Place of Dr. Meltzer in American Medicine. 41 



search as that of physiology or the other branches of medicine to 

 which the term "science" is sometimes, although erroneously, 

 limited. 



Meltzer realized that it is the younger generation that is 

 especially worth working for and trying to influence. He made no 

 mistake. It is delightful to see so many of the younger men here 

 tonight, because I know they are drawn by their affection and 

 admiration for that man who impressed his ideas upon them not 

 only by precept, but by example. In this way, I think, he has 

 exerted a potent influence upon clinical medicine, and I question 

 whether it would have been possible for a man devoting himself 

 solely to laboratory work to have done this. 



His great opportunity came when he was chosen for the head- 

 ship of the division of Physiology and Pharmacology of the Rocke- 

 feller Institute. It was a natural choice. The institute was in 

 its early days and it was extremely important that the particular 

 problems selected for study should fall within a certain, at that 

 time, well-defined group of subjects. Here was a man who was a 

 genuine physiologist, recognized by his compeers, but whose in- 

 terests were largely concerned with problems having relation to 

 practical medicine, although he would have been the last man in 

 the world to advocate that practical application of results should 

 be a guiding principle in discovery. He represented that combina- 

 tion of quality and direction of interest in scientific medicine which 

 made him the ideal man for the new division of physiology and 

 pharmacology. He found here his great opportunity for his 

 splendid work. He was brought into contact with young men 

 and he helped train them here. 



As a member of the Board of Scientific Directors of the Rocke- 

 feller Institute, I wish on this occation, to express on behalf of all 

 my colleagues, and I am sure I speak also for all the scientific 

 workers at the Institute, our sense of personal loss, our very 

 grateful appreciation of Meltzer's life and work and our inexpres- 

 sible debt to him for his many years of devoted and fruitful service. 

 I am glad to have had the privilege of saying these few words in 

 memory of one whose character I greatly admired and whose 

 friendship I cherished. It is well for all of us to come and pay 

 our tribute to the memory of such a man; to recall his worthy 



