Library Newsletter

~ OSLER LIBRARY NEWSLETTER

McGill University, Montreal, Canada No.57 - February 1988

Finding Osler's Letters will, we trust, be conveyed by this prelimi- The lead article of this issue of the News- in the Osler Library: A Preliminary nary report. Report and Some Discoveries An important percentage of Osler's in- letter is by Dr. Faith Wallis, History of eir Mitchell, Sir William coming correspondence is preserved inside Medicine Librarian, and Mr. Blake Gop- Osler's long-time associ- the books which make up his library. He used nik, a history student at McGill Univer- ate and colleague, once his library as a sort of classified filing cabinet, sity who, over the past two summers, wrote, "My own opinion inserting letters that he felt were worth keep- has been working on the Osler Letters about letters is that se- ing into an appropriate or memorable place Inventory Project. Mr. Gopnik's work lected letters tell you very in one of his books. The practice was conti- on this project was made possible by a little about the character nued by W. W. Francis, with the result that grant from the Canadian government's of the person, but if you Osler's books came to be heavily annotated "Challenge" programme for student had all the letters and all the notes and more- with his personal memoribilia. The letters, Summer employment. over all the checks a person ever wrote, you when not loose, are usually found glued to might then have an opinion.,,1 Were that in- the end-papers or fly-leaves, but occasionally deed so, few people's lives could be more they are bound in next to, or tipped into the bal impression of the extent and quality of thoroughly reconstructed and studied than relevant page of the text. Sometimes the let- our Osler correspondence, we decided to Osler's. After reading his morning mail and ter is from the author of the book itself, some- abandon this procedure in favour of a much scanning the daily harvest of journals, Osler times about the author or the work, and briefer, telegraphic summary. To compensate might write a dozen or more notes and post- sometimes simply on the same general topic. for this restriction, we have noted the literary cards to members of his family or to other Responses to inquiries after information or genre of each item of correspondence (e.g. in- medical men.2 Cushing remarks upon "this bibliographical references, and notes from vitation, query, sale offer, etc.) and indicated habit of impulsive note-writing: for when- booksellers, also find their way between the the general character of the contents (e.g. ever occasion offered, a card always conveni- covers of the Bibliothecabooks. medical, historical-medical, financial, editor- ent to hand was scribbled and posted.,,3 The The first phase of our project involved lo- ial, bibliographical, etc.). Although a piece of postcard was a favourite medium; with the cating and briefly cataloguing every letter correspondence logically "belongs" to its re- passage of time, and as the pressures of work currently attached to a Bibliotheca Osleriana cipient, we have filed the worksheets by mounted and his circle of acquaintances book. Only true correspondence was in- author and date, since the recipient of the grew, the postcard became virtually his only cluded in this inventory: correspondence to overwhelming majority of the letters covered style of correspondence.4 Nonetheless, he oc- other people (e.g. W. W. Francis), inscrip- by this project is Sir William Osler himself. casionally found time for longer letters. tions, calling cards and Sir William's casual To date, all the books in the Bibliothecasave These were usually undated and casually jottings are not recorded. When an item of those of folio and elephantine size have been punctuated, but often incisive and astringent, correspondence was found, it was recorded combed for letters. 9672 volumes have been and sometimes touchingly revealing. A bout on a specially designed worksheet with its lo- inspected, and 1054 letters found, totalling of bronchitis or a cold was a welcome pretext cation and reference number within the Li- 2412 manuscript pages. However, quite for this sort of activity.5 brary. The call number of the "host" book is apart from the remaining Bibliotheca books, Cushing's running titles - "Countless fly- given, together with the book's author, title, there are still many more places in the Osler ing missives", "A shower of postcards" - bear and publication data, and the exact location Library where we will find Osler's letters. In witness to the enormous role that corre- of the letter within the volume. Much atten- the course of cataloguing the Bibliotheca spondence, and his correspondents, played tion was devoted to the state of the item. Is it books over the years, we have removed let- in Osler's life. It is therefore rather curious an original letter or a copy? handwritten or ters and other papers not pasted or bound that no inventory of Osler's letters has ever typed? if it is a copy, is it a transcription or a into the volumes and transferred them to a been attempted. Many individual letter col- mechanical copy (carbon or photostat)? special accession in the archives division of lections have been published or noticed,6 but What form of correspondence is it (letter, the Osler Library, where they are stored in we have no clear picture of the extent, scope, postcard, telegram...)