W. Donitz 
255 
possessed by a species, and those of us who have occupied ourselves 
with this group will always be grateful for the great help he gave us in 
dealing with a difficult problem. 
His papers dealing with bacteriology and immunity relate to cholera, 
tuberculosis, tetanus, diphtheria., typhoid and leprosy, to antitoxins and 
their standardization. 
Considering that for long periods of time Ddnitz was alternately a 
busy practitioner, a stimulating teacher and an effective administrator, 
it fills one with astonishment to view the great number and range of his 
scientific contributions. Personally, he was most unassuming, amiable, 
and ever ready to help those needing his advice. The writer remains 
deeply indebted to him for his active interest and ready help when 
working upon ticks both in Berlin and Cambridge. I possess numerous 
letters from Ddnitz written to within a few days of his death—all of 
these letters contained valuable suggestions and help. 
Owing to failing strength and to recuperate prior to undergoing an 
operation which had become inevitable, he, shortly before his death, 
went to Bordighera. Returning to Berlin after an absence of five 
weeks, he addressed his last letter to me: “ Gestern bin ich frei von 
Bronchitis, von der Riviera zurlickgekommen und konnte mich wieder 
meines Lebens erfreuen, wenn nicht die unangenehme Operation in 
Aussicht stande.” The letter was full of detailed information about 
.specimens regarding which I had consulted him, and he seized the 
earliest and last opportunity of sending his help where it was needed. 
Within less than a week he had passed away, purulent peritonitis 
following upon the operation he underwent for malignant disease of the 
intestine—of the existence of which he appears to have happily been 
oblivious. 
Ddnitz leaves a widow, a daughter and a son^ to mourn his loss. 
The interment took place at the Friedhof des Invalidenhauses. 
That Ddnitz made numerous friends goes without saying, and 
witness is borne thereto in the able obituary notice by Geheimrat 
Gaffky which appeared in the Deutsche medicinische Wochenschrift. 
The death of Ddnitz removes a distinguished man of science from our 
midst, and it is with a keen sense of personal loss that the writer offers 
this tribute to his memory. 
G. H. F. NUTTALL. 
1 Dr Alfred Donitz, Privatdocent in Surgery, Berlin. 
