JOHANN FRIEDRICH, was born at Halle in 1781, of a family of some note in the annals of medicine. On receiving his doctor's degree at the university of his native town, he already gave evidence of the possession of distinguished talents for physical research by his inaugural thesis De Conditionibus Cordis Abnormibus. Having directed his attention almost exclusively to the study of comparative anatomy, he undertook travels into Germany, Italy, and France, to widen the sphere of his observation, and perfect his knowledge of his favourite science. After his return to Halle in 1809, he published a translation of the Leçons d'Anatomie Comparée de Cuvier, enriched with notes containing new and interesting observations. He was subsequently appointed professor of anatomy and physiology in his native university; and gave to the world in 1813 his Essay on Comparative Anatomy, which formed a fitting prelude to his great work, System des Vergleichenden Anatomie, 5 tom., Leipzig, 1821-31, which established Meckel's scientific reputation. In addition to various memoirs on anatomy, he likewise published a work entitled Tabula Anatomico-Pathologicae, modos omnes quibus partium corporis humani omnium forma interna atque externa a normali recedit, exhibentes, Lipsiae, 4 vols. fol., 1817-26. He laboured for a long time with great industry in perfecting the excellent collection commenced by Reil, and known at the present day by the name of the Physiological Archives of Meckel, 12 vols. 8vo, Halle, 1815-1827. After gaining for himself a distinguished name among the most eminent scientific men of Germany, he died at Halle on the 13th of October 1833, aged fifty-two years.