Dean of Cornell University Medical College
In the death of Walter Lindsay Niles on December 22, 1941, Cornell University Medical College lost not only one of her most distinguished graduates but also one of her most loyal friends and wise counsellors.
Dr. Niles was born on January 2, 1878 on one of the farms of the community known as “Niles Settlement” founded in 1808 in the town of Lebanon, N. Y. by his great, great grandfather Nathum Niles and his sons, and there both his father, Isaac Newton Niles and his mother, Harriet Lois Lindsay, were also born.
His paternal ancestor in America was John Niles who arrived from England on the ship Speedwell and settled in Dorcester, Massachusetts in 1634. His maternal ancestor came to this country from Scotland in 1645. Dr. Niles was of the ninth generation descended from John Niles. This then is the foundation upon which his character was built.
No wonder he possessed great courage, common sense to a high degree, a perfectly educated will and honesty of purpose. Virtue and genius were in his blood.
In his early boyhood he attended the district school in Lebanon. He graduated from the High School at Norwich, N. Y. in 1896 and in the autumn of that year entered the School of Civil Engineering, Cornell University, with the aid of a scholarship won in competitive examination. With the death of his father in 1898, Dr. Niles decided not to complete his engineering course but to enter the school of medicine.
During his school-boy days, Walter Niles commanded the respect and affection of his companions and even his elders in the community recognized in him the leader and representative of his age group on any matter affecting policy. As an undergraduate in Cornell he rowed on the freshman crew squad and sang on the glee club. He was the chairman of a committee which published the “Songs of Cornell” and was a member of his senior banquet committee. He was a member of Sphinx Head, a senior honorary society, and of the Savage Club.
After his graduation from medical school in 1902 he served two years as a member of the intern staff of Bellevue Hospital. One of the attending physicians on the medical service at this time was the then Professor of Medicine at Cornell, Dr. W. Gilman Thompson, and it was he who persuaded Dr. Niles, after he had finished his internship in 1904, to remain in New York to take up the practice of medicine. From the day this decision was made down to the time of his death, he devoted himself to every phase of medical care and served humanity with great distinction to himself and to his profession.
Very shortly after the completion of his internship, Dr. Niles was appointed to the attending staff of Bellevue Hospital as adjunct assistant attending physician. Later he became a consulting physician to this institution. He was also consulting physician to the Memorial Hospital, the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and the Southampton, Nassau and Jamaica Hospitals. He was attending physician to the New York Hospital.
For nearly forty years Dr. Niles was identified with the teaching staff of Cornell University Medical College and for more than half of this time he was a professor of clinical medicine. He possessed both the art and the power of teaching and a rare gift for kindling enthusiasm among his pupils by whom he was universally beloved and respected.
Dr. Niles’ great capacity for organization led to his appointment as Acting Dean of the Medical College on the retirement of Dr. William M. Polk in 1918. In 1919 he became Dean, an office he held until 1928. Indeed, due to the illness of Dr. William S. Ladd, he was again Acting Dean at the time of his death.
Dr. Niles played an important role in bringing about the close relationship which exists between The Society of the New York Hospital and the Cornell University Medical College, and he was a member of the Joint Administrative Board of this association.
In 1908 Dr. Niles was elected a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. During his more than thirty years of Fellowship he served on the following committees of the Academy:—Admissions, Public Health Relations, Medical Education, Problems of Medical Practice, Professional Standards, Fund raising, and finally he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of this Board. He declined an invitation to become President of The New York Academy of Medicine because other duties to which he was already pledged would not give him sufficient time to do this office full justice.
Dr. Niles was a member of numerous scientific societies and organizations among which were: The Association of American Physicians, the American Climatological and Clinical Association, the Harvey Society, and the Practitioners Society. His clubs were: The Links, Century Association, Cornell, National Golf Links, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Meadow Club (Southampton), Piping Rock, and Deepdale.
In the very early days of the first World War Dr. Niles received a telegram from Dr. Theodore Janeway offering him a commission as major in the United States Army Service Medical Corps. He was persuaded, against his own wishes, that he could best serve his country by retaining his teaching post in the medical school. Once he was convinced of this he made the sacrifice cheerfully.
