McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Wilder Penfield Diary, Dec 1974 to Oct 1975
File
1.4 cm of textual records
Born in Spokane, Washington, Wilder Penfield received his B.Litt. from Princeton University in 1913 and was a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford (B.A.1916). He received his M.D. from Johns Hopkins in 1918. Studying under Sir Charles Sherrington at Oxford, Penfield became interested in the brain. From 1921 to 1928 he engaged in research and neurosurgery at the Presbyterian Hospital and served on the Medical Faculty of Columbia University. Appointed to the Medical Faculty of McGill University in 1928, he was Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery from 1934 to 1960. An endowment from the Rockefeller Foundation enabled him to establish the Montreal Neurological Institute (M.N.I.), which opened in 1934. At the M.N.I. Penfield made many innovations in neurosurgery including a surgical treatment for epilepsy. He devoted much of his research to the study of the physiology of the brain, speech memory and sensation. Besides his numerous scientific publications, Penfield wrote two novels and participated in a large number of professional organizations. Dr. Penfield was a member of the Board of Curators of the Osler Library.
The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for December 1974 to October 1975. The front cover is inscribed “W.P. Journal Dec 74 → Oct 1975”. The volume is a previously used notebook as Penfield has crossed out previously used pages from 1933-1943 which contain lists of names and addresses and has written in the book upside down and backwards. The diary documents Penfield’s progress on No Man Alone, including his struggles to complete it and officially sending it to the publisher; offers of engagement including sermons and lectures; his health, including the diagnosis of rare inflammation of the muscles polymyostis; Helen’s health, including her broken hip and memory issues; reminisces on past events; and his concern about making his life useful. Penfield has gone through and corrected his grammar and spelling or has expanded upon his initial thoughts, usually in pencil or pen.