McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Letter to Arnold Carl Klebs, November 25, 1914
Item
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. Deplores that it seems impossible for both of them to interpret in the same way the causes that have led up to war. His opinion is that Grey's position was unanswerable, and he is glad that America is strongly with England in this view. Adds that Germany for years has been preparing to smash England. It is no good discussing matters. It has to be fought out to the bitter end. Details about the transformation of the Schools into hospital. Tells him to report to his German friends, that the worst wounded were German, such nice fellows. Word about the 15 Belgian professors. Denys is working on a big tuberculosis research.
Copy or transcription.
Cushing's colour code: White (Correspondence)