Dr. Niles was as successful in private practice as he was in every other phase of medicine with which he was identified. People liked him and he liked people. One man was heard to give the following reason for his success in the practice of medicine: “People felt safe in his hands.” That statement is substantial evidence that his good judgment and wisdom were associated with high character, objective, straight thinking and complete honesty, blended with kindliness, gentleness, patience and tolerance. One of the reasons why he did so many things well was that he possessed the rare quality of being able to do one thing at a time to the exclusion of all else. When he played, and he loved to play, he concentrated on play. When he worked, all his thought was centered on the single problem in hand.
On May 20th, 1908, he married Louise Vezin, daughter of Charles Vezin and Adah Delamater. There were four children of this marriage, John Lindsay Niles, Charles Lindsay Niles, Harriet Lindsay Niles, now Mrs. Edward A. Hurd, Jr., and Nelson Robinson Niles. The latter two children and his wife survive him.
Schiller said: “Genuine morality is preserved only in the school of adversity.” There was plenty of adversity in Walter Niles’ life and in every instance when he was compelled to face ill fortune, he did so with a decision and nobility that was characteristic of him. He refused to be crushed. He carried on with a fine sense of his obligation to the world. Whatever concerned humanity, concerned him. He refused to permit Fate to destroy him until she did a complete job of it. He loved life but only a life capable of doing things. His death came with the suddenness he would have wished and it came at the very zenith of his career.
In the death of Walter Lindsay Niles on December 22, 1941, Cornell University Medical College lost not only one of her most distinguished graduates but also one of her most loyal friends and wise counsellors.
Dr. Niles was born on January 2, 1878 on one of the farms of the community known as “Niles Settlement” founded in 1808 in the town of Lebanon, N. Y. by his great, great grandfather Nathum Niles and his sons, and there both his father, Isaac Newton Niles and his mother, Harriet Lois Lindsay, were also born.
His paternal ancestor in America was John Niles who arrived from England on the ship Speedwell and settled in Dorcester, Massachusetts in 1634. His maternal ancestor came to this country from Scotland in 1645. Dr. Niles was of the ninth generation descended from John Niles. This then is the foundation upon which his character was built.
No wonder he possessed great courage, common sense to a high degree, a perfectly educated will and honesty of purpose. Virtue and genius were in his blood.
In his early boyhood he attended the district school in Lebanon. He graduated from the High School at Norwich, N. Y. in 1896 and in the autumn of that year entered the School of Civil Engineering, Cornell University, with the aid of a scholarship won in competitive examination. With the death of his father in 1898, Dr. Niles decided not to complete his engineering course but to enter the school of medicine.
During his school-boy days, Walter Niles commanded the respect and affection of his companions and even his elders in the community recognized in him the leader and representative of his age group on any matter affecting policy. As an undergraduate in Cornell he rowed on the freshman crew squad and sang on the glee club. He was the chairman of a committee which published the “Songs of Cornell” and was a member of his senior banquet committee. He was a member of Sphinx Head, a senior honorary society, and of the Savage Club.
After his graduation from medical school in 1902 he served two years as a member of the intern staff of Bellevue Hospital. One of the attending physicians on the medical service at this time was the then Professor of Medicine at Cornell, Dr. W. Gilman Thompson, and it was he who persuaded Dr. Niles, after he had finished his internship in 1904, to remain in New York to take up the practice of medicine. From the day this decision was made down to the time of his death, he devoted himself to every phase of medical care and served humanity with great distinction to himself and to his profession.
Very shortly after the completion of his internship, Dr. Niles was appointed to the attending staff of Bellevue Hospital as adjunct assistant attending physician. Later he became a consulting physician to this institution. He was also consulting physician to the Memorial Hospital, the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and the Southampton, Nassau and Jamaica Hospitals. He was attending physician to the New York Hospital.
For nearly forty years Dr. Niles was identified with the teaching staff of Cornell University Medical College and for more than half of this time he was a professor of clinical medicine. He possessed both the art and the power of teaching and a rare gift for kindling enthusiasm among his pupils by whom he was universally beloved and respected.
Dr. Niles’ great capacity for organization led to his appointment as Acting Dean of the Medical College on the retirement of Dr. William M. Polk in 1918. In 1919 he became Dean, an office he held until 1928. Indeed, due to the illness of Dr. William S. Ladd, he was again Acting Dean at the time of his death.
Dr. Niles played an important role in bringing about the close relationship which exists between The Society of the New York Hospital and the Cornell University Medical College, and he was a member of the Joint Administrative Board of this association.
