Then, of course, there was the war, at that time in its early stages, 

 before the United States took part in it. Professor Abel was very 

 pro-German, which may have been on account of his ancestry but 

 much more likely on account of what he knew of Germany as he 

 had seen it. This made it utterly impossible for him to believe that 

 the Germans were what they were made out to be at that time, and 

 it was equally hard for me to believe it then. The Avar had a great 

 effect on the Professor and upset his life tremendously. At first it Avas 

 very stimulating to him, as the Germans made neAV advances almost 

 every day, and this Avas reflected in the Avay he Avalked as Avell as talked. 

 Both Dr. and Mrs. Abel Avere extremely kind to me and treated me 

 almost as a son. In fact, they asked me after a time to live at 

 their house Avith them, but I did not accept this invitation for tAvo rea- 

 sons: one was that although I Avas fond of medicine, I did not Avant to 

 give up everything in life to the Avhims of this man as all Avho came 

 very close to him had to do on account of his complete absorption in 

 Avhat he was doing to the consequent oversight of everything else; the 

 other Avas that my love for the Germans became less and less, and, 

 finally, in order that there could be no mistmderstanding on this point 

 in Professor Abel's mind, I Avrote him a letter telling him that I 

 thought he should knoAV of my having lost all faith in the Germans 

 and that I Avas going to take the part of the other side. Although I 

 did this as kindly as I could, I do not think that the Professor ever 

 quite got over it. 



For a time, after the Avar Avas over, he Avas much depressed and very 

 bitter, but Avith his usual and extraordinary ability to take reverses 

 he shook off this depression and Avent to Avork Avith rencAved vigor. 

 Unfortimately, at just this time the laboratory was overAvhelmed by 

 a grotip of South Africans Avho were extraordinarily anti-British in 

 their sentiments. For several years the lunch-table conA^ersation de- 

 generated into anti-British tales raked up from all possible quarters 

 by this South African group. I, Avho Avas no historian, could stand this 

 only so long and then Avould blow up, to be put in my place again on 

 account of lack of evidence on my side, and since there was no one 

 there to back me, I became less popular daily. But this group and this 

 period passed, and in his later years I heard nothing more of the Avar 

 from Professor Abel. I am sure that his anti-English remarks Avere 

 purely an attempt to justify Avhat the Germans had done, because he 

 told me many times that Avhen he retired, his one desire Avas to go 

 to England and spend his last days Avith "that Avonderful group of 

 English physiologists." 



17 



