IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 
is the testimony of his old friend, Charles A. White. As a teacher it has been 
said by his student, Dr. A. A. Butler, “Dr. Barris was one of a few men who 
are born to teach and to be admired and loved by those who are taught.” It 
was my pleasure a few years after coming to Iowa, in 1892, to call on Dr. 
Barris at his rooms in the Davenport Academy of Sciences, and a few years 
later at his residence with the venerable Arch Deacon Hoyt, his son-in-law. 
Though close to eighty years old, he was full of enthusiasm, and the brief 
visit was a most friendly one. I am glad to say I knew this genial and kind 
man, a pioneer geologist of Iowa. 
DR. D. S. FAIRCHILD. 
Medical men have not identified themselves as much as we should like with 
the Iowa Academy of Science. There were several among the charter members. 
The Iowa Academy of Science welcomed the council and advise of two of its 
well known specialists in medicine in Iowa, Dr. D. S. Fairchild of Ames, and 
C. M. Hobby of Iowa City. Neither, however, ever contributed to its pages.. 
The varied and busy professional duties of these men made it impossible to- 
attend the meetings of the Academy or prepare papers which would be of 
interest to scientific men. At the time of the organization of the Iowa Acad- 
emy of Science, Dr. D. S. Fairchild was College Physician at Ames, and Pro- 
fessor of Therapeutics and Professor of Surgery in Drake Medical School. In 
addition he was surgeon for the C. & N. W. Railrolad. All of this involved an 
enormous amount of labor and professional skill. He resigned his professorship 
from the Iowa State College in 1893 and removed to Clinton to take charge 
of the surgical work of the C. & N. W. R. R., retaining, however, his connec- 
tion with Drake Medical School until 1909. In 1903 he was elected dean. He 
served the Medical School of Drake University for 26 years with credit and 
distinction. He has always been a student and thus has kept in touch with the 
newest phases of medical science. He was a splendid teacher and brought to 
the class room a wealth of material from his practical experience as a physi- 
cian and surgeon. 
He is a member of many prominent medical organizations, such as the 
American Medical Associgition, Vice President in 1907; Academy of Railway 
Surgeons, President 1900; Western Surgical Association, President in 1898; 
Iowa Medical Society, President in 1896; also of various local medical societies. 
At the May meeting of the Iowa Medical Society he was elected Editor-in-Chief 
of the Journal of the Society, and since he became editor he has contributed 
many articles; one of special interest dealing with the early history of medicine- 
in Iowa, has been appearing serially in the Journal. 
Other contributions have been numerous; among these papers I may men- 
tion the following: The Present Status of Aseptic and Antiseptic Surgery 
(Railway Surgical Journal, January, 1907); Some Points in the Examination 
for Alleged Peripheral Nerve Injuries (Railway Surgical Journal, August, 
1906); Report of Committee on Uniform Standard for the Examinations of 
Railway Employes (Railway Surgeon, December, 1903); Trauma as a. Cause of 
Malignant Disease (The Railway Surgeon, September, 1903); The Field of 
Usefulness for the Railway Surgeon (The Railway Surgeon, December, 1901); 
Observations on the Various Means of Direct Fixation in Fractures (The Rail- 
way Surgeon, March, 1902). 
