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Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 59.1 (2004) 156-158



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Jeremiah A. Barondess and Charles G. Roland, eds. The Persisting Osler III: Selected Transactions of the American Osler Society, 1991 - 2000. Melbourne, Florida, Krieger Publishing, 2002. xi, 279 pp., illus. $49.50 (cloth).

Upon encountering the opening dedication, "To those who value the timeless precepts exemplified by the life and work of William Osler," a reader of this latest volume from the American Osler Society might be tempted to ask "what did Osler exemplify and for whom are these examples useful?" While no thematic compilation of articles can respond to such questions in full, the authors represented in this collection provide insightful perspective on the matter.

The first section on "personalia" includes essays that explore the person of William Osler through topics ranging from psychoanalysis of his dreams to his self-professed bibliomania and his representation in the pages of the New York Times. Osler, the man, is also explored through his relationships with a mentor, a colleague, a friend, and a patient. The allure of these accounts extends beyond mere Oslerism, because they describe relationships with individuals who are often themselves interesting historical figures.

The second section, "Writings," explores the reception and context of several influential pieces penned by Osler. One author examines the impact [End Page 156] of Osler's opus magnum, Principles and Practice of Medicine, on Rockefeller's advisor, Fredrick T. Gates. Another author reflects on Osler's racy pranks on the medical profession through his publication of cases on "penis captivus" and "vaginismus" under the identity of his alter ego, Egerton Y. Davis. Yet another author and expert analyst of modern medical professionalism describes Osler's thoughts on this topic a century before the present-day debates.

"Clinical matters" are the subject of the compilation's third section. Here, Osler's role in the discovery of polycythemia vera (Osler-Vasquez Disease) and in the treatment of narcotic addicts in the first opioid epidemic are explored alongside a piece on microscopy and another on Osler's tripartite role as teacher, researcher, and clinician. Of note, these are the only essays that focuson Osler's clinical work. Though they represent the sine qua non of what Osler is remembered for, they also underscore what is conveyed in the balanced selection of essays on other aspects of his life. Though Osler himself famously declared "work" to be the "master word" of life, it seems to be the life, rather than the work, that provides the best guideposts for those who seek value in the study of Osler today. Friendship, mentorship, collegiality, and joviality alongside serious dedication to patient care, hard work, and professionalism are the "timeless precepts" revealed in this anthology.

The fourth section on "societies" renders some clues about those who have found Osler's life worthy of such study in the past century. Selections cover such topics as a scholarly but convivial farewell roast for Osler at the New York Charaka Club in 1905; the early years, values, and backdrop for the Osler Club of London in the 1930s; the formation of the present-day American Osler Society in the early 1970s; and the Japanese Osler Society in the early 1980s.

The final section seems intended to show that members of these societies have historical interests that extend beyond the life and times of William Osler. Essays in this section—aptly named "varia"—describe events, objects, and people well before and well after Osler's time, from the first American medical journal (1797-1824), Benjamin Franklin, and mesmerism to the American eugenics movement, and the hospital ship SSWilliam Osler, which put to sea in 1943.

Having read this volume and having attended a meeting of the American Osler Society in the past year, I might rephrase my original question and ask "why have physicians dedicated so much effort to the study of William Osler and why should anyone else pay attention?" Physicians have a particular reverence for the history of...

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