Apkil 9, 1915] 



SCIENCE 



523 



known to everybody, at least ought to be 

 known by everybody. But the calling of 

 this fact to full consciousness of the mem- 

 bers of our profession may render a great 

 service to the progress of international 

 morality. 



In the dawn of history, the medical man 

 was also the treasurer of philosophy and 

 morals. In the middle ages when knowl- 

 edge became specialized, medical men more 

 and more devoted their activity exclusively 

 to medical practise. On account of the 

 inefficiency of medicine at that time, medi- 

 cine lost its prestige. However, in the re- 

 cent decades medicine became a science and 

 one marvelous discovery follows another, 

 and the efficiency of medical practise in- 

 creases rapidly. Medicine makes accessible 

 to man uninhabitable parts of the world. 

 It prevents disease, and with increased effi- 

 ciency it learns to cure it. Medical sci- 

 ences and medical men rose in the estimate 

 of discriminating civilized mankind. 

 Could they {medical sciences and medical 

 men) not 'become again hearers of the flag 

 of morals, especially of international mor- 

 als? In the furious struggle which is go- 

 ing on at present amongst civilized nations 

 international morals lost its friends; re- 

 ligion, sciences and the brotherhood of 

 mankind proclaimed by the followers of 

 socialism failed it; medicine alone did not 

 desert it. In times of peace and for the 

 purpose of furthering useful knowledge 

 medical sciences and medical practises are 

 working in separate groups, according to 

 their specific aims. But all medical men 

 of various shades and groupings ought to 

 unite for this one high aim, ought to estab- 

 lish a Medical Brotherhood for the Pur- 

 pose of Upholding and Accelerating the 

 Progress of International Morality. 



Every one of the scientific and practical 

 men in medicine in our large country 

 ought to join with enthusiasm such a mis- 



sionary enterprise. The initiative ought 

 to be taken by our large neutral country, 

 but we may appeal to our neutral brethren 

 in other neutral countries to join our cru- 

 sade. However, we must not approach our 

 medical confreres in the belligerent na- 

 tions as long as the war lasts, lest it may 

 be interpreted as an attempt to weaken 

 their patriotism and their enthusiasm for 

 the cause of the particular countries of 

 which they are an integral part. 



S. J. Meltzbe 

 eockefeller institute for 

 Medical Eeseaech 



CTSUS FOGG BBACEETT 

 By the death of Professor Cyrus Fogg 

 Brackett, which occurred on January 29, 

 another link connecting the present with 

 the past in the history of physics in this 

 country was broken. Professor Brackett 

 belonged to that group of physicists whose 

 influence is now felt through their pupils 

 in most of our universities. In the early 

 days of his service at Princeton he was as- 

 sociated with Joseph Henry, who was a 

 trustee of the college, and who took an 

 active interest in the development of the 

 department of physics under Professor 

 Brackett 's direction. His early studies 

 came before the French influences had been 

 superseded by the German, and his think- 

 ing always showed traces of that early 

 training. 



Professor Brackett, after graduation at 

 Bowdoin College in 1859, studied medicine 

 at the Harvard Medical School, and was 

 graduated as Doctor of Medicine in 1863. 

 He then returned to Bowdoin as a member 

 of the faculty, and soon became professor 

 of chemistry and physics. In 1873, on the 

 advice of Professor Henry, he was called 

 to Princeton as professor of physics. His 

 coming to Princeton coincided with the 

 foundation of the John Green School of 



