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Libraries of Some Twentieth-Century American Bibliophilic Physicians

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Libraries of Some Twentieth-Century American Bibliophilic Physicians NOTICE: This material ma:/-be protected by copyright law (Titie 17 U.S. Code) LIBRARIES OF SOME T'CVEWIETH-CENTURY AMERICAN BIBLIOPHILIC PHYSICIANS1 ROGRESS in the medical sciences is Harvard Medical School by Dr. John dependent, more than is generally Warren, a member of its faculty from P realized, upon past knowledge. The 1901 until his death in 1928. The vol- experience gained thereby has been ac- umes cover a span of several centuries, cumulating through the centuries, and ranging from 1476 through 1928. much of it has been preserved in private The first John Warren (1753-181 5) of medical libraries. These libraries, for the this group was appointed professor of most part, are eventually deeded to pub- anatomy and surgery in the new medical lic and university collections, and in this school at Harvard in 1782. A few of his way many important contributions are books have survived, and it is interesting made available to the general fund of to note that several of these volumes con- knowledge. The medical world, therefore, tain also the ownership inscriptions of is indebted to physicians who collect four succeeding Warrens. Important vol- books. Medical librarians, especially, are umes include Thomas Bartholin's Ana- grateful to bibliophilic physicians who tomia refmmata (1658), Pha~macopoeia spenda considerable number of years and collegii regalis Londini (1677), Christo- not inconsiderable funds in quest of sig- pher Plantin's Vivae imagines partium nificant books, to the enrichment of li- cmporis humani (1579), William Sal- brary collections. In this paper we shall mon's APSclzirurgica, William Smellie's describe some of the outstanding Ameri- Treatise on the Theory and Practice of can medical collections and their collec- Midwifery (1766), and John Morgan's tors. Discourse %@onthe Institudim of Medical Schools in America (1765). The second Warren, Dr. John Collins Among the several historical collec- Warren (177&1856), the surgeon who, in tions at the Harvard Medical School Li- 1846, demonstrated the practicability of brary there is one of special interest be- ether anesthesia, added considerably to cause it represents the results of careful the library. He collected many volumes selection of books and panlphlets on sci- written by the older medical men as well entific and medical subjects by five gen- as those written by contemporaries. erations of physicians. The collection, Among the interesting volumes he ac- numbering -about two thowand books quired were Bernhard Siegfried Al- and pamphlets, was bequeathed to the binus' De sceleto humarto (1762), Charles This paper, in slightly different fonn, appears in Bell's Artatmy of the Brain (1802), an unpublished Fcstsctijt presented to Nathan van Thomas Elyot's The Castle of Health Patten, former librarian of Stanford University. (1541), Albrecht von Haller's Primae 'Anna C. Holt, "The Warren Library of the &ward Medical School," Hamrd' University lineae p31ysio2ogiae (175 I), lTIrilliam Har- Libtory Nofes, IV (March, 1942)) 89-94. vey's De motu cordis . (1639)) John 22 THE LIBRARY Hunter's Naturat History of the Human brary of the College of Physicians of Teeth (1771), Ambroise Pare's Opera Philadelphia, and that of his old prepar- chirurgiGa (1582), Andreas Vesalius' De atory school, Trinity College. To many human; corpmis fabua (1543), and others he made important gifts. While in Thomas Willis' Opera omnia (1681). Baltimore at Johns Hopkins University Dr. Jonathan Mason Warren (1811- Medical School, he was a member of the 67), a grandson of Dr. John Warren, con- library committee of the Medical and tinued to augment the collection. One of Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. He re- the interesting historical volumes he juvenated the library and saw it grow to added was Gasparo Tagliacozzi's De car- fifteen thousand volumes before his de- tmmchirurgia per insitionem (1597). parture for England in 1905. As regius J. Collins Warren (1842-1927), the professor of medicine at the University of grandson of the first John Collins War- Oxford, his first official duty was to act ren, continued to add to the library. The as curator, ex officio, of the Bodleian collection now reflects the great progress Library, a task, we may assume, from made in surgery through the advent of which he derived much pleasure. ether anesthesia and the development of. Macalister has written a delightful antiseptic and aseptic methods. This Dr. fantasy on a mythical Osler Library, and Warren added many r~oreimportant it contains some startling observations historical volumes. and sound suggestions for librarian^.