited, he was the moving
force in the founding of the Sun Fire Company; and the Alexandria
academy was largely his idea. It was in great part due to his efforts
that Washington was aroused to take an active part in this project, to
contribute L50 annually, and at his death to will L1,000 to this
institution.

At the outbreak of the war with England, Washington showed his
confidence by appointing Dr. Brown Physician-General and Director of
Hospitals of the Continental Army. He served throughout the Revolution.
Brown wrote and published the first _American Pharmacopoeia_ in 1778,
"For the sake of expedition and accuracy in performing the Practice, and
also to introduce a degree of uniformity therein throughout the several
hospitals," the title pages read.

It was due to hardships suffered at Valley Forge that he died in 1792 at
the age of forty-four years. The following notice appeared in the
_Virginia Gazette and Alexandria Advertiser_ for Thursday, January 19,
1792:

On Friday, last, after a tedious and excrutiating illness, the iron
hand of relentless Death arrested and hurried that amiable citizen,
DR. WILLIAM BROWN, to the World of Spirits, "from whence no Traveller
returns!" All the love we bore him could not add one "supernumerary
gasp." He long felt the approaches of vital dissolution--no vain
laments--but sustained it with religious intrepidity, such as marks
the dignity of a Christian Hero.

He felt the force of Republican Principles early in life, and stept
forth, in the infancy of the American war, to oppose the British
King.--How often have I heard him, with the ardour of a Patriot,
expatiate on the firmness and virtues of a Hampden and a Sidney!
Viewing with horror the piteous situation of our virtuous and wounded
Soldiery--the derangement of the hospitals and medical department--he
relinquished his domestic ease and lucrative employment, and offered
his services to the Continental Congress. They were accepted--How he
conducted the interesting and important charge, the testimony of that
respectable body and his grateful country have long declared. Having
arranged and reformed the constitution of the army allocated to his
care, and reduced the wild and extravagant practice to system and
order, he left the service, and res