William Jay Youmans (October 14, 1838 – April 10, 1901) was an American scientist. He edited ''

Popular Science Monthly Popular science (also called pop-science or popsci) is an interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is more broad ranging. It may be written ...

'' for a time.

Early life

He was born at Milton, New York. He was the son of Vincent Youmans and Catherine (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Scofield) Youmans. He worked on his father's farm and studied at the local school until he was 17. He studied

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

under his brother, Edward Livingston Youmans, and at Columbia and

Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...

, and studied natural history with

Asa Fitch Asa Fitch (February 24, 1809 – April 8, 1879) was a natural historian and entomologist from Salem, New York. Biography Asa Fitch was born at Fitch's Point, Salem, New York on February 24, 1809. His early studies were of both natural history ...

. He then took a course in

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

, and in 1865 studied

natural history Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

under biologist

Thomas Henry Huxley Thomas Henry Huxley (4 May 1825 – 29 June 1895) was an English biologist and anthropologist who specialized in comparative anatomy. He has become known as "Darwin's Bulldog" for his advocacy of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The stor ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Career

On his return to the United States, Youmans settled at

Winona, Minnesota Winona ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, United States. Located in bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf (Winona, Minnesota), Sugar Loaf. The population was 2 ...

, and practiced medicine for about three years. In 1872, he abandoned his medical practice to assist his brother in establishing the ''Popular Science Monthly'', and subsequently was associated in editing. After his brother's death in 1887, he became its editor-in-chief, remaining in that position until 1900. He was a member of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

Personal life

Youmans was married to Celia Greene of Gailway, New York, in 1866. Together, they had four children, including Dr. Vincent D. Youmans, Mary Youmans, Dr. Alice C. Youmans, and Edward Youmans. Youmans died of

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often th ...

at his home in

Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, immediately to the north of the Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Moun ...

Published works

He contributed occasionally to the pages of ''Popular Science Monthly'' under his own name, and for many years prepared the articles on chemistry, metallurgy, and physiology for Appletons' ''Annual Cyclopædia''. He edited Huxley's 1866 work ''Lessons in Elementary Physiology'', to which he added seven chapters on hygiene, and it became the 1868 work ''Elements of Physiology and Hygiene''. He wrote ''Pioneers of Science in America'' (1895).

Notes

References

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External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Youmans, William Jay 1838 births 1901 deaths 19th-century American chemists American science writers American magazine editors Physicians from Minnesota People from Milton, Saratoga County, New York People from Winona, Minnesota Writers from New York (state) Writers from Minnesota Columbia University alumni Yale University alumni New York University Grossman School of Medicine alumni Scientists from New York (state)