MUTIS, JOSE CELESTINO Spanish natural ist, was born at Cadiz on April 6, 1732. He received his bache lor's degree at the University of Seville and afterwards studied medicine at Madrid where in the general hospital he became for a time a lecturer in anatomy. His preference, however, was for the study of mathematics and natural science, especially botany. He became one of the first disciples of the Swedish botanist, Linnaeus (q.v.), in Spain. Attracted by the wide and fruitful fields of study which South America then afforded he sailed in 1760 for New Granada (Colombia), accompanying the Spanish viceroy as physician. In New Granada he occupied himself col lecting and describing plants both from the lowlands and from the higher Andean regions, but he did not neglect medicine as is shown by his appointment as king's physician in the viceroyship. He spent much time on sanitary problems such as the establish ment of proper cemeteries, the prevention of small-pox and the reduction of malaria. He put into general use many American herbs, the properties of which he had studied, among them ipe cacuanda, guaco and Peruvian balsam. Some of these, such as the cinnamon laurel of the Andes, he made known in Europe. His favorite study, however, was quinine, which he studied from every angle from the distribution of the different species of cinchona down to experiments in the curative properties of the drug. His El Arcano de la Quina was published in 1793. Later studies were published in the Papel Periodico and after his death by his nephew, Sinforoso Mutis, who completed and arranged his notes on the subject. His work probably had much to do with making possible the colonization of malaria-infested regions. His work attracted the attention of the king who created the Royal Botani cal Expedition of New Granada and placed Mutis at its head.
With 18 of his best students, Mutis carried out a systematic sur vey in which material was collected for the monumental Flora de Bogota 6 de Nueva Granada which he planned in 13 folio volumes. Because of his immense activity in other lines only the first volumes of this intended work were arranged at his death. For the remaining volumes he left manuscripts, notes, illustra tions and sketches in such profusion that only some one knowing his schemes of arrangement could have finished the work. Among these botanical riches were 6,48o illustrations, admirable in pre cision and colour, which were intended for an atlas volume. This material, amounting to over 4,00o folios of loose manuscripts, and his collection of over 20,000 plants were sent after his death to the Botanical Garden at Madrid, where they are preserved. Mutis was instrumental in bringing Alexander von Humboldt to New Granada at the beginning of the 19th century and aided him in his work. Humboldt formed a high opinion of Mutis, whose work had completely surprised him. His work Plantas Equinocciales and later his Geografia de las Plantas were both dedicated to Mutis. For 18 years Mutis carried on a correspondence with Linnaeus, much of which was published in A Selection of the Cor respondence of Linnaeus (1821). He furnished many specimens of plants which the Swedish naturalist described. Linnaeus named in his honour the beautiful genus Mutisia, of the family Com positae, comprising some 5o species of plants found in South America. He died at Bogota on Sept. 11, 1808.