? Finally, what is the acid-free boxes and envelopes in Bibliotheca location, or character of the correspondence physical size of the letter and how many Osleriananumber order. Another major repo- as a whole. Amazingly, not even all the letters pages does it contain? The names of author sitory of Osler's incoming letters is the so- to and from Osler in the Osler Library have and recipient are recorded, both in the form called "Osler Papers", Osler Library archives been identified and listed. As the Library ser- in which they apprear on the letter (e.g. "Wil- accession 326. For the most part, these papers ves as a major clearing-house of information lie") and in their full, established form ("Wil- stem from Osler's Oxford years, and were about Sir William Osler, this defect makes our liam Willoughby Francis"); this is followed probably picked up by Francis from 13 Nor- reference services much less effective than by the addresses of both parties and by the ham Gardens. Some work has been done on date. might be wished. In view of this, a project individual sections of the "Osler papers" such was launched in the summers of 1986 and The "Contents" rubric on our worksheet is as the book bills? but most of this collection 1987 to locate and briefly describe every the general heading for information concern- is accessible only through a preliminary list- piece of correspondence to and from Sir Wil- ing the subject matter of the correspondence. ing of the major file headings and groups of liam Osler in the Osler Library. Some notion At the outset of the project, we attempted to correspondence (e.g., letters concerning an- of the difficulties and complexities of this give a fairly detailed description of each item, gina research, or telegram books); the indi- task, as well as of its surprises and rewards, but in the light of our need to gain some glo- vidual letters remain to be catalogued.

The initial letter on this page is from The Handbook of Mediaeval Alphabets and Devices by Henry Shaw and is reproduced from Alexander Nesbitt (ed.), Decorative Alphabets and Initials (New York: Dover, 1959). Many of the letters addressed to Osler ant influence upon his thought of the prag- spondence. Osler owned a copy of Whar- probably finished up in his waste-paper bas- matism of William James, the eminent psy- ton's 1908 novel on euthanasia, TheFruit of ket, for he had a reputation for casually toss- chologist, educator and philosopher of theTree(Bibl.Os/. 5578A); apparently he pur- ing out papers that were no longer of religion.8 William James' brother was Henry chased this book on his own, from Foyle's in immediate import, with little concern for James. Edelstein points out that Osler came London. The second of the two Wharton posterity. This contrasts sharply with the into personal contact with the James family, books in the Bibliothecais no. 617, Artemis to devotion with which the recipients of his and cared for William and his daughter in Acteon and Other Verse(New York: Scribner's, postcards and notes guarded his writings. their illnesses. He does not mention, how- 1909); this is a presentation copy from Whar- Many of his correspondents, or their heirs ever, that Osler also helped Henry James ton to Osler, dated, significantly, March 1910. and families, have presented us with letters through a very serious nervous breakdown Osler included this book in the Bibliothecafor from his hand. These can take the form of a in 1910. This omission is the more remark- the sake of one of its poems, "Vesalius in fairly extensive series of correspondence able in that Edelstein reproduced two letters Zante", a work with which, as we shall see, (such as the group of letters from Osler to from William James to Osler, found in he was already familiar. Glued to the back George Dock recently donated to the Library Osler's copies of James' Pragmatism (Bibl. fly-leaves are two letters from Wharton to by Dr Edgar Mauer of Los Angeles), or a Os/. 3074),and SomeProblemsof Philosophy Osler, which we transcribe here. single card. Occasionally the letters have (Bibl. OS/. 