^ Sir The last of the family to add to the li- William Osler bequeathed the greater brary was John Warren (1874-1928), part of his library to the medical faculty who, like his great-great-grandfather, of McGill University, Montreal; it num- taught anatomy at Harvard Medical bers almost 7,600 bound volumes. In ad- School. His books reflect not only an in- dition, Osler had collected two other terest in recent medical problems but a groups of books. One of these, a modern profound historical interest as well. He collection of medical monographs, he left added nine medical incunabula and many to the Johns Hopkins Hospital; the other treasures, including Gasparo Assel- other, an important collection on English li's De lactibus (1627), with the famous literature, was deposited with the Tudor plates of the lacteals printed for the first and Stuart Club founded at Johns Hop- time in color; William Hunter's Anato- kins University in memory of Osler's son, mia uteri hmani gravidi . (1774); Edward Revere (1896-1917), who was to and Joannes de Ketham's Fascuulus have inherited these volumes. meduinae (15 13). As Osler developed his library, he con- ceived of its possible educational value THE OSLER LIBRARY and its literary and historic interest. He Medical bibliophiles have a patron therefore classified the library in broad saint, Sir William Osler (1849-1919); who general terms and grouped the books in still exists through memories, books, and the following divisions: (1) Bibliotheca Really an epitome, chronolooi- contributions to knowledge. He retained prima: in P his interest in books and libraries cal order, of the evolution of science, m- throughout his life and contributed finan- J. Y. W. hlacalister, "The Osler Library," in cial and moral support to several li- Contributions to Medical and Biological Research Dedicded to Sir William Osler, Bart., im Honour oj braries, notably that of McGill Universi- His Seventieth Birthduy, July 12, 1919 (New York: ty, the Army Medical Library, the li- Paul B. Hoeber, 1919), pp. 111-21. LIBRARIES OF BIBLIOPHILIC PHYSICIANS cluding medicine, as illustrated by the ters. After 1906 he settled in Omaha and important contributions; (2) Biblwtheca continued his practice until 1929, when secunda: The works of men who have for reasons of health he moved to Los made notable contributions or whose Angeles. works have some special interest; (3) Bi- Dr. Crummer gathered together a fine bliotlzeca literaria: The literary works collection of sourcebooks in medical his- written by and about medical men; tory, including medical incunabula and (4) BibIiotheca historica; (5) Bibliotheca manuscripts. In 1929 he presented a biographica; (6) Bibliotheca bibliographi- large part of this collection to the Univer- ca; (7) Incunabula; (8) Manuscripts. sity of Michigan, and after his death in It was Osler's expressed desire that a 1934, Mrs. Crummer sent many more catalog of his library be printed. Dr. items to Michigan. Other institutions to W. W. Francis, librarian of the Osler Li- which he made significant gifts included brary, R. H. Ki, of the Bodleian Li- the University of Nebraska! the Univer- brary, and Dr. Archibald Malloch, former sity of California, the British Museum, librarian of the New York Academy of the Grolier Club, the John Crerar Li- Medicine, at Lady Osler's suggestion car- brary, the Academy of Medicine (Rich- ried out his wishes in an admirable mond), the Royal College of Physicians manner. (London), the College of Physicians (Philadelphia), the Pierpont Morgan MEDICAL OF THE LIBRARY Library (New York), the Army Medical DR. LE ROY CRUMMER~ Library (Washington, D.C.), and the Dr. Le Roy Crummer (1872-1934), Wellcome Museum of Tropical Medicine who built up a noteworthy private li- and Hygiene (London). brary and gave the books he acquired to asso- the libraries with which he became THE MEDICAL BOOKS OF ciated, spent the larger part of his active DR. HARVEY CUSHING years in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended the University of Michigan, where he was Yale University has one of the foremost graduated with the degree of Bachelor of medical libraries in the country, and the Science in 1893. His training in medicine Historical Library of its School of Medi- was obtained from Northwestern Univer- cine is built around the collections of sity Medical School, from which he was three bibliophilic physicians: Drs. Har- graduated in 1896, and the following vey Cushing, Arnold C. Klebs, and John year he began the practice of medicine in F. Fulton. The responsibility for bringing Omaha with his father. Until 1906 Dr. together the three collections at Yale lay Crummer interrupted his practice by initially with Dr. Cushing, who willed his many trips to Europe, where he studied own library to Yale, persuaded Dr. and observed at the leading medical cen- Klebs to leave his collection of twenty- two thousand items there, and hoped Sir William Osler, Bart., Bibliofheca Osleriana: A Catalogfce of Books Illrrslrating the History of from the beginning that Dr. Fulton's Medicine and'Science, Collected, Arranged, and Anrro- books would reach the same destination. wed by Sir JVilliam Osla, Bt., and Beqrrsathcd to Cushing, moreover, was responsible for McCill Universijy (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1929). A. G. Beaman, A Doctor's Odyssey: A Sen& 6 A Ca!alog.ue: Marncscripts and .Medical Books me?Jal Recard of Le Roy Crummer: Physic&, Printed before lW,.In the Library of Le Roy Cm Atrlhm, Bibliopl~ile, Arlkt in Living, 1872-1934 mer, Omlia, Nebarka (Omaha: [Privately printed], (Baltimore : Johns Hopkins Press, 1935).
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