Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/859

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MUNSTERBERG 837 MURDOCH proving too alluring, he resigned his profes- sorship and took up his residence in Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, for the rest of his life, an active life that was to end suddenly in a stroke of apoplexy while lecturing to a class of Radcliffe students, December 16, 1916. Miinsterberg not only directed the work of the Harvard psj'chological laboratory, he gave courses at Harvard and Radcliffe on phil- osophy as well as on psychology. His courses were e.xtremely popular ; he was instrumental in bringing about the erection of Emerson Hall, headquarters of philosophy, housing a fitly appointed psychological laboratory of which he was director. His marked influence on the public life of the United States was exerted through books, essays, articles in sci- entific and educational reviews, in the Atlantic Monthly, and other popular maga- zines, and in the Sunday newspapers. His publications followed one another in swift succession and Miinsterberg became an ac- knowledged educational factor in the coun- try. One of his leading motives was to foster cordial relations between Germany and America. The International Congress of Scholars held at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 was Miinsterberg's idea and he worked out the plans for it, personally visiting scholars in Germany, inviting them to attend. As exchange professor from Harvard to the University of Berlin he promoted friendly relations ; there he lectured on applied psy- chology and idealistic philosophy; founded and directed the "America Institute." a kind of intellectual clearing-house for educational in- stitutions in Germany and America. He re- fused a call from the Prussian government to the University of Konigsberg, to fill the chair of philosophy once held by Immanuel Kant, remaining loyal to Harvard. On his return to Cambridge. Dr. Miinster- berg conducted experiments in applied psy- chology for the purpose of determining how psychology could be applied to industrial life, testing workmen in different trades as to their fitness for their work, by psychological methods. He wrote "Vocation and Learning," and "Psychology and Industrial Efficiency," 1912. At the opening of the world war in 1914 he found himself severed from his country and kinsmen. At once he published an article. "Fair Play," a defense of Germany, and soon a book entitled "The War and America." He remained true to his mission of interpreting Germany to America and continued his work at Harvard with unabated energy. In 1916 he gave his attention to a new field of ap- plied psychology, — the art of the moving pic- tures, and his book, "The Photoplay," ap- peared that year. At the time of his death he had finished one chapter of a book on "Twenty-five Years in America," a book of reminiscences ending with the words : "When shall I see my native land again?" Dr. Miinsterberg was president of the American Psychological Association in 1898 and of the American Philosophical Associa- tion in 1908 ; he was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Boston Authors Club and many sci- entific and social organizations. He had a good command of both spoken and written English and was a prominent factor in Ameri- can educational life. Cyclop, of Amer. Biog. The Press Asso. Com- pilers, N. y^, 1918. Portrait and Bibliography. Murdoch, James Bissett (1830-1896). His father was the Rev. David Murdoch, M. D., who came from Scotland to Canada as a missionary of the London Colonial Mis- sionary Society in 1832, his mother, Elizabeth Bissett, of Glasgow, Scotland, himself being born in Glasgow, October 16, 1830, and brought to America when a child. His boyhood was passed in Bath, Canada, and in Catskill, New York, his early educa- tion received in these places and in Kinder- hook Academy. Some months were spent in Dr. Doane's drug store in Catskill, New York, and later he studied under Dr. William Wej', of Elmira, afterwards going to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, whence he graduated in 1854 and later served as resident physician in Bellevue Hospital. Dr. Murdoch was a member of the Oswego County (New York) Medical Society and its president in 1865. also a member of the New York State Medical Society. A member of the Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Med- ical Society and its president in 1885. and a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, of which he was president in 1888. After serving as resident physician in Belle- vue Hospital, New York, in 1885, he was sur- geon on the steamship North Star, a vessel sailing between New York City and Havre. After a year so spent he practised a year in Oswego, New York, where he remained until 1872. with the exception of the four years from 1861 to 1865, during which he served in the army, being present at the battles of Bull Run, Falmouth, and others. In 1872, Dr. Murdoch moved to Pittsburgh, the scene of