3075J which refer to the novelist's been gathered into elegantly bound scrap- "melancholia" . March 7th 1910, Paris books, like Aubrey T. Mussen's album of Osler's intervention in James' case has CherishedLettersfrom Sir William Osler. More- been discussed, however, in some recent bio- Dear Professor Osler, over, Osler's letters, in varying numbers, graphies of James, notably in Leon Edel's en- My friend Mr Henry James is very ill, and may be found embedded in the personal cyclopedic account.lO Henry James fell ill he promised me some weeks ago that if his papers of other individuals (e.g. Maude Ab- early in 1909, apparently of heart trouble. He illness were prolonged, and if in any materi- bott or Edward Archibald) housed in the Li- appealed for help to his brother William, al way I could be of service to him, he would brary. who wrote to Osler; Osler arranged a refer- let me know when the moment arrived. A very special case is presented by the ral to Sir James Mackenzie, a renowned car- I have just had a letter from his nephew Cushing papers, and in particular by the re- diac specialist of the day. By January 1910, Henry James Jr, who tells me that Mr. James search files assembled for TheLife of Sir Wil- however, Henry James' condition had seri- has just had another bad relapse, and that liam Osler. The organization of these files ously deteriorated. He suffered from gout they are now hoping, rather against hope, to mirrors the strict chronological arrangement and anorexia, the latter apparently due in build him up sufficiently to get him up to of the biography, and they harbour, besides part to his obsession with "Fletcherism", or London to see you. Mr. James himself wrote notes and extracts from printed sources, a excessive mastication of his food. It was very me last week that he had a great wish to see considerable number of letters. Most of these plain that his trouble was not simply organic, you, and I wrote back at once, begging him are typed transcriptions prepared by Cush- and his friends became very concerned. to ask you to come down to Rye as soon as ing's secretary from the originals loaned by One of the people closest to James was you could do so. - In reply to this letter of Lady Osler or others. Cushing worked from Edith Wharton, then living in Paris. Know- mine, young Harry James has just written, these transcriptions, and the excisions he ing James' financial difficulties - his latest telling me of his uncle's last relapse, and of performed to abbreviate the letter for quota- literary ventures had not been successful, their hope to get him up to London - explain- tion are marked in his neat, diminutive and this probably contributed to his depress- ing that it would not do to ask you to come handwriting and jet-black ink. However, the ion - she made him a discreet offer of finan- down to him because "it would be pretty for- papers also contain original correspondence cial aid to offset medical expenses. James midible to Uncle Henry, who would be bo- which family and acquaintances gave to gently refused, but promised to contact her if thered by a sense of hospitable Cushing. These include, for example, holo- he was in grave need. In March of 1910,Osler responsibilities which he couldn't dis- graph letters from Father W. A. Johnson, was contacted by Harry James, William's son charge." Osler's revered teacher at Trinity College and Henry's nephew, who was living with Mr. James and I are old friends, & have School. his uncle at the time. On the 14th of that talked together about his financial situation, How many Osler letters are there in the month Osler examined Henry James in per- and I think the "bother" of having you come Osler Library? Basing an estimate upon the son in London. The diagnosis was nervous to Rye may be complicated for him by the 1054 found thus far in the BibliothecaOsleria- breakdown, and Osler's prescription mas- fear of the expense. na books, together with an impressionistic sage and exercise. Therefore it seems to me that the moment sounding of the loose Bibliotheca inserts, the The quality of the relationship between has come when I may act upon his promise "Osler Papers", the Cushing archive and the Henry James and Edith Wharton, one of the to let me be of service to him, and relieve him numerous other archival accessions con- most intriguing literary friendships of mod- of the material "bother" connected with your nected with Osler, his friends and his family, ern times, is nowhere more clearly mani- visit. It seems to me - as far as I can judge at we think it not unlikely that we may find as fested that in Wharton's solicitude for James this distance - that it would be of infinite ad- many as 8,000, and perhaps more. Each of during his breakdown. She was in constant vantage to him to