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Letter to Arnold Carl Klebs, December 9, 1912
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A major figure in modern medical history, Sir William Osler is well known as a scientific researcher, a great medical pedagogue, a humanist, and an advocate for a patient-centered approach to medicine.
Born in Bond Head, Ontario, in 1849, Osler earned his medical degree at McGill University, and later taught at McGill's Faculty of Medicine from 1874 until 1884. Osler then joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he was appointed Chair of Clinical Medicine before becoming Physician-in-Chief and one of the "Big Four" founders of Johns Hopkins Hospital and medical school in Baltimore – the first school of its kind to train medical students in a modern residency program. Osler finished his career as Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University, where he also devoted time to his passion for book collecting. His library of nearly eight thousand rare and historic works of the history of medicine and science is known as the Bibliotheca Osleriana, documented by a published catalogue of the same title.
Sir William Osler was knighted in 1911 in recognition of his contributions to medical science and teaching. His library of 7600 volumes on the history of medicine and science bequeathed to McGill University forms the nucleus of the present Osler Library of the History of Medicine. His life and contributions to medicine are described in detail in the Pulitzer-Prize winning biography "Life of Sir William Osler" (London: Oxford University Press, 1925) by Harvey Cushing.
Letter to Arnold Carl Klebs from William Osler, 13, Norham Gardens, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. Thanks for the books (Religio Jurisconsulti and Religio Medici, Eleutheropoli, s.d.). He is having the other items bound, so Klebs will not have them for a few weeks. Asks him if he would like the Observations (of Kenelm Digby upon Religio Medici) bound separately. Osler thinks that he should. Interested to hear of Klebs's Linacre finds. Will look up the Gulston, in which books he is always interested in. Moore has never published his Harvey's marginal notes yet. Would like him to ask (B. Reber, collector of and writer on Pharmacy) to send him some of his papers. Mentions the excellent start of the historical section at the RSM. Glad that he is working with Sudhoff. Asks him to stir up the men for historical section of the Congress. Books at the Hoe sale.
Copy or transcription.
Cushing's colour code: White (Correspondence)