In 1908 Dr. Niles was elected a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. During his more than thirty years of Fellowship he served on the following committees of the Academy:—Admissions, Public Health Relations, Medical Education, Problems of Medical Practice, Professional Standards, Fund raising, and finally he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of this Board. He declined an invitation to become President of The New York Academy of Medicine because other duties to which he was already pledged would not give him sufficient time to do this office full justice.
Dr. Niles was a member of numerous scientific societies and organizations among which were: The Association of American Physicians, the American Climatological and Clinical Association, the Harvey Society, and the Practitioners Society. His clubs were: The Links, Century Association, Cornell, National Golf Links, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Meadow Club (Southampton), Piping Rock, and Deepdale.
In the very early days of the first World War Dr. Niles received a telegram from Dr. Theodore Janeway offering him a commission as major in the United States Army Service Medical Corps. He was persuaded, against his own wishes, that he could best serve his country by retaining his teaching post in the medical school. Once he was convinced of this he made the sacrifice cheerfully.
Dr. Niles was as successful in private practice as he was in every other phase of medicine with which he was identified. People liked him and he liked people. One man was heard to give the following reason for his success in the practice of medicine: “People felt safe in his hands.” That statement is substantial evidence that his good judgment and wisdom were associated with high character, objective, straight thinking and complete honesty, blended with kindliness, gentleness, patience and tolerance. One of the reasons why he did so many things well was that he possessed the rare quality of being able to do one thing at a time to the exclusion of all else. When he played, and he loved to play, he concentrated on play. When he worked, all his thought was centered on the single problem in hand.
On May 20th, 1908, he married Louise Vezin, daughter of Charles Vezin and Adah Delamater. There were four children of this marriage, John Lindsay Niles, Charles Lindsay Niles, Harriet Lindsay Niles, now Mrs. Edward A. Hurd, Jr., and Nelson Robinson Niles. The latter two children and his wife survive him.
Schiller said: “Genuine morality is preserved only in the school of adversity.” There was plenty of adversity in Walter Niles’ life and in every instance when he was compelled to face ill fortune, he did so with a decision and nobility that was characteristic of him. He refused to be crushed. He carried on with a fine sense of his obligation to the world. Whatever concerned humanity, concerned him. He refused to permit Fate to destroy him until she did a complete job of it. He loved life but only a life capable of doing things. His death came with the suddenness he would have wished and it came at the very zenith of his career.
Dean of Cornell University Medical College
In the death of Walter Lindsay Niles on December 22, 1941, Cornell University Medical College lost not only one of her most distinguished graduates but also one of her most loyal friends and wise counsellors.
Dr. Niles was born on January 2, 1878 on one of the farms of the community known as “Niles Settlement” founded in 1808 in the town of Lebanon, N. Y. by his great, great grandfather Nathum Niles and his sons, and there both his father, Isaac Newton Niles and his mother, Harriet Lois Lindsay, were also born.
His paternal ancestor in America was John Niles who arrived from England on the ship Speedwell and settled in Dorcester, Massachusetts in 1634. His maternal ancestor came to this country from Scotland in 1645. Dr. Niles was of the ninth generation descended from John Niles. This then is the foundation upon which his character was built.
No wonder he possessed great courage, common sense to a high degree, a perfectly educated will and honesty of purpose. Virtue and genius were in his blood.
In his early boyhood he attended the district school in Lebanon. He graduated from the High School at Norwich, N. Y. in 1896 and in the autumn of that year entered the School of Civil Engineering, Cornell University, with the aid of a scholarship won in competitive examination. With the death of his father in 1898, Dr. Niles decided not to complete his engineering course but to enter the school of medicine.
During his school-boy days, Walter Niles commanded the respect and affection of his companions and even his elders in the community recognized in him the leader and representative of his age group on any matter affecting policy. As an undergraduate in Cornell he rowed on the freshman crew squad and sang on the glee club. He was the chairman of a committee which published the “Songs of Cornell” and was a member of his senior banquet committee. He was a member of Sphinx Head, a senior honorary society, and of the Savage Club.
After his graduation from medical school in 1902 he served two years as a member of the intern staff of Bellevue Hospital. One of the attending physicians on the medical service at this time was the then Professor of Medicine at Cornell, Dr. W. Gilman Thompson, and it was he who persuaded Dr. Niles, after he had finished his internship in 1904, to remain in New York to take up the practice of medicine. From the day this decision was made down to the time of his death, he devoted himself to every phase of medical care and served humanity with great distinction to himself and to his profession.
