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HAMBORS. GERMABI.
University of Hamburg. Allgemeines Krankenhaus Eppendorf.
Physiological Institute.
Professor Otto Kestner and Professor Franz Groebbels.
It was our great misfortune to find Professor Kestner just
recovering from a long illness. Indeed, his first public appearance
following his illness was made at my lecture, so of course he had
no problems in progress. I saw quite a little of his associate,
Dr. Groebbels. He is a pessimistic individual, complaining about
everything and especially about the economic situation in Germany.
I think they had no money to do anything with and they could make
no progress.
Groebbels’ own interest is most intensive with regard to
birds and especially studying their instincts, the flying instinct,
nesting, etc. He had done a good deal of work with the stomach
fistula, studying digestion with the birds. He agreed with me that
the goose is an extremely satisfactory and intelligent animal to
work with. I told him I thought his canary work was all wrong and
referred to our new article which had not then appeared. He maintained
that a humming bird went to 4000 calories per square meter, quiet and
asleep, and 50 per cent higher when the bird was active.
Groebbels was talking continually about his difficulties and
troubles but I did not feel at all impressed by his conversation or
his ideas. I had been told he was a man of considerable means and
hence one should feel that a great deal of credit is due him for
trying to do any scientific work. The other standbys or stalwarts
I saw very little of. For example, Mrs. Rahel Plaut I did not see.
Lecture. On November 10th I gave the "second" lecture at the
Physiological Institute in Hamburg, before an audience of 500.