Feb., I917
T H E J O C R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
many other scientific societies. He has been elected president for 1917 of th.e Scientific Research Society, Sigma Xi. I n t h e University of Chicago, where he has worked for twenty-fire years, Dr. Stieglitz has advanced from Docent t o Chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Director of t h e Laboratories of t h e University. His ability as a n administrator was particularly apparent in his influence upon t h e organization of t h e medical work, which F a s so helpful t h a t President Harper. who considered this a turning point in t h e history of t h e Universii,y-, stated t h a t no one could estimate t h e value of his services. His reputation as a teacher is so widely recognized t h a t Slosson, in his book on “Great -4merican Universities,” states: “Professor Stieglitz is one of those very rare i n d i v i d d l s who have a n equal mastery of t h e laboratory and of the lecture room, a n d who are able t o direct research a n d elementary students a t t h e same time without neglecting either.” His tendency t o sacrifice his own advantage for t h e general good, is iliustrated b y his acceptance of t h e heavy duties of Director of t h e Laboratories when already overburdened with executive work, because he saw t h a t he could be of help in t h e development of t h e research facilities of all t h e laboratories by seeing t h a t t h e funds available are used in t h e most efficient way. His acceptance of his first appointment in t h e university was characteristic of t h e man, for he came as docent a t t h e request of Professor Nef on a salary of “nothing a year,” because he recognized t h a t t h e new university would be of t h e highest t y p e and he saw t h e possibility of a career in science. I n beginning his work in t h e university he set before himself three things t o be accomplished: first, t o teach well; second, t o do as much a n d as good research work as possible; and third, t o be of some help in the general development of t h e university. T h e combination of these three aims has made his services of extreme \-alue.
A w r y large part. of his time is spent in looking after t h e welfare of t h e students, from freshmen u p t o men who took their l?h.D. ten or more years ago, t o see t h a t everyone is done justice, t o make sure t h a t the money available for helping students goes t o t h e most deserving, t o remove as much as possible t h e retarding effects of red t s p e in university administration upon t h e progress of the student. and t o make sure t h a t those who ha.ve left t h e university get as much advancement in th.eir n-ork as he is able t o obtain f o r them. This personal interest the students recognized when t h e y presented him with a memorial to show their appreciaiion of his work as leader of the movement in t h e faculty t o modernize t h e curriculum, a n d t o remove the prescription of Latin for all science students, which served as a bar t o their progress. Last June, at the Quarter-Centennial of t h e founding of t h e University of Chicago, t h e Doctors of Philosophy of t h e Department presented him with a loving cup in recognition of his great service in their behalf.
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One of his cherished plans for his department just a t present is t h e development in it, of work in industrial chemistry, and t h e departmental faculty has recommended t o t h e Trustees t h e establishment of a chair of industrial chemistry. As President of t h e American Chemical Society, Dr. Stieglitz would like t o encourage mo:;t strongly intimate relations of t h e universities and colleges \Tit11 thc industrial life of t h e nation, b u t viith t h e setil(,tl purpose of protecting pure science in the universit:es. H e lielieves t h a t t h e industries are based upon pun: science. and t h a t t o neglect t h e latter in America n.oul~l!,e “to kill t h e goose t h a t lays t h e golden egg.” He is an ardent believer in preparedness. fcir he feels t h a t all of our efforts in life must be in vain, so long as there is in t h e world no security for life. F r o m the same standpoint he is very strongly in f a r o r of very strenuous endeavor on t h e p a r t of t h e h u m a n race in its warfare against disease-so he has always worked hard t o get t h e university t o undertake medical research on somewhat the plan of t h e Rockefeller Institute. Perhaps i t is his feeling in this connection which has made him one of t h e most act-ive n-orkers on t h e Council of Chemistry a n d Pharmacy of t h e American Medical Association. This Council has exposed many fraudulent p a t e n t remedies, a n d has caused even the leading manufacturers of medicines t o conduct their business with much more regard t o t h e health a n d life of those who t a k e t h e medicines. Before the establishment of this Council t h e American public had absolutely no protection aganist t h e avarice of t h e manufacturers, or t h e ignorance of chemistry on t h e p a r t of t h e average practitioner of medicine. Professor Stieglitz’s success in all of his work is probably due most of all t o two characteristics: first, his great clarity of vision, a n d sec:ond, t h e intensity of his effort. He is very efficient: systematic. a n d an extremely hard worker. For recreation he plays golf, m-hich he enjoys, a n d he also recognizes t h a t his o u t p u t of nrork is increased b y using a p a r t of his time in this way. He is extremely fond of music and plays the cello. One of his brothers is one of K e n York’s best li11on-n physicians; and t h e other is a n-ell-knovn u t i s t n-110 has received 1 2 5 medals for his photographs. 0:ie of Dr. Stieglitz’s own hobbies is photography. Among t h e thirty-three men whcl have ~ ~ o r k e out tl their doctor’s dissertations under his direction vi11 be found a number of well-known chemists, such as Folin, hIcCoy, Schlesinger, and McKee, and this number would undoubtedly be larger were not most of t h e men still very young. Dr. Stieglitz‘s success in t h e ,4merican Chemical Society is one of t h e best examples which can be given t o prove t h a t e r e n in this :age of advertising true worth is often in demand, for he: is one of the most quiet and retiring of men, a n d has received recognition entirely on account of t h e effil3ency with ~ h i c h he works, a n d t h e ease with which he is able t o see thc best course, under a n y given set of conditions.