see you as soon as possible, these will be listed in the final product of the communication with James, sending flowers and without the preliminary risk and fatigue Osler Letters Inventory Project: a printed and letters almost every day, and even com- of the journey to London; & so I write to ask catalogue, organized, in all likelihood, by ing over from Paris for personal visits. She if you can arrange to go down either to Ash- date, but with author, recipient, and subject dropped by Lamb House, James' residence ford or to Folkestone, on the pretext of a con- indexes. in Rye, Sussex, in late March of 1910 to find sultation, and then run over to Rye, letting The value of such an inventory for re- him much improved by what he described as Mr. James think that you had taken him in, searchers is evident, and we ourselves have "a thorough and cheering examination in as it were, incidentally. already been delighted and surprised by London by Sir William Osler."n Her offer of I have written Harry James that I intended some of our discoveries. One of the more in- funds has been noted, but what has hitherto to propose this to you, and that I wish to bear triguing finds thus. far is a missing piece in escaped the notice of critics who have stu- the expense of your visit to Mr James. I have the story of the relationship between Osler, died the Wharton-James friendship is that enjoined him not to tell his uncle anything of the American novelist Henry James, and Edith Wharton took the initiative of contact- the proposed arrangement, but simply James' fellow-novelist and long-time friend, ing Sir William Osler herself and soliciting (should you consent) to let him learn from Edith Wharton, as it developed in the course his involvement in James' case.12 you that, on a given day, you will be in his of James' illness in the spring of 1910. It is not known whether Osler and Edith neighbourhood, and will come over to see In 1946, Ludwig Edelstein published a Wharton ever met, but Osler certainly knew him. study of Sir William Osler's philosophy and appreciated the novelist's work before I have ventured to act rather authoritative- which signalled for the first time the import- the events of 1910 brought them into corre- ly, as you see, because Mr. James has no one

2 near him but his young nephew, who might here are, we feel, a pledge of further dis- naturally hesitate to take the initiative in such coveries to be made amongst Osler's corre- a case - & because I feel from Mr. James's let- spondence in the Osler Library - discoveries ters to me, that he is profoundly discouraged, which will not only add nuance and detail to and needs to have, as soon as possible, the our knowledge of Osler's life and his circle, mental stimulus which a visit from you but which may make some valuable con- would give him. tributions to the history of medicine or of lit- erature in general. We may not have Believe me, dear Professor Osler, anything close to "all the letters and all the Sincerely yours, notes and moreover all the checks"that Osler Edith Wharton. ever wrote or received, but the projected in- ventory will certainly enable us the better to [P.S.] Harry James has probably told you "have an opinion" about the man. how worried his uncle is at the thought of having to put off his play at the Repertory Faith Wallis Theatre. This troubles him more than any- Blake Gopnik thing.13 Notes What Osler replied to Edith Wharton is not 1. Quoted in Harvey Cushing, The Life of known, but its tenor may be inferred from Sir William Osler (Oxford: Clarendon Press, her answer of March 11, also included in the 1925): vol. 2, p. 729. Library's copy of Artemis to Acteon. 2. ibid., p. 400. 3. ibid., p. 487. March 11 [1910] 4. ibid., pp. 392-3, 1181. 5. ibid., pp. 727,800,816. Dear Dr. Osler, 6. Some of the more important examples It is kind of you to write me as you have, include Howard L. Holley, A continual Re- Dr. Harold Segall (left) and Dr. Charles Roland at Dr. for I sent my letter with some embarrass- membrance. Lettersfrom Sir William Oslertohis Segall's 90th birthday celebration, October 24,1987. ment, which I overcame only because no ob- Friend Ned Milburn. (Springfield, Ill., Charles stacle counts as against my wish to be of C Thomas, 1968); Earl F. Nation and John P. some use to Mr. James. McGovern, Student and Chief. The Osler- Dr. Harold Segall Celebrates I am glad indeed to hear that it is possible Camac Correspondence.