LITTLE SKETCHES OF BIG PHI BETAS

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DR. WILLIAM CUMMINGS ROSE, Alpha Kappa

R. WILLIAM CUMMINGS ROSE, better known to the freshman class during their sojourn through organic chemistry as "Wild Bill" and on their entry into bio-chemistry as "Bili-Ruben," received his Bachelor Science degree at Davidson College in 1907. While there he was an active member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Upon graduation he was honored by being elected to membership in the Sigma Xi, the honorary scientific research fraternity. After this he spent some five or six months in Germany, doing research work with Prof. Franz Knoop at Freiburg in Breisgau. Returning to America Dr. Rose continued his work in chemistry at Yale, working under and with Dr. Chittenden. In 1911 he was rewarded for his labors by receiving a Doctor of Philosophy degree at that institution. During the years 1911 to 1913 he was instructor of bio-chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1913 he has held the chair of professor of bio-chemistry at the Medical Department of the University of Texas.

Dr. Rose has written and published quite a number of papers. Among them are "Modified Methods for Clinical Estimation of Pepsin," "Mucic Acid and Intermediary Carbohydrate Metabolism," two with Dr. A. E. Taylor of the University of Pennsylvania on the "Physiology of Uric Acid," and eight on "Creatine and Creatinine." He is at present working on "The Physiology of Copper Salts in Marine Animals," and "Protein Metabolism in Growth," also on "Katalytic Reactions."

The members of Alpha Kappa Chapter feel very proud to count him a member of their chapter. Although he does bear down a little hard at times on the "unfortunate” freshmen, he scarcely numbers an enemy among the many he has taught. He gives everyone a square deal and the fellows know that whether they fail or pass they have really gotten all that's coming to them.

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DR. MARK FREDERICK BOYD, Alpha Kappa

R. MARK FREDERICK BOYD received his M.D., the first of his several degrees, in 1911 at the College of Medicine of the University of Iowa, graduating with high honors. During his junior and senior years he held the position of undergraduate assistant in pathology and bacteriology. Upon graduation he was offered the positions of assistant instructor in pathology and bacteriology and later bacteriologist in the laboratory of the Iowa State Board of Health, both of which he accepted and held for a year. He acted as health officer for the city of Oskaloosa, Iowa, for a year. Continuing his work in the Graduate Department of the University of Iowa, Dr. Boyd received his Master of Science degree in medicine in 1913 and was awarded the Charles Fallen Falsow teaching fellowship in hygiene at the Harvard Medical School. After spending a year in the School of Public Health at Harvard University and

Massachusetts Institute of Technology he was awarded a Certificate of Public Health.

Returning to the West he became associate professor of bacteriology and hygiene at the University of Nevada, holding several state positions also. He could not resist the hold his Alma Mater had on him, so in 1915 he accepted the chair of associate professor of preventive medicine and hygiene at the University of Iowa. Harking to the call of the great Southwest Dr. Boyd entered on his duties as professor of bacteriology and preventive medicine at the Medical Department of the University of Texas in 1917, which position he has since held. He is also visiting bacteriologist to the John Sealy Hospital and P. A. Surgeon, Reserve, U. S. Public Health Service.

Dr. Boyd holds membership in a number of societies, among them being the American Medical Association, American Association for Advancement of Science, American Public Health Association, Society of American Bacteriologists, and the International Association of Medical Museums. He has written a number of articles on various phases of public health, bacteriology, and preven tive medicine which have been published in several journals of the above societies. His latest work is on the trichonoma intestinales. An article pertaining to this subject was printed in the March, 1919, issue of the Journal of Parasitology, entitled "Observations upon Trichonomas Intestinalis in Vitro."

Since coming to Texas Dr. Boyd has gained a world of friends. He is always ready to help and always has a good tale to tell when called upon for a talk. Doubtless his greatest work at this school is the raising of a real first class Department of Bacteriology from what was previously known as a diseased condition.

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SECRETARIES' CORNER

LAWSON G. LOWREY

OUR ALUMNI

OR many years the Supreme Secretary has been very much interested in the problem of retaining the interest of the alumnus in his Fraternity. It has always seemed to him a regrettable feature of fraternity life that within a few years following the departure of a man from school, and from a section of his life which must have been of great value and great interest to him, he ceased to show any activity in fraternity matters. To be sure, for the man who lives a long distance from the nearest chapter and perhaps on the other side of the continent from the chapter to which he belonged, such loss of interest is certainly to be expected, but casual meeting with fraternity men all over the country has convinced me of the fact that the distant alumnus is usually really and essentially interested in his old chapter; that he is interested in all of the men he knew well at the time he was in school, and that he is still interested in the conduct of things in the old chapter. Often times many of the dearest memories that such a man has are those that pertain to his former fraternity life. But the situation is quite different when we are dealing with the alumni who live within a short distance of their mother chapter or of some other chapter. It is extremely regrettable that any such group of men should be allowed to lose interest in fraternity matters. Unfortunately, they usually live in cities or near cities and they find many things to take up their time, attention, and energy. Certainly, any successful practitioner has enough to do. Nevertheless, I do feel quite definitely that the active chapter, as a rule, does not take enough interest in its alumni and does not make a strenuous enough effort to get in touch with them, and try to see that the spirit of fraternity is kept up. Certainly, I have found these men very responsive to anything which touched upon the Fraternity. Many of them feel a certain hesitancy in having many dealings with the Fraternity, because of the fact that financial touches are so frequent. If, however, the chapter always tries to give the alumnus something in return for what the alumnus could give to the chapter, I think we would find that the alumni would. retain their enthusiasm for a much longer period than is now the case.

Xi Chapter's plan of scientific meeting is undoubtedly an excellent one. They seem to have worked it out in rather better detail than in the case of any chapter known to me. It is a plan that should be widely copied by the chapters in the larger cities.

Alpha Xi has had such a scheme in operation for four years, with, however, not so much success as attended the Xi Chapter movement.

The scheme is quite simple, but the programs must be good, and the chapter must be sincere in its efforts at putting over the scientific program. Any man who has done anything should be eligible to talk. The programs should be gotten out in advance, and every alumnus who is known to be anywhere in the vicinity.