The decision to leave Roosevelt Hospital was approved by Mrs. Stearns, and she continued to be very supportive despite the disappointment over the unpleasant experience we had been through. The search for a new location for the Upjohn Service considered a variety of options ranging from setting up of an independent Institute of Gastroenterology to less ambitious plans. We were committed to placing the unit in an academic setting with excellent teaching facilities. We looked at several hospitals and several medical schools that were interested in our proposal. While going through these negotiations, I received a call from Dr. William J. Grace, director of medicine at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center, who said he had learned I was leaving Roosevelt and would like to invite me to come to St. Vincent's as chief of gastroenterology. He came to see me in my office at 550 Park Avenue. We had a warm and productive session that he initiated by saying, “I’m not interested in the Upjohn money. I have come to see you because I would like you to take over the position of chief of gastroenterology.” When I asked him who held the position, he said he did, and went on to say that he was leaving gastroenterology for cardiology. I liked his approach and asked a number of relevant questions including the arrangement for office space, clinic space, and a research laboratory. He said that startup space would be made available for me and the future would depend upon my success in promoting the unit. We spoke about the university affiliation and he said his own academic appointment was with New York University School of Medicine, with which St. Vincent's had been affiliated for some years. He indicated that a significant appointment at the medical school could be arranged.

I believe that Dr. Louis M. (“Pete”) Rousselot, the dynamic master surgeon who was director of surgery at St. Vincent's Hospital, may have suggested to Dr. Grace that he try to persuade me to come to St. Vincent’s. Pete and I were old friends from Columbia-Presbyterian, where he had trained under Dr. Allen O. Whipple and was regarded as the best surgeon of his many pupils. Dr. Rousselot had, several years before, tried to attract me to St. Vincent's as chief of medicine but I turned him down.