John Lee Comstock

John Lee Comstock (September 25, 1787, East Lyme, Connecticut – November 21, 1858, Hartford, Connecticut) He was a younger brother of Samuel Comstock (1772–1840) of Butternuts in Otsego County, New York State. His nephew Edwin Perkins Comstock (1799–1837) founded the Comstock Patent Medicine business, seller of Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills.

John Lee Comstock received instruction in reading, writing and Dabolls Arithmetic at a local common school. Around age 20, he began to study medicine with his older brother, Dr. Joseph Comstock of Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut. John Lee Comstock also attended medical lectures at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. which was constituted to serve on the Niagara Frontier in the War of 1812. In 1815 the 25th became part of the 6th Infantry Regiment.

Comstock served at Fort Trumbull in New London, Connecticut, On May 17, 1817, he married Mary E. Cheneverd, They had eight children. Comstock continued to practice medicine until around 1830, by which time he was fully occupied with the publication of textbooks.

Comstock's most popular work was Natural Philosophy (1831). As of 1852, it was estimated to have sold 28–30,000 copies per year, totaling sales of over half a million copies. Next in popularity were his works on chemistry, selling around 12,000 annually, for an estimated total of 250,000 copies.

"Among the many works on philosophy; we have certainly not met with one, uniting in a greater degree the two grand requisites of precision and simplicity, than in the work of Dr. Comstock." – Lees

Comstock was the most active editor and republisher of Jane Marcet's book Conversations on Chemistry in the United States. As "an American gentleman", he added a critical commentary in 1818 that became part of the standard format for the book in the United States from then onward. Beginning in 1822, he took credit for his critiques, with his name appearing as editor.

By the 1830s, Comstock had discarded Marcet's format of conversations between women, on the grounds that it was outdated. In his own Elements of Chemistry (1831) he adopted a straightforward didactic style targeted to male students. Examples from mining, assaying and tanning replaced Marcet's household applications. Perhaps as a result, Comstock's text was rarely used in girls' schools.

Scientific research On January 21, 1828, Comstock was issued a patent for the waterproofing of cloth through the making and application of a solution of India rubber dissolved in turpentine. This was the first patent granted for waterproofing of cloth or leather in the United States. Comstock's patent was referenced during the Goodyear v. Day patent case, by Daniel Webster.

Selected publications

1827: Elements of Mineralogy: Adapted to the Use of Schools, and Private Students (Harvard University). 1832: An introduction to mineralogy; adapted to the use of schools and private students. Illustrated by nearly two hundred wood cuts (New York: Pratt, Woodford & co.). 1832, An introduction to the study of botany; in which the science is illustrated by examples of native and exotic plants... Designed for the use of schools and private students. (New York: Robinson, Pratt, & co.) 1835, The young botanist: being a treatise on the science prepared for the use of persons just commencing the study of plants (New York: Robinson, Pratt & Co.) 1836: Elements of chemistry; in which the recent discoveries in the science are included and its doctrines familiarly explained (New York: Robinson, Pratt, & Co.). 1841: Outlines of geology, intended as a popular treatise on the most interesting parts of the science, together with an examination of the question, whether the days of creation were indefinite periods; designed for the use of schools and general readers (New York: Robinson). 1843: A system of natural philosophy: in which the principles of mechanics, hydrostatics, hydraulic, pneumatics, acoustics, optics, astronomy, electricity, magnetism, steam engine, and electro-magnetism, are familiarly explained, and illustrated by more than two hundred engravings. To which are added questions for the examinations of pupils (New York: Robinson, Pratt & co.). 1848: Natural history of birds: with engravings on a new plan, exhibiting their comparative size, adapted to the capacities of youth, with authentic anecdotes illustrating their habits and characters, together with reflections, moral and religious, designed for Sabbath school libraries, families, and common schools (New York: Pratt, Woodford). 1850: Outlines of physiology, both comparative and human: in which are described the mechanical, animal, vital, and sensorial organs and functions, also, the application of these principles to muscular exercise, and female fashions and deformities: intended for the use of schools and heads of families: together with a synopsis of human anatomy... (New York: Pratt, Woodford).