MEDICAL FELLOWSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 692, 17 December 1909, Page 7

MEDICAL FELLOWSHIPS.

LONDON UNIVERSITY. '';.-' 'SOUTH AFRICAN MAGNATE'S BEQUEST. (By T«lttr»jb.-l'roin Anaaeiatlim -Cutjjrlelit.. ~ :(E«c. December 1G,;8.45'p.m.) ' ' :.,•>, .'■ ■/ London,.December 10. In. connection "with the failure of the University of London to take advantage; of the late■ ;Mr.- Alfred Beit's bequest. to promote medical-research—owing to the promises, of additional- financial support not.; being- sufficient, to carry, out the scheme—Mr. Otto Beit ,'has come to the rescue, with an, ofier. 1 to increase his brother's bequest. This offer the Senate of the. University of London has gratefully accepted.■ '-~ ... ,! , .The offer is 1 to increase the bequest to £215,000 instead of ■ £50,000,'' with a. view to yielding ' annual income .of >C 7500. , The fund will,'b» designated the Boit Memorial :Fund. /'" '.■•'.:./'/'/' ;'.. ' .•'."';' ■: /■Fellowships for medical/research; of the value of £250 per annum, tenablo' for Ithree years, will be granted;' 'Any man or woman of Euro-, liean descent, the graduate of any university within the _ Empire, may bo''elected to a Pellowship.■'•'; .'•:•'.'.■.■:;.'.■.■•.;''■■ •'.;■■.■'.■; ■"■'-., v ■ vA; board;of trustees, including the Principal! of the; University.'-of .London (Dr. H. A. Miers), .will administer the Fund, assisted-by an ad-, visory board of medical men. ! '- ; The first election of Fellows—not. to; include more, than,ten—will,be mado oh : March" 1. . ■/FAILURE OF ORIGINAL'SCHEME. .' In .1302 the University of London projected a scheme .for the establishment of an institute under its .control wheh would relieve the' London hospitals, of preliminary and intermediate spientino teaching. , Apneals were made to the public for pecuniary support, 'and considerable, sums of money were promised, and in many cases paid.'' Among the subscribers was Mr. Alfred Beit, who in his lifetime contributed, or promised £10,000j and by his will made in 'April, 1905,; left the fund a' sum of ' J '.l afo , r '? tsle :'lnstitute- could .be established difficulties aroso which rendered the scheme abortive, and it was abandoned. In the first place, the response of the public to the appeal for support was wholly inadequate. The sum of £130,000 was required for building and equipment alone, but ■ the promises- only amounted-to £71,000. This was in itself fatal, hut the scheme had also become impracticable owing ,to a change, of opinion among the medical faculty, who had, formerly /reported in itsfavour.-: ■■'-"'■;•■:', ■--.■ ..' -...-. The-University, therefore, owing to the fail,,'ure to execute the scheme, returned the nioney to the donors. ;■ Mr. Otto Beit's, additional : munificence has, however, now rendered possible the scheme.of Fellowships outlined in the cablegram;.; ,