werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (04/03/85)
On March 14, when I posted the article on Einstein`s birthday. I added a disclaimer saying his accomplishments did not extend to the field of Medicine despite the name of this site. For some reason, I got several letters asking for the story of the naming. So here it is. It probably doesn't belong in net.physics, but that's where the first article was and that's where it will probably be most appreciated. (Craig Werner @ Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Among the first considerations that engaged the attention of the group was the selection of a name for the school, and that of Albert Einstein was first suggested. The task remained then of getting Professor Einstein's consent and this proved more formidable than anticipated. Through the intercession of Dr. Thomas Bucky, a student of mine of Yale Medical School days, an appointment was arranged for a small group of us to meet with Professor Einstein. On the bitter cold day of January 4th, 1953, this group, consisting of ...... arrived at 102 Mercer Street in Princeton, the home of Dr. Einstein, and were greeted cordially. After the briefest interval and just within what I judged to be the bounds of propriety, I stated the purpose of our visit: to obtain the Professor's consent to the use of his name for this school. He seemed genuinely astonished that we should want to do this and in all modesty reminded me that he was not a physician. He stated that in his opinion this honor should be reserved for one trained in medicine. For this initial refusal, of course, I was prepared, and pointed out that medical sciences and mathematics in these days were no longer very remote and that out new school was anxious to proclaim the dependence of medicine on basic science in the choice of its name. Professor Einstein was not impressed. This forced me to take another tack, and I suggested that his refusal would force us to select the name of Sigmund Freud. "But his will imply that your school is committed to psychoanalysis," suggested Dr. Einstein. "Well then" I replied, "we could name it the Sir William Osler School of Medicine." "But why name an American school for an English physician?" he countered. "In this case we shall call it the Joseph Goldberger School." Dr. Einstein looked troubled. "Who is Joseph Goldberger?" he asked. I tried to keep the triumph out of my voice as I answered, "You know, Professor, no one would ever ask me, "Who is Dr. Einstein?" His eyes twinkled as he said, "All right, you may use my name. But tell me, did you say you were a doctor or a lawyer?" And this is how it came about that the school was named the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Within two weeks, on January 15, 1953, the Board of Trustees of Yeshiva University unanimously confirmed the name. The Naming of the Albert Einstein COllege of Medicine Harry Zimmerman, MD -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner What do you expect? Watermelons are out of season!