Dr. Meltzer's relation to the Society for Experimental Biology 



and Medicine. 



By HOLMES C. JACKSON, Secretary. 



After twenty years of active investigation in experimental 

 medicine and allied branches, it was quite natural that the sci- 

 entific ideals of Dr. S. J. Meltzer should express themselves in 

 a desire to form a society whose main purpose lay in stimulating 

 experimental work among the younger men entering the fields 

 of biology and medicine. 



Accordingly, in conjunction with Dr. Graham Lusk, Dr. 

 Meltzer sent an invitation to eight New York investigators to 

 meet at Dr. Lusk's house on January 17, 1903, for the purpose of 

 establishing a " Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine." 

 .This preliminary conference unanimously endorsed Dr. Meltzer's 

 views and appointed a committee for permanent organization. 

 The charter membership was increased to nineteen and the first 

 meeting occurred on February 25, 1903, in the laboratory of physi- 

 ological chemistry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia 

 University. Dr. Meltzer became the first president of the new 

 society and served two years. 



Dr. Meltzer's first thought was to have the scientific program 

 of the meetings presented in the form of demonstrations, and 

 this idea was carried out during the first two years. As the 

 society grew and the number of papers read at the meetings be- 

 came greater, it was found necessary to alter somewhat this ori- 

 ginal intention so as to allow papers to be read by title. 



During the first three years, the reports of the meetings of the 

 Society appeared in Science and in American Medicine. In 

 June, 1906, the decision was reached to publish the Proceedings 

 as a separate journal, one number appearing after each meeting. 

 The Proceedings has now established itself as a well-recognized 

 and much sought for avenue of early publication for preliminary 

 communications with an edition of 700 copies reaching all parts of 

 the world. The meetings of the society have been held monthly 



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