14 SAMUEL JAMES MELTZER— HOWELL 



no doubt by the brutally frank expressions of policy contained in the so-called manifesto of 

 the intellectuals and signed by many eminent German professors. Feeling was intense and 

 intolerance was exhibited in academic as well as nonacademic circles to an extent that is 

 scarcely comprehensible now, although only a few years have elapsed. Meltzer, with his 

 philosophic training, his warm affection for the Germany that he knew and admired, his loyal 

 love for his adopted country, and his great belief in the cosmopolitanism of science was 

 greatly distressed for fear that the bitterness engendered by the War might injure perma- 

 nently the spirit of cooperation and fraternity among scientific workers of different nationalities. 

 Indeed there was much reason at that time to fear that such a result might occur. 



On the occasion of the fourth annual dinner of the Biochemical Association of Columbia 

 University he delivered a fine address on " The deplorable contrast between intranational and 

 international ethics and the mission of medical science and medical men." This address was 

 published subsequently in the Biochemical Bulletin (Vol. IV, 1915) and in Science (Vol. XII, 

 p. 515, 1915). In it he drew a vivid picture of the inhumanity created by war, and emphasized 

 the contrast in this respect of the generous medical service rendered by physicians to friend 

 and foe alike. On this basis he suggested the formation of a "medical brotherhood for the 

 purpose of upholding and accelerating the progress of international morality. " This idea 

 grew in his mind ; he talked it over with all of his friends and finally organized definitely an 

 association which he designated as a "Fraternitas Medicorum. " He secured the cooperation 

 of 150 of the leading medical men of the country and issued an appeal for membership in a 

 statement printed in the Journal of the American Medical Association, July 31, 1915. The 

 appeal was successful, some 16,000 names were secured in this country alone, and interest in the 

 project was shown by leading physicians in other countries. Whatever progress might have 

 been made if conditions had remained as they were when the brotherhood was organized, with 

 this country as a neutral power, its actual operations were brought to a close temporarily by 

 the fact that we entered the war. Under such conditions it was probable that any activity 

 that might be initiated would be interpreted as unpatriotic, and in a letter to the editor of the 

 Journal of the American Medical Association Meltzer announced that the sending out of 

 literature would be suspended. After the war was over he made an attempt to revive the 

 organization, hoping especially to induce some other leader in medicine whose German affili- 

 ations were less evident than his to undertake the direction of its work. As it turned out 

 interest in the project lapsed somewhat after the cessation of the war, and it would seem as 

 though the whole movement had come to naught. But it was a noble plan that did credit to 

 Meltzer's heart and mind. It is in line with that evolution of the moral sense among mankind 

 which to Huxley's mind constitutes the essential basis and hope of a progressive civilization, 

 and we may assume that sooner or later the seed planted by Meltzer will bear fruit. There 

 will be a world-wide organization such as he dreamed of which will aim to raise international 

 ethics to that standard which now prevails within the confines of every civilized nation. 



After Doctor Meltzer's death memorial exercises were held by several of the societies 

 with whose activities he had been especially identified. At the Christmas meeting of the 

 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, held at Chicago, December 28, 

 1920, Prof. W. H. Howell read a paper commemorative of his life and work in relation to 

 American physiology which was published in Science, February 4, 1921. At a meeting of 

 the Society of Clinical Investigation a similar paper was read by Dr. W. T. Longcope, and 

 at a special memorial meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, held in 

 New York on January 6, 1921, addresses were made as follows: Memorial remarks by the 

 president of the society, Prof. Gary N. Calkins; "A tribute to Doctor Meltzer's life and 

 service," by Prof . George B. Wallace; " Doctor Meltzer's message to the present generation," 

 by Dr. Phoebus A. Levene; "Personal Reminiscences of Doctor Meltzer," by Prof. Graham 

 Lusk; "Doctor Meltzer's influence on American physiology," by Prof. W. H. Howell; 

 "Doctor Meltzer's place in American medicine," by Prof. W. H. Welch. These addresses 

 were subsequently published in full by the society in a memorial number of the proceedings 

 of the society, 1921. 



