Dr. Melvin S. Hofstad, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Iowa State University, died June 8, 1986, at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, Iowa, of acute leukemia. He was recognized internationally as a major contributor in poultry disease research for 45 years.

Dr. Hofstad was born June 5, 1915, at Starkweather, North Dakota. He attended the University of North Dakota from 1933 to 1935 and Iowa State University, where he received the Doctor ofVeterinary Medicine degree in 1940. At Cornell University he received the Master of Science degree in 1941 and Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1944. Dr. Hofstad served on the faculty of Cornell University and the University of Connecticut from 1944 to 1946. In 1946 he joined the faculty of the Veterinary Medical Research Institute in the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Med­ icine, where he was named Professor in 1955 and Professor in Charge of the Institute in 1971. He retired June 30, 1985.

Dr. Hofstad contributed significantly to understanding of the pathogenesis of in­ fectious bronchitis, development of vaccines and diagnostic methods for infectious bronchitis, development of vaccines and diagnostic methods for Newcastle disease, characterization of Mycop/asma gallisepticum, M. me/eagridis, M. synoviae and other mycoplasmas of poultry, development of diagnostic and control methods for my­ coplasmal diseases of poultry, characterization of bluecomb disease and the bluecomb virus, and initial recognition  and study of turkey coryza. Oearly,  the contributions of M. S. Hofstad have been a significant factor in allowing the poultry industry to become a  major supplier of animal  protein  for the  human  diet all over the world. Without the contributions made by Dr. Hofstad and others, it would not be possible for chickens and turkeys to be reared as they are with the high productivity enjoyed today.

In addition to being recognized by the University as a Clarence Hartley Covault Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Hofstad was a recipient of the Faculty Citation given by the ISU Alumni Association and the Special Service Award given by the American Association of Avian Pathologists. He was the editor of the internationally recognized textbook Diseases of Poultry, published by the Iowa State University Press.

Dr. Hofstad was a member of Phi Zeta, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi, Gamma Sigma Delta, and the Osborn Research Club. He was an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, Poultry Sci­ ence Association, and the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases. He was particularly active in the American Association of Avian Pathologists, being a charter member, and served as President, member of the Editorial Board, editorial committee chair for “Diseases of Poultry,” and member and chair of the Awards Committee; he served two terms on the Board of Directors. Dr. Hofstad served as chair of the Avian Disease Committee of the U.S. Livestock Sanitary Association and as a member of the Turkey Health Committee of the National Turkey Federation. He was an active worker on the NC 116 Technical Committee.

Dr. Hofstad is survived by his wife, Jean, and by two brothers, two sisters, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. He was a member of Bethesda Lutheran Church in Ames.