McGill Library
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Letter to Henry Pickering Bowditch, January 8, 1909
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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 Henry Pickering Bowditch from William Osler, 44, Avenue d' Iena, Paris, France. Sends him the Bertholet address at the Academie Francaise. Details of the ceremony. Enjoyed his stay in Paris. He has been working at the Hospitals, took lectures at the Sorbonne, a course by Bergsen on Berckeley and one on Rabelais by Lefranc. Bergsen paid a tribute to William James. Osler has been working on his System and on some other articles. Details of his itinerary, Lyons, Montpellier, Avignon, Nimes, Arles and Italy. Hopes to sail May 1st. Civilities. Mention of Richet who is in Brazil.
Copy or transcription.
Cushing's colour code: White (Correspondence)