Very shortly after the completion of his internship, Dr. Niles was appointed to the attending staff of Bellevue Hospital as adjunct assistant attending physician. Later he became a consulting physician to this institution. He was also consulting physician to the Memorial Hospital, the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and the Southampton, Nassau and Jamaica Hospitals. He was attending physician to the New York Hospital.
For nearly forty years Dr. Niles was identified with the teaching staff of Cornell University Medical College and for more than half of this time he was a professor of clinical medicine. He possessed both the art and the power of teaching and a rare gift for kindling enthusiasm among his pupils by whom he was universally beloved and respected.
Dr. Niles’ great capacity for organization led to his appointment as Acting Dean of the Medical College on the retirement of Dr. William M. Polk in 1918. In 1919 he became Dean, an office he held until 1928. Indeed, due to the illness of Dr. William S. Ladd, he was again Acting Dean at the time of his death.
Dr. Niles played an important role in bringing about the close relationship which exists between The Society of the New York Hospital and the Cornell University Medical College, and he was a member of the Joint Administrative Board of this association.
In 1908 Dr. Niles was elected a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. During his more than thirty years of Fellowship he served on the following committees of the Academy:—Admissions, Public Health Relations, Medical Education, Problems of Medical Practice, Professional Standards, Fund raising, and finally he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of this Board. He declined an invitation to become President of The New York Academy of Medicine because other duties to which he was already pledged would not give him sufficient time to do this office full justice.
Dr. Niles was a member of numerous scientific societies and organizations among which were: The Association of American Physicians, the American Climatological and Clinical Association, the Harvey Society, and the Practitioners Society. His clubs were: The Links, Century Association, Cornell, National Golf Links, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Meadow Club (Southampton), Piping Rock, and Deepdale.
In the very early days of the first World War Dr. Niles received a telegram from Dr. Theodore Janeway offering him a commission as major in the United States Army Service Medical Corps. He was persuaded, against his own wishes, that he could best serve his country by retaining his teaching post in the medical school. Once he was convinced of this he made the sacrifice cheerfully.
Dr. Niles was as successful in private practice as he was in every other phase of medicine with which he was identified. People liked him and he liked people. One man was heard to give the following reason for his success in the practice of medicine: “People felt safe in his hands.” That statement is substantial evidence that his good judgment and wisdom were associated with high character, objective, straight thinking and complete honesty, blended with kindliness, gentleness, patience and tolerance. One of the reasons why he did so many things well was that he possessed the rare quality of being able to do one thing at a time to the exclusion of all else. When he played, and he loved to play, he concentrated on play. When he worked, all his thought was centered on the single problem in hand.
On May 20th, 1908, he married Louise Vezin, daughter of Charles Vezin and Adah Delamater. There were four children of this marriage, John Lindsay Niles, Charles Lindsay Niles, Harriet Lindsay Niles, now Mrs. Edward A. Hurd, Jr., and Nelson Robinson Niles. The latter two children and his wife survive him.
Schiller said: “Genuine morality is preserved only in the school of adversity.” There was plenty of adversity in Walter Niles’ life and in every instance when he was compelled to face ill fortune, he did so with a decision and nobility that was characteristic of him. He refused to be crushed. He carried on with a fine sense of his obligation to the world. Whatever concerned humanity, concerned him. He refused to permit Fate to destroy him until she did a complete job of it. He loved life but only a life capable of doing things. His death came with the suddenness he would have wished and it came at the very zenith of his career.
In the death of Walter Lindsay Niles on December 22, 1941, Cornell University Medical College lost not only one of her most distinguished graduates but also one of her most loyal friends and wise counsellors.
Dr. Niles was born on January 2, 1878 on one of the farms of the community known as “Niles Settlement” founded in 1808 in the town of Lebanon, N. Y. by his great, great grandfather Nathum Niles and his sons, and there both his father, Isaac Newton Niles and his mother, Harriet Lois Lindsay, were also born.
His paternal ancestor in America was John Niles who arrived from England on the ship Speedwell and settled in Dorcester, Massachusetts in 1634. His maternal ancestor came to this country from Scotland in 1645. Dr. Niles was of the ninth generation descended from John Niles. This then is the foundation upon which his character was built.
No wonder he possessed great courage, common sense to a high degree, a perfectly educated will and honesty of purpose. Virtue and genius were in his blood.
In his early boyhood he attended the district school in Lebanon. He graduated from the High School at Norwich, N. Y. in 1896 and in the autumn of that year entered the School of Civil Engineering, Cornell University, with the aid of a scholarship won in competitive examination. With the death of his father in 1898, Dr. Niles decided not to complete his engineering course but to enter the school of medicine.
