New York came to its end as America entered into Revolutionary era, and Colden retired from public life. On 24 September 1776, the British occupied the city; Colden died four days after that. Scientist In 1743, he published a series of essays noting the correlation between filthy living conditions and high rates of disease in New York City. This was particularly prompted by an epidemic of yellow fever at the time. Colden's essays were critical for establishing the sanitation efforts of New York City, and a milestone in the development of the field of public health. In May 1743, while serving as surveyor general of New York, Cadwallader began a correspondence with Benjamin Franklin encouraging Franklin to create the American Philosophical Society to which he was elected membership one year later. Franklin knew Colden by reputation and was flattered to hear from him. He replied at once, "I cannot be but fond of engaging in a correspondence so advantageous to me as yours must be. I shall always receive your favours as such, and with great pleasure". Colden refused to be intimidated by the awesome reputation of Isaac Newton, convincing himself that Newton had erred on certain important points. He devoted much of his adult life to correcting the alleged mistakes and in 1751 published in London his views on the subject, Principles of Action in Matter. Colden wrote a taxonomy of the flora near his Orange County, New York home, which he rendered in Latin and sent to the Swedish patriarch of plant science and Latin nomenclature, Carl Linnaeus, who duly published the work and named the genus in the family Boraginaceae, Coldenia L. Boraginaceae. Concept for Erie Canal In his 1727 book, “History of the Five Nations,” about the Iroquois, Colden suggested that a canal be built to connect the Hudson River with the Great Lakes to enable increased trade with Native Americans, for fur, and western settlers for agricultural products. Colden presented his vision for a canal to Colonial Governor Burnett on November 6, 1724. Slavery Cadwallader Colden was a slave owner. On 26 March 1717, he wrote to a Mr Jordan about sending a ‘Negro Woeman & Child consign'd to you’ by the Mary Anne. Without listing her name, Colden described this woman as 'a good House Negro [who] understands the work of the Kitchen perfectly & washes well’. He knew that she was born in