The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-08
SCIENCE MOVES INTO NEW HOME
Eli Lilly and Company to Dedicate Research Laboratories
BY Upton BLISH
Times StaR Writer

Iii Lily O. ~
The new buildings, of brick and
Indiana limestone, we're designed
by Robert Frost Daggett, Indian
apolis architect, to occupy the en-
tire block opposite the general Of
fees Of the company, Alabama and
McCarty streets.
The main laboratory, facing
South Alabama street, is 220 feet
long and has three stories and a
basement. The animal building,
where all animals used in expert
mentation will be housed in air.
conditioned quarters, is a separate
unit attached to the main edifice
and rises four stories above
ground.
The most striking feature OF the
imposing facade is provided by
the carvings f1anking the main
entrance. Designed by Henry
Herring. noted American sculptor,
these are of symbolic figures of
Hygeia, Greek goddess of health,
and Aesculapius, legendary father
of medicine.
Besides the massive stainless
steel doors are carved reminders
of the ancient origin of the work
to which the building is dedicated
the symbols of ancient alchem-
lists who studied the stars to de-
termine their influence on the
metals and chemicals of the earth,
and who devoted their lives to
vain attempts to wrest gold from
base substances.
Except for these sculptured
tributes to the almost prehistoric
pioneers of chemical and medical
research, the building is as mod
ern as the present day arts and
sciences of architecture and engi-
neering can make it. The entrance
hall and the corridors, which ex-
tend the full length of the build
ing, are wainscorted in travertine
and the floors are covered with a
noiSelesS rubber composition.
A reception hall, seminar room
and administrative Offices are on
the first floor as are number Of
laboratories equipped with the
latest facilities for Investigations
in biochemical research.
Directly inside the main en-
trance is a large bronze plaque
bearing the legend: Erected in
honor of Josiah Kirby Lilly whose
conviction that advancement in
pharmacy and medicine must de-
pend on we'll directed research,
made possible the erection of this
building"
The second floor houses the Of
fees and laboratories of the Or
ganic research staff, an amphi-
theater for demonstrations of va
rious phases of progress in re-
search, dark rooms, chill rooms
and laboratories with small scale
production facilities.
Also on this floor are labora-
tories for pharmacologic research
where technical apparatus of
strange design bewilders and ex-
cites the curiosity of the casual
lay observer.
7 LABORATORIES for biological
IL research are on the third
floor, where also is the library
housing what is said to be one Of
the finest privately owned re-
search collections in existence to-
day. Stained glass windows as
sure soft light in this beautifully
decorated reading room.
The walls are of panelled oak
and bas-relief designs adorn the
arched ceiling. Adjoining the
library are small private rooms
where investigators may study,
sure of quiet and free from inter-
ruption
The difficult problem presented
in any research building by extra
ordinary plumbing requirements
is solved here by double walled
corridors. two feet wide, between
laboratory walls.
These corridors conceal the
pipes conducting gas, air. water
and steam and carrying off fumes
and sewage.
These laboratories will be I'M
der the direction of DR.. G. H. A.
Cloves. a native of England, who
has been associated with the Lilly
company since 1910. He heads
staff of more than seventy-five
chemists. pharmacists, pharma-
cologists. psychologists and
others trained for Investigations
in the entire field of medicine.
Forty of this number devote their
time exclusively to research prob
lens.
Officials of Eli Lilly and Com
pany have pointed out that medi-
cine, in becoming an integral
part Of the social structure, has
become in turn dependent on all
phases Of that structure and espe-
cially on industrial development
and research.
The most epoch-making dis
coveries in the field Of medicine
must depend on the cooperative
efforts of a large group of tech
nical and scientific experts if
theoretical discoveries are to be
turned to practical account and
made available to mankind, they
say. Such developmental research
must be accomplished as quickly
as possible and this best can be
done where a large trained staff
and the most modern equipment
such as the Lilly company pro-
vides are available, it is explained.
The Lilly company has been
one OF the most important indus
tries in Indianapolis since Colonel
Eli Lilly opened his first manu-
featuring laboratory in 1876 on
the Pearl street site of the present
L. S. Ayres and Company build
ing.
A S a memorial to his father.
~ J. K. Lilly. present board
chairman, has erected an exact
replica of the original laboratory
at the foot of Alabama street,
opposite the new buildings and