After his removal from the city, he still continued to exhibit his interest in our meetings, by an attendance more regular than could have been expected from one who lived so far from us. On many an evening his cheerful voice would greet us, and every year his open hospitality received us. Our visit to Flushing was always looked forward to by us as a holiday, and, amid the flowers and fruits of the summer season, our professional cases and duties seemed to occupy a secondary place.

In establishing a private asylum for the insane Dr. Macdonald did not forget the unfortunate poor, but still extended to them the benefit of his experience and advice. As early as the year 1834, when the Corporation of this city were about erecting a public asylum for the insane at Black well's Island, he furnished plans for the buildings, and prepared, for their use, an essay on the construction and management of hospitals for the insane. In the year 1847 he was appointed one of the visiting physicians of the Asylum at Blackwell's Island, and labored diligently to improve its condition. It was, especially, by his exertions that a library of about 1,200 volumes was collected for the use of the Institution.

It was the happy union of many excellent qualities that constituted the great charm of Dr. Macdonald's character. His intellectual powers were solid, rather than brilliant, but fully capable of sustaining him in the difficult investigations connected with his peculiar branch of study. His mind was practical and more decided to what was useful than to what was new and striking. He was alive, however, to all the great medical improvements of the day. His opinion was always respected, but his advice still more valued ; for every one who knew him felt that the highest object of his ambition was to do good and to improve the condition of those committed to his charge.