(Pasadena, Castle 90th Birthday to move him to London, & that the move may Press, 1980); and most recently Leonard Wei- On October 24, 1987, a special celebration have been made already; and I needn't say strop, The Life and Letters of Dr Henry Vining was held at the the newly-renovated Wind- how grateful I should be if you could spare Ogden, 1857-1931. (Milwaukee, Milwaukee sor Hotel in Montreal to mark the 90th birth- the time to let me know the result of your Academy of Medicine Press, 1986). Others day of Dr. Harold N. Segall, cardiologist, visit. may be found through the index to Earl F. teacher, and medical historian. An im- Your allusion to Vesalius gave me great Nation, Charles G. Roland and John P.McGo- pressive gathering of family members, col- pleasure, for it was a proud moment of my vern, An Annotated Checklist of Osleriana. leagues and friends were joined by life when the Librarian of Johns Hopkins (Kent, Ohio, Kent State University Press, representatives of the Osler Library. includ- wrote me, last year, that you had instructed 1976) under the heading "Letters". ing Dr. E. H. Bensley, Honorary Osler libra- him to unearth a copy of my verses for the li- 7. Ellen B. Wells, "Books for the Bibliotheca: rian, Dr. Faith Wallis, History of Medicine brary! A Study of Sir William Osler's Book Bills." Librarian, and several members of the li- They have now been put into a little vol- Osler Library Newsletter, no. 26 (October brary's Board of Curators. It was a particular ume, which I am sending you only because it 1977). privilege for us all to participate in this splen- contains that poem, & not with the base de- 8. "William Osler's Philosophy." Bulletin of did birthday party, for the Osler Library sign of making you read the rest! -- theHistory ofMedicine,20 (1946): 270-293. counts Dr. Segall amongst its most treasured Please don't take the trouble to acknow- 9. ibid., pp. 292-293. friends. Dr. Segall's personal generosity and ledge this small offering - and accept my 10. Henry James:TheMaster,1901-1916. attentiveness, as well as his wide circle of con- thanks for the address on Servetus of which (London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1972): 438-439, tacts, have made important contributions to you announce the approach. 443-445. the growth of our collections; thanks to him, I am probably going t6 London on March 11.Quoted in R.W.B.Lewis,Edith Wharton: we have received everything from early edi- 17th for a few days - chieflyto see Mr.James a Biography.(New York: Harper and Row, tions of Harvey through obscure reprints to - & it would be a great pleasure if I could see 1975): 283. rare, original Osler letters. He has served on you too. 12. This involvement is not noted in any of our Board of Curators for a number of years, the biographies of Wharton or James, nor and contributed to the OslerLibrary Newslet- Sincerely yours does itfigure in MillicentBell'sEdith Wharton ter. His own archives - a uniquely compre- Edith Wharton. and Henry James:The StoryofTheirFriendship. hensive record of seventy years of medical (New York: George Braziller, 1965). study, research and practice - are now de- It would seem, then, that Osler wrote to as- 13. The play in questiqn was The Outcry, posited in the Osler Library, where they will sure Wharton that her offer would not be and the difficulties of casting and producing serve as a primary resource for a forthcoming necessary; that he simultaneously took the it culminated in May 1912,when the death of biography of Dr. Segall by Dr. Charles Ro- opportunity to compliment her literary work, King Edward VII closed the theatres for the land, Hannah Professor of the History of Me- and to promise her a copy of his forthcoming period of mourning and funeral, and dealt a dicine at McMaster University, and a fellow Michael Servetus,14 is a reflection not only of death blow to Charles Frohmann's im- member of the Library's Board of Curators. his tact, but of the interpenetra tion of literary perilled repertory company; see Edel, op. cit., Harold Segall received his M.D.eM. de- interests and medical practice in his life. 385-6,440,446. gree from McGill in 1920, and in the follow- Edith Wharton was plainly charmed and re- 14. Michael Servetus was published in book ing year was appointed demonstrator in assured by Osler's response, as the relaxed form in London and Baltimore in 1909; how- Pathology and Assistant Curator of the and almost informal tone of her second letter ever, as it was still early in 1910, it is possible Medical Museum, then under the direction of indicates. that the bound copies were not yet available Dr. Maude Abbott. Association with Dr. Ab- The Edith Wharton letters transcribed in bookstores. bott not only laid the foundations of Dr. Se-

