36 



Memorial Number. 



said in the opening meetings and in the plainest of terms, and if 

 in his opinion it was necessary to be critical of either persons or 

 things he never hesitated to express what was in his mind. His 

 courage in stating his position in matters in which some personal 

 criticism necessarily played a part in the discussion has often 

 aroused admiration. He did not indulge in circumlocutions or 

 euphemisms, but was entirely frank and direct. There could be 

 no mistake as to what he thought and yet no matter how plainly 

 and bluntly he might speak there was as a rule no offense taken, 

 because it was evident to every one that what concerned him was 

 not personalities but the principles involved. The American 

 Physiological Society owes much to him for the sound policies and 

 wholesome traditions which have characterized its history. I 

 have not so much direct knowledge of the influence exerted by Dr. 

 Meltzer in the numerous other societies of which he was a member. 

 In the case of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 

 we know that he was its chief founder and for many years its 

 primum movens — it was long known familiarly among scientific 

 men as the Meltzer Verein. I have no doubt that in every or- 

 ganization with which he was connected his influence was always 

 exerted on the side of the highest scientific ideals — no other position 

 was possible for him. He was high-minded, courageous, sincere 

 and optimistic. Age oftentimes lays a stiffening hand upon the 

 scientific worker, causing him to shrink from the laborious routine 

 of research, but with Meltzer there was never any indication of 

 weariness or sense of failure. In spite of much ill-health and 

 physical suffering in his later years he was full of hope and energy 

 and determination in the pursuit of his scientific ideals and prob- 

 lems. Death came to him, as he would have chosen, while in 

 his study and at his work. He was a good and faithful servant 

 in the cause of medical research. Rewards came to him in the 

 form of academic honors and membership in the most important 

 medical and scientific societies, but I am confident that he found 

 his greatest recompense in the joy of the work and in the affec- 

 tionate appreciation of his many scientific friends. 



