I share your sorrow ladies. I too lost one of my original settlers in one of those unfortunate "lab accidents." I do want to point out a couple of things. First, all adults, not just adept scientists, can make potions. Once Alchemy is fully researched, it at least won't kill them outright.

Second, once you "clear the leaves" you will find a large tombstone that contains a roster of the dead. It tells you who died, how they died, age at death, and, what their specialty was.

Good Luck with the rest of your game(s)!