Temple University School of Medicine - Skull Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 22 text:

Pens, le 8 fevrier, 1934. DERMETTEZ o un des plus sinceres admiroteurs du Professeur Kolmer de vous ■expnmer son entboustosme pour so belle octivite scientifique dans le domame de la Bactenologie, I'lmmunologie et de lo Chimiotherapie Le monde scientifique lui est profondement reconnaissant de la modification qu'il o apportee a la reaction serologiqne de Bordet et Wossermonn, utilisee un peu portout et prmapole-ment aux Etots-Ums et en Amerique du Sud Ses ouvrages, en porticulier celui sur I'infection, 1'immumte et la theropeuti-que biologique, de meme que celui qui concerne la chimiotherapie dons le traite-ment de la syphilis ou it a mts en valeur I'efficacite du bismuth, sont ccnsultes por tous ceux qui s'mteressent o ces problemes Avec son illustre coilaborateur Schamberg, il o redige un excellent livre sur les maladies infectieuses aigues Enfin, il dirige avec une competence hors ligne cet Institute of Research for Cutaneous Medicine d'eu sont sortis tont de remorquables trovaux Pour ces roisons et en souvenir de I'offectueuse reception qc'il m'o faite lors de mon trop court sejour o Philodelphie en 1928, je vrens lui renouveler mes sentiments odmirotifs et lui souhaiter de continuer avec le meme succes so belle eorriere scientifique o Temule University. Veuillez ogreer. Messieurs, I'expression, de mes sentiments les meilleurs December 21, i933 TO the Closs of 1934, Temple University School of Medicine, I extend greeting ond congratulations on the selection of the Professor to whom you have dedicated your year book Dr John A Kolmer hos been for many years my personol friend, as you now count him your friend I have also sat in rapt attention on several occasions ond listened to the reported results of many hours of careful toil end observation, os you hove sot in hi$ classroom and listened to his erudite lectures on medicine We all revere his learning You ore honored to have had such a mentor. His many published works have made him well known in the realm of Science, but the true knowledge of the worth of the man, John Kolmer, lies in the hearts of those with whom he hos come d rectiy in contact Yours very smcerely. Januory 2, 1934. IT i$ with peculior pleosure that I join in this tribute to'my friend. Dr John A • Kolmer For many years before I had the pleasure of meeting him personally I was a profound admirer of h-s originality of thought and the sterling quolity of his scientific work Since then I have added the ottribute of geniality to all those for which he holds o high place m my esteem In my vew tlsose enemies cf prejudice who, like Dr Kolmer, work on the principle that common prcctice and opinions, however time-honored, must be exommed and re-exommed before being accepted os correct are the salt of the earth I om. Yours truly. Fourteen

Page 21 text:

