November 5, 1920] 



SCIENCE 



427 



take of his life." Perhaps there were disad- 

 vantages of a kind in a Bellevue connection as 

 contrasted with the far greater prominence of 

 the " P. and S." establishment, but vphatever 

 they may have been in general, they v^ere more 

 than compensated for by the laboratory and 

 its proximity to the deadhouse at Bellevue. 

 The nev7 pathological laboratory became at 

 once an influential factor in the medical edu- 

 cational system of 'New York, and students 

 came there to "Welch from all three medical 

 schools. 



■ The leaven worked rapidly; for very soon 

 the College of Physicians and Surgeons awoke 

 to the growing demands of pathology. A part 

 of the faculty had not ceased to view Welch's 

 defection regretfully, and now that the Alumni 

 Association proposed to set up, under Dela- 

 field's general direction, a pathological labora- 

 tory, its direct conduct was offered at Welch. 

 The invitation was not accepted, but in de- 

 clining it Welch characteristically, as we 

 should now say, put in another strong stroke 

 for pathology, as the following letter, which 

 also explains his sense of obligation to the 

 Bellevue College, illustrates: 



New Yoek, October 9, 1878. 

 My dear Dr. Frudden: A few days ago Pro- 

 fessor Delafield told me of the following scheme 

 which the Twenty-third Street Medical College has 

 on foot. A laiboratory for histology and pathology 

 is to be estaiblished in connection with the col- 

 lege, by means of a fund given for the purpose by 

 the alumni. It is to be taken hold of in an earnest 

 way, for the laboratory is to hold the same rela- 

 tion to the college as the dissecting room does; 

 that is, each student will be obliged during some 

 part of his course to work there before he can take 

 his degree. Dr. Delafield proposed that I should 

 go in as his first assistant and have charge of the 

 histological department, and assist him as much as 

 necessary in the pathological part. The salary was 

 to be five hundred dollars for the first year, and I 

 believe more subsequently. I was naturally de- 

 lighted with the offer and thought it to be just 

 what I wanted, an opportunity to work in the, di- 

 rection where I had studied most. Upon speaking 

 of the matter, before coming to a decision, with 

 some of the professors at Bellevue, I find that they 

 are reluctant to have me leave there, and even 



represent it as not the square thing for me to go at 

 present. The latter motive especially has influ- 

 enced me to stay, as I do not believe it pays to do 

 anything unfair. I feel as if I were relinquishing 

 a great opportunity and do not see any equivalent 

 for it at present at Bellevue, 'but as there is a 

 feeling there that it would not be right for me to 

 leave, I am going to stay and have so told Dr. 

 Delafield. He asked me if I knew any one who 

 would be competent for the position, saying there 

 are a great many in New York who tihink they are, 

 but few who really are. 



I immediately suggested your name and he at 

 once seemed pleased, and deputed me to hunt you 

 up by a letter and communicate the proposal to you. 

 I really think the offer an advantageous one, in 

 fact presenting an opportunity better than any 

 other I know for one with the tastes and resolu- 

 tion which you have formed. I do not know any 

 one who could do greater justice to the work there 

 than yourself, and it seems to me to present great 

 possibilities for the future. Personally I should 

 like to have you here in New York, for I fear I am 

 going to rust out unless I have some one to talk 

 with and help me on concerning the subject in 

 which we are both interested. 



I do not know whether this letter will even reach 

 you. WUl you at least drop me a postal card when 

 you receive it, for if I do not hear from you in a 

 day or two, I am going to resort to further means 

 of hunting you up. I should also like to know how 

 you decide. 



With Prudden's installation at the College 

 of Physicians and Surgeons, pathology had 

 come to be recognized as a subject of inde- 

 pendent merit and proportions, to be taught 

 practically, by two of the leading medical 

 schools of the country. Prudden was a pupil 

 of Arnold of Heidelberg, under whom he had 

 mastered a precise and delicate pathological 

 histological technique; and later at Vienna, 

 in part alongside Welch, he had imbibed the 

 essence of the teaching of moAid anatomy. 

 Thus and at^last in the persons of Welch and 

 Prudden, American pathology had come to be 

 united with the best sources of its inspiration 

 abroad; and from now on the main task was 

 to widen and diversify this stream in the ac- 

 complishment of which purpose Welch's career 

 stands forth preeminent. 



Welch was now fairly launched on a career 



