On November 15 the Zverina Room was officially unveiled and dedicated. About sixty persons were on hand for the event, which featured the 22nd annual Zverina lecture, a reception in the Zverina Room adjacent to the Dittrick Museum galleries, and a ribbon cutting by members of the Zverina family.

It seemed only fitting to mark the occasion of dedicating the Zverina Room by having it coincide with this year's lecture. Therefore, the event began with the presentation of our annual Zverina lecture, given this year by John Eyler, Professor of the History of Medicine, University of Minnesota. Professor Eyler was introduced by Alan Rocke, acting chair of the CWRU History Department and a fellow alum of the University of Wisconson's distinguished program in the history of science. Rocke noted that Professor Eyler is a leading authority on the history of epidemiology and public health, nineteenth-century theories of disease, and is currently studying influenza research in the twentieth century. Appropriately, Eyler's lecture, "Hollow Victory: The Great Influenza Vaccine Trial of 1943," explored the challenges and frustrations experienced during the conduct of clinical trials of influenza vaccine. In it he noted that adherence to a bacterial model when dealing with a viral agent loomed as a chief stumbling block to the development of an effective vaccine. Ironically, recent anthrax bio-terrorism imparted to his talk a new immediacy and stimulated a broader interest in how we deal with epidemic diseases.

Following Professor Eyler's fascinating talk, and a short question and answer session, we adjourned from the Herrick Room and proceeded en masse to the Zverina Room on the third floor. There an excellent reception was in place, with ample hors d'oeuvres and drinks. After a suitable period of sociability, I welcomed everyone and took the opportunity to express our gratitude to the Zverina family for their generosity and on-going support of the Dittrick. Then Frances Rose Zverina and her mother, Mrs. Robert M. Zverina, cut a red ribbon to officially "open" the room. On hand also were Louis Fenzel and Gretchen Gaede of Gaede Serne Architects, who played such an important role in the renovation. I also thanked our talented (and on-time!) contractor, Matt Miozzi, and CWRU craftspeople extraordinaire, Tim and Wanda Logsdon.

Since the dedication we have hosted the monthly TGIF party of the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the History Department holiday party. In addition, we will be hosting our own events there as well as classes and seminars making use of the Dittrick collections. For example, in the Spring semester, Jonathan Sadwosky plans to use it for his seminar, "The body in history." This, we hope and trust, will be just the first of many instances in which the undergraduates of CWRU will find their way to the Dittrick, and make it a part of their learning experience.

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