December 30, 1933. IN my opinion you ore honoring one of the oblest and most distinguished men in ■ the field of clinical pathology, not only in this country but m the World I have known Dr Kolmer for years and enjoyed his personal hospitality end friendliness ond have stood in constant odmirohori of the extraordinary energy, capacity for w-ork, obility to organize, and ability to bring forth significant scientific results which ho$ characterized him tor years. I hove often heard it said that one of the things which mork the scientific investigator os having ochieved a position of distinction in the world, is the ability to ottroct Japanese students to his laboratory. For this Dr Kolmer hos been notable among the ind vidual scientists and investigators of this country. His work on the serologic tests and on the development of the Kolmer modification of the Wossermon reoction is a veritable monument to the most painstaking and controlled type of scientific work in the whole field of clinical pathology Very few questions in syphilologic research have not been illuminated by hi$ contributions As an originator of methods, one finds in daily use devices ond procedures which he introduced early in his career and which hove stood the test of the most painstokmg and critical scrutiny from investigators all over the world Knowing these things to be true of Dr Ko'mer, I congratulate your School, your Class ond your Annual on the distinction which his name will confer to your dedication page. Sincerely yours. Januory 19, 1933. I AM very happy to write c letter for the Skull concerning my good friend, • Professor John A Kolmer. As a matter of fact, it would take a good deal more than one letter to cover the achievements of Dr Kolmer in his chosen field of medieme. In opproochmq mtemol medicine through the laboratory, Kolmer followed the classic route, and I know of no better one, especially for a man who wishes o university career Dr. Kolmer hos proven himself such on able investigotor that it is olmost a pity thot he should hove been deflected into teaching ond practice My earliest recollection of his work dates bock to the eorly days of the Wossermonn test, when Kolmer become interested in the various antigens ond ochieved imjx rtont results m standardizing both the antigens ond the test. From a practical standpoint, I suppose Dr. Kolmer's contributions toward perfecting the manufacture of salvorson in America would rank as his most important. However, I hove olways been particularly intrigued by his beouhfu! experimental studies on the use of qumin derivatives in pneumococcol infections And now Dr Kolmer is Professor of Medicine in the Temple University Med'col School I am sure he fills this distinguished position with dignity ond grace, and I am quite sure thot his climes are interesting and stimulating A man with such scientific background could never be a dull teacher If this were an after-dinner speech, I would propose a toost to Temple University's Professor of Medicine, and wish him many years of successful service! Sincerely yours, 'Ruaaxjul Thirteen

Page 23 text:

December 27, 1933. I AM very glad to learn that the Senior Closs ot Temple University School of Medicine is dedicating its year book, The Skull, to Professor John A Kolmer I hove known Dr Kolmer tor many years and hove appreciated him as a friend os well os a co-labo-'er in the field of bacteriology and immunology His field of research hos been very broad He has added greatly to our store of knowledge by his studies in immunity and chemotheropy His work on syphilis has been of especial value to the humon roce From his students I know thot he hos been an excellent professor ond Ins personal character hos endeared him to his friends It is a great pieosure to me tlvat you have osked me to write these few lines Very Sincerely yOur$, December 23, 1933. I HAVE known Dr Kolmer smce his student days ana have followed his career with ■ interest and cdmirotion. If ever a man has achieved high position ond splendid reputotion by hord work n is John Kolmer But it would nor give c true picture of tne man to oscribe his success to hard work olcne for he hos a meosure of innate ability that few con equal. He hos olwoys reminded me of Queed, a character in o novel by Sydnor Harrison Queed had but one passion in life and thot wos work That is true of Kolmer, whose recreation is work and whose work is his recreation. Kolmer hos to a degree rarely seen the technical skill for animal experimentation and in addition he hos what so mony .nvestigotors lock, scientific imagination This rore combination hos led him to devise voluoble tests ond new methods of treatment that are known everywhere In confiding any tosk to Dr Kolmer one hos the sense thot the culture or the vaccine mode m hi$ laboratory is altogether dependable I have marvelled at Kolmer's copocity to digest the vast and difficult literature of immunology ond at his ability to express his opinions in o fluent and logical manner His discussions are omong the best at medical meetings In the new position that he holds at Temple University h;s power of concentration, hi$ ability to resist deflecting currents, h;s copocity for encompossmg whatever type of literature he attocks will make him os greot a teacher of clinical medicine os he is of pathology and immunology Very sincerely yours. DR KOLMER is, I believe, the leading medicoi technician in the United Stotes He is on ingenuous and most systematic scientific worker, and has exhibited on omount of industry scarcely equaled Hi$ work in connection with Dr Raiziss end myseif during the World War .n establishing methods for the pothologicol testing of 606 on onimols meant a great deal for the cure of diseose and the prevention of suffering m the United Stotes during the period thot we could not obtem the Germon product. He hos done notebie work in the field of immunology ond is one of the leading authorities in the East on this subject He has written several important books end hundreds of scientific articles, and has been one of the most prolific contributors to medicine in this country. He is most worthy of the tribute thot you are paying to him Sincerely yours. Fifteen