Daniel Coit Oilman 57 



of this organization is that it places all power in the 

 hands of a small but representative body, composed of the 

 heads of departments, the president, and the superinten- 

 dent of the hospital. Over the deliberations of this body 

 he presided constantly during his incumbency, and it is 

 needless, for those who knew him, to add that he was a 

 most admirable presiding officer. Courteous, considerate, 

 and informal he invited a free expression of opinion from 

 all, but he knew well the art of controlling gently but 

 firmly all tendencies to useless and diffuse discussion. 

 The routine business was dispatched with promptness, 

 while matters of importance from the standpoint of policy 

 or precedent were treated with care and circumspection. 

 A more harmonious and effective board it would be hard 

 to imagine, and, indeed, how could it have been otherwise 

 with a man like Oilman as presiding officer and a man like 

 Welch as dean and secretary. Our foundations were well 

 laid, and I am sure that the great success of the school, 

 acknowledged everywhere, was a source of the deepest 

 gratification to Mr. Oilman. It may be fairly claimed 

 that it constituted his second great contribution to the 

 educational development of this country. I hope that the 

 future historian of medical education in the United States 

 will not make the mistake of supposing, because Mr. Oil- 

 man wasi not a member of the medical profession, that 

 therefore hisi connection with this medical school was in 

 any sense perfunctory. On the contrary, it was real, it was 

 vital, and it was continuously maintained. And through 

 it all those who were associated with him must have been 

 greatly impressed by the fact that in this, as in the other 

 great enterprises of which he formed a part, there was no 

 thought of self. He was working for a great purpose, the 

 nobility and importance of which were constantly present 

 to his own mind and were by him transmitted to his asso- 

 ciates and colleagues. 