During his school-boy days, Walter Niles commanded the respect and affection of his companions and even his elders in the community recognized in him the leader and representative of his age group on any matter affecting policy. As an undergraduate in Cornell he rowed on the freshman crew squad and sang on the glee club. He was the chairman of a committee which published the “Songs of Cornell” and was a member of his senior banquet committee. He was a member of Sphinx Head, a senior honorary society, and of the Savage Club.
After his graduation from medical school in 1902 he served two years as a member of the intern staff of Bellevue Hospital. One of the attending physicians on the medical service at this time was the then Professor of Medicine at Cornell, Dr. W. Gilman Thompson, and it was he who persuaded Dr. Niles, after he had finished his internship in 1904, to remain in New York to take up the practice of medicine. From the day this decision was made down to the time of his death, he devoted himself to every phase of medical care and served humanity with great distinction to himself and to his profession.
Very shortly after the completion of his internship, Dr. Niles was appointed to the attending staff of Bellevue Hospital as adjunct assistant attending physician. Later he became a consulting physician to this institution. He was also consulting physician to the Memorial Hospital, the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and the Southampton, Nassau and Jamaica Hospitals. He was attending physician to the New York Hospital.
For nearly forty years Dr. Niles was identified with the teaching staff of Cornell University Medical College and for more than half of this time he was a professor of clinical medicine. He possessed both the art and the power of teaching and a rare gift for kindling enthusiasm among his pupils by whom he was universally beloved and respected.
Dr. Niles’ great capacity for organization led to his appointment as Acting Dean of the Medical College on the retirement of Dr. William M. Polk in 1918. In 1919 he became Dean, an office he held until 1928. Indeed, due to the illness of Dr. William S. Ladd, he was again Acting Dean at the time of his death.
Dr. Niles played an important role in bringing about the close relationship which exists between The Society of the New York Hospital and the Cornell University Medical College, and he was a member of the Joint Administrative Board of this association.
In 1908 Dr. Niles was elected a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. During his more than thirty years of Fellowship he served on the following committees of the Academy:—Admissions, Public Health Relations, Medical Education, Problems of Medical Practice, Professional Standards, Fund raising, and finally he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of this Board. He declined an invitation to become President of The New York Academy of Medicine because other duties to which he was already pledged would not give him sufficient time to do this office full justice.
Dr. Niles was a member of numerous scientific societies and organizations among which were: The Association of American Physicians, the American Climatological and Clinical Association, the Harvey Society, and the Practitioners Society. His clubs were: The Links, Century Association, Cornell, National Golf Links, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Meadow Club (Southampton), Piping Rock, and Deepdale.
In the very early days of the first World War Dr. Niles received a telegram from Dr. Theodore Janeway offering him a commission as major in the United States Army Service Medical Corps. He was persuaded, against his own wishes, that he could best serve his country by retaining his teaching post in the medical school. Once he was convinced of this he made the sacrifice cheerfully.
Dr. Niles was as successful in private practice as he was in every other phase of medicine with which he was identified. People liked him and he liked people. One man was heard to give the following reason for his success in the practice of medicine: “People felt safe in his hands.” That statement is substantial evidence that his good judgment and wisdom were associated with high character, objective, straight thinking and complete honesty, blended with kindliness, gentleness, patience and tolerance. One of the reasons why he did so many things well was that he possessed the rare quality of being able to do one thing at a time to the exclusion of all else. When he played, and he loved to play, he concentrated on play. When he worked, all his thought was centered on the single problem in hand.
On May 20th, 1908, he married Louise Vezin, daughter of Charles Vezin and Adah Delamater. There were four children of this marriage, John Lindsay Niles, Charles Lindsay Niles, Harriet Lindsay Niles, now Mrs. Edward A. Hurd, Jr., and Nelson Robinson Niles. The latter two children and his wife survive him.
Schiller said: “Genuine morality is preserved only in the school of adversity.” There was plenty of adversity in Walter Niles’ life and in every instance when he was compelled to face ill fortune, he did so with a decision and nobility that was characteristic of him. He refused to be crushed. He carried on with a fine sense of his obligation to the world. Whatever concerned humanity, concerned him. He refused to permit Fate to destroy him until she did a complete job of it. He loved life but only a life capable of doing things. His death came with the suddenness he would have wished and it came at the very zenith of his career.
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