Presidential Address: The Endocrine Society

Abstract

DOCTOR ROSS, MEMBERS AND GUESTS: Thank you for this splendid plaque and for your overgenerous words. They are among the few, evanescent, albeit cherished, rewards of the Presidency of our Society. In sharp contrast, the punishment for succumbing to the lure of this high office is implacable, demonic, and so severe that it cannot be borne alone: the Presidential address. This year, I have attempted to lessen the shared pain by reverting to an earlier tradition of performing this annual rite in the company of a self-selected portion of the membership, suitably medicated for the occasion. This change in venue dictated the choosing of a topic less ponderous than has been customary in the recent past and, stimulated by the spectacular success of Mr. Haley's “Roots,” I had set out to do a suitably brief biographical sketch of our common ancestor, Professor A. A. Berthold of Gottingen. It took much labor to discover, however, that Professor Berthold's life was no match for his brilliant experiments on cockerels ...