McGill Library
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Letter to Mabel Brewster, April 12, 1907
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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 Mabel Brewster from William Osler, 13, Norham Gardens, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. Distressed to hear of her illness. Will see her soon. He is sailing on the Luciana on the 20th. Revere has a tutor during his vacation to improve his Latin. He enjoys cricket. They have had lots of visitors and are beginning to get settled. Invitation to come back with him and Uncle Ned. Mentions that he would like Rockefeller or Carnegie to buy Lord Amherst's library for some American University. Word on his work at the Bodleian. News from Lois Swan. Thanks for her sympathy on his mother's death.
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Cushing's colour code: White (Correspondence)