Early Reminiscences

Abstract

In preparation for this chapter on the History of the APS an appeal was made in The Physiologist for reminiscences and anecdotes concerning early meetings of the Society. Inadvertently this request was not limited to the last twenty-five years and, as a result, many of the items contributed refer to an earlier period. Since these anecdotes seemed to have some real historical interest, however, it was considered that there was no need to be too particular about the time. Indeed, reminiscences seldom materialize in less than twenty-five years. In this section, therefore, will be found some stories of a very early date. Some of them are certainly trivial but they all provide a certain background and record something of the spirit of the early days when the tempo of life and the size of everything were of a totally different order. It is only regretted that it was not possible to include more of the letters from kind and helpful friends.