Evening star., 1938-04-23
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.
Between 80 and 40 are centered mans

Between 30 and 40 are centered mans
years Of creative thinking.
After 40 outstanding original compost
tions drop OF very sharply, according to
a study reported to the American Asso-
citation for the Advancement Of Science
at Indianapolis by DR.. Harvey c. Leh-
man Of Ohio State University. DR.. Leh-
man based his findings chiefly on an
intensive statistical analysis Of the ages
at which the great contributions to medi-
cine and related sciences were made.
The creative age level. however, was
not static thing. Some Of the out
standing discoveries have been made by
men under 80 and over 40, DR.. Lehman
found. 1t is entirely possible, he
stressed. for a man to think creatively
and make useful contributions to knowl-
edge at every age beyond early child
hood. He chose workers in medical SCI
ence as a fair cross sample Of creative
thinkers in general. Before they can
be expected to discover anything Of value
they must have undergone long period
Of training, thus barring the young
prodigy.
But, he stressed. the study does leave
little room for doubt that the creative
ability-certainly in this field and prob
ably in most others calling for high in
tellectual ability and intensive training
does reach its peak some time after 30,
continues for about decade and then
declines. The cards seem to be stacked
against a man much beyond 10 going
far along new paths.
In connection with this study Dr. Leh-
man ascertained the facts about the
statement attributed to the great medi-
cal scientist, Sir William Osler, about 80
years ago. that men over 90 had outlived
their usefulness and should be chloro-
formed. This stirred up q tempest Of
controversy at the time and appears per-
manently to have clouded Osler's men,
ory. Instead Of being immortalized by
his outstanding discoveries in the field Of
medicine he Is remembered only by q
misquotation.
Here, as DR.. Lehman told the story, is
what actually happened Osler had been
professor Of clinical medicine at Johns
Hopkins University for 16 years. Dur
ing that time he had been Americas
foremost figure in medical education.
In 1905 he was appointed professor of
medicine at Oxford. Before leaving for
English he was given a farewell ban
quet by his associates.
In his address at this banquet the
great physician recalled that he had
often bored his friends with his theory
That mans creative abilities were essen
TALLY nil after go. Then he recalled
humorously fantasy in one of Anthony
1roLopes novels concerning q college"
entered by men Of this age to learn to
die, just as they had formerly zone to
school to learn to live. The fantasy
proposed that after q year at this COL
lege spent In meditation the students be
chloroformed. Osler was nearly so him
Whether this suggestion should be
carried out" he said, II am little dubi-
Gus. since my own time Is getting 70
short"
The remark caused a laugh at the
time. as was intended. But It was mis-
quoted by the press As q serious sugges-
tion on the part Of Osler himself. "Curi-
ously enough" DR.. Lehman said, "fate
seems to have decreed that Osler should
De remembered longest by q remark
which he did not make"
Osler has, however, referred, humor-
ously or otherwise, to the "comparative
uselessness Of men over 60 and this was
one OF DR.. Lehman's cues for his present
study.
although" he said. "our data indi-
cate that contributions to medicine have
been made most frequently by men still
in their sos, these data reveal also that
1t u possible for the indisddual to think