OBITUARY

DR. MALCOLM ANDREW BLISS-AN EVALUATION

Death in its inexorable demands upon the span of life has removed from among us our beloved friend Dr. Malcolm Bliss.

For those of us who have had the opportunity of closer association with Dr. Bliss it is difficult to realize that he has gone from us. But perhaps one should not say he is gone, for it is not an appreciation of his life to say that the deeds done by him continue to live and so thereby he continues as our inspiration.

Dr. Bliss was bestowed with honor from many sources, thereby revealing the virtues so genuine and yet so subtly concealed by him. The best way to speak of his virtues is to designate them as pertaining to all of the good things of life. Faults he had, it is true, but unlike many men i t was his virtues that typified him rather than his faults. His person- ality, ubiquitous in its resplendence, lives on and in its spiritual transcendence it will ever be an inspiration to the many individuals having tangible contact with it. His sincerity created an abiding faith; his industry great respect; his loyalty a devotion; his tenacity an inspiration; his honesty and truthfulness a reverence; and his scientific attitude confidence from his associates and friends.

Dr. Bliss descended from rugged English and Scotch ancestry. H e was born in southern Illinois and spent much of his early life in contact with nature, a fact that he often stated to the writer, had given him such impetus in his interest in the greatest creation of nature -human beings.

His earliest professional experience was in the field of dentistry a t a time when scien- tific dentistry was in its infancy. Realizing the broader scope of medicine he did not re- main long in dentistry but was soon found preparing himself for a more comprehensive work, namely psychiatry which early attracted him and in which field he did such out- standing work.

Dr. Bliss came to Missouri after the completion of his professional preparation and most of this period of his life was spent in St. Louis. Space does not permit one to enumer- ate the many projects, movements, activities, etc., with which he was identified. His in- fluence can best be summed up in the statement that no significant movement in the State of Missouri pertaining to the welfare of man took form in the past thirty-five years that did not bear the imprint of his influence and wisdom. I t is not often that one knows an individual who so generally over a period of years remains constantly the moulder of human attitudes as did Dr. Bliss.

I t was the writer’s privilege to take part in the services held for Dr. Bliss by former Governor Caulfield a t Jefferson City about two years ago in appreciation of Dr. Bliss’ service to the State of Missouri as a member of its Eleemosynary Board. H e was just rounding out his three score and ten years, as he sat there quietly (the memorial service was arranged without his knowledge) during the proceedings that memorialized his work, and his retiring manner seemed to enhance the values some of which have been enumer- ated.

It was through Dr. Bliss’ influence that Missouri had the second State Mental Hygiene Society, of which he was the President for many years. H e was closely related in his service to the State of Missouri with the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, of which Clifford W. Beers, Dr. Bliss’ close friend, was the founder.

While Dr. Bliss was an inspiration to youth as well as to old age, to the poor as well

endeared him to one. Many a young physician has carried on to success in projects under- taken as a result of the sympathetic encouragement given him by Dr. Bliss.

as the affluent, i t w a s particularly his attitude toward the struggling young people that

86 T H E AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY

The philosophies of Dr. Bliss were simple as they grew out of his diversified experiences that brought him into such sympathetic relationship with human beings. H e lived by them and he taught others the value of such concepts. They enriched not only his own but the lives of the many with whom he came in contact.

While Dr. Bliss has meant so much to a wide circle of people, i t was really in his home that his influence was so inspiring. His quiet, retiring manner gave him a relationship to his wife, his daughter and his two sons that stimulated a degree of independence in them that permitted of no surrender in their undertakings. The untimely death of his only daughter, after a rather acute illness about ten years ago followed about two years later by the sudden death of Mrs. Bliss, came near wrecking this astute man. But true to his philosophies he soon resumed his tasks and his readjustment became complete. Some of his most outdtanding work was accomplished during this period.

Dr. Bliss died as he had lived, amidst the simple surroundings that his life had made so meaningful and with the satisfaction that was always his from the diversity of his ac- tivities. H e was actively a t work up to the time of his death. I t was his desire that he should pass in this manner and since his life was resplendent with so many deeds of a noble character one should not deny him the fulfillment of his wish even though it saddens one’s heart to be thus separated from him.

WILLIAM NELSON, M.D. (From the Mental Health Observer.)