Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-12
A LOVING CUP GIVEN
Presented to DR.. R0bt. Fletcher
at Banquet
HELD IN HIS HONOR
Many Distinguished Physicians and
Others Were Present.
MANY TRIBUTES TO HIS WORK
Speeches Made by Drs Osler, Billings,
Keen and Thayer-Dr. Yarrow
Happy Toastmaster.
MANY TRIBUTES TO HIS WORK

The banquet given in honor of DR.. Rob-
ert Fletcher associate librarian OF the IL
brary in the office of the surgeon general
of the army by his friends of the medical
fraternity of the city last evening at
Rauscher's was one of the most brilliant
affairs of it's kind of the season. 1t was
a tribute Of love and affection by his
friends Of the medical fraternity to one
who has grown gray in the service of the
medical profession and who has done so
much for 1t in conjunction with his work
in the library. Some of the most distn-
guished physicians of the country last ev-
ening crowded around the banquet board
to pay homage to this stalwart man of
medicine who has contributed to the medi-
cal world such works as the Index Medicus
and several other great efforts equally well
known.
The Speeches.
After DIR. Fletcher had returned his
thanks came the speeches of DR.. William
Osler of Oxford University, Oxford, Eng
land, who paid loyal tribute to the guest
of honor's work for the benefit of the men
of the medical profession. DR.. Harry
Creey Yarrow was the postmaster of the
occasion, and proved one whose remarks of
introduction of the speakers were always in
a pleasing vein. After the guests had par
taken of the elaborate menu DR.. Yarrow
arose and stated that the guests had come
to pay honor to one of the foremost men
in the work of the compilation of the rec
ords of the profession, to one who stood
high and who was loved by all. DR.. ,Yarrow
concluded: You all know him; there is no
need for me to introduce DR.. Fletcher"
When DR.. Fletcher arose to reply he was
greeted with applause, which did not SUBJ
side for several moments. He said: Il
scarcely know how to thank you for this
gathering to show me honor, but want to
return my thanks for the tribute you have
paid me tonight. To all who have come out
tonight ! want to return my most sincere
thanks. 1t is tribute to my modest work
to the medical literature which l have la
bored so long to finish" DR.. Fletcher then
spoke at length upon the origin of the work
in 1878, when the chances for the pubIica-
ton of his work did not seem so bright as
1t afterward appeared. and said that the
library was the first of it's kind in the world
DR.. Yarrow announced that one of DR..
Fletcher's most intimate friends, DIR, s.
Weir Mitchell of Philadelphia, had written
a letter to be read at the banquet. he
was unable to be present. He asked DR..
Samuel s. Adams to read the message In
the letter DR.. Mitchell spoke of the great
service DR.. Fletcher had rendered to the
works which he had compiled and closed
with the statement, May I ask you to as
sure DR.. Fletcher of my regret at not being
able to be in attendance?"
DR.. Billings Remarks
DIR. J. S. Billings, U. S. a., OF New York,
told of the early work in the Office of the
surgeon general of the army when Dr.
Fletcher took up the work of compiling the
index medicus and the other works, and
told of the difficulties encountered when the
members of Congress were approached upon
the subject of appropriating money for the
work Of building up the library and for
other purposes. including the compiling of
the index.
DR.. w. s. Thayer of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity of Baltimore then read poem OF
his own composition which congratulated
DR.. Fletcher upon the esteem in which he
was held by his fellows of the medical fra
ternity of the country. DR.. Thayer succeeded
DIR. William Osler at the university, and
his response was listened to with much In
terest by those present. DR.. w. d. McCaw,
u. s. A, responded to the toast, what the
medical STAFF of the army has done for
medical literature" The address was broad
and paid high tribute to the work as per-
formed by DR.. Fletcher. DIR. McCaw said
that when he spoke of the subject 1t was
of one which he loved He said. 1.-THE
great library from the beginning to the
present time has been success, and this
is due to great extent to the work that
has been performed by our guest or honor
this evening" DR.. McCaw then told OF the
history of the library from the beginning
until the present time and concluded with