3 gall's interests in cardiology, medical history and teaching, but also introduced him to the Donations to the Osler Library in Honour writings of Sir William Osler; it was from Dr. of Dr. Segall's 90th Birthday: Abbott that he received the book that was to Anne Lazarus transform him into a confirmed Oslerian, Franklin Arbuckle Bob & Rosemarie Asch Lester Lazarus Aequanimitas and Other Addresses. Following Meera Ashtakala Mr. & Mrs. Charles L. Lazarus postgraduate study in the United States and Beverly Avadenka J. Leavitt Europe, Dr. Segall returned to Montreal in Beverly Baserman Gilles Leduc 1926 to join the staff of the Montreal General RE. Beamish Harry Lehman Hospital and of the Faculty of Medicine at Ellaine Benjamin Mr. & Mrs.Wilfred Leith McGill. He also joined the fledgling Osler So- Judy & Michael Benjamin Nathan Letovsky ciety at McGill; he has remained ever after a Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Benjamin Dr. & Mrs. Robert Levine loyal supporter of this group, and has twice E.H. Bensley Irving & Rona Levitt been elected Honorary President. When Deborah Black Fay Liverman Zlata Blazina Osler's library arrived at McGill in 1929, Dr. John Low-Beer Sadie Brown M.C Macgillivray Segall lost no time in seeking out Dr. W. W. Minnie L. Budovitch Donald G. Mackay Francis, and in cementing a relationship John H. Burgess Dr. & Mrs. Lloyd D. MacLean which has endured and deepened to the Margaret M. Byrne Harry Magder present day. Lucien Campeau John O. Mcarthur Meanwhile, Harold Segall was building a Trudy Caplan John Mccans reputation as the busiest and most innova- Melvin M. Chorney Maurice McGregor tive cardiologist in Montreal. Over his 55 A.M. Christie Kurt R Miller years of active practice, he pioneered many Sandra Climan Ruth Miller Goodman Cohen S. Miller important medical enterprises. Four cardio- Mitzi Muenz logy clinics owe their foundation to him, as Judge Maxwell Cohen Samuel S. Cohen David Naylor does the Montreal Cardiac Society, from Charles Colle Gregory M.A. Neiman which emerged the Canadian Cardiovascu- Lois Colle Nestor Securities Inc. lar Society and the Canadian Heart Founda- Shirley Colle CJ.F. Parsons (in memoriam) tion. Dr. Segall brought the first ECG JAC Colvil G.R Paterson machine to Montreal, and developed an im- Mrs. Douglas R Cooper N. Proctor portant system for the notation of heart RF.P. Cronin Peter N. Quinlan sounds. Amidst all these activities, he yet Anita David Adina Rappaport found time not only to support the Osler Li- Paul David Debbie Ullman Rappaport David Shaw & Associates Ltd. brary, but to make use of it for his own medi- Margaret & Irving Rappaport David Travers Photography Inc. Dr. & Mrs. James J. Reardon cal-historical researches. These have mainly David Davis Charles Roland concentrated on cardiology. His study of the Jessie Davis Marjorie Barton Rooney Russian surgeon N. C. Korotkoff, who first Archie Deskin Harold J. Rosen described a method for taking blood press- N. Dewer H.D. Rosenberg ure readings using an inflatable cuff, have at- Jennie Diner Jeannie Rosenberg tracted much attention, and he is working at Anthony R Dobell G. Ross present on a history of cardiology in Canada. A. Donovan Nathan Ross When, at that fateful farewell address in Dr. & Mrs. Philip Eibel Ruby, Stein, & Wagner Baltimore in 1905, William Osler invoked the Martin Eidinger Anita Rudberg Charlotte Ferencz notion of the "fixed period" and argued in fa- Judge Melvin Salmon Marilyn Fransiszyn Yvette Salomon vour of chloroforming "useless" scientists Pauline Freedman Mr. & Mrs. Schaefer who had passed their fortieth year, he was, Lois Garth The Family Schopflocher of course, speaking in jest, although the sen- Ruth & Samuel Gesser Paul Schuster sationalist press took him in earnest. As all of Osman P. Gialloreto Elaine & Tony Seagrove us who work at the Osler Library know, Dr. Phil Gold Sydney Segall Segall's energy and enthusiasm at the age of Dr. & Mrs. Victor C Goldbloom Trudi Sekely 90 are living proof that Osler's joke was pure Richard B. Goldbloom Lillian Shragovitch satire. It is typical of Harold Segall that he Ruth & Marvin Goldsmith Herbert E. Siblin W.R Slatkoff gave his friends a present on his own birth- Ella Gottesman Charles Smith day: a specially printed copy of an address Aida Greenberg Naomi Greenberg T. K. Snitka originally delivered to the 1953 meeting of Kaethe Solomon the Canadian Heart Association entitled Gabriel Grossman Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Grossman Isidore Stein "Some Opinions on Longevity", in which he Heather Guest Edward Tabah gathered some of the fruits of his reading and Frank Guttman Anne Tyler set out some of his own reflections on this Joseph Guttman Dr. & Mrs. Saul J. Usher topic. Typically as well, Dr. Segall requested Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Guttman Robert H. Usher that his friends and family should, instead of B. Hyams Philip F. Vineberg personal birthday gifts, offer a donation to Edward D. Joseph William C Viner the Osler Library, and a list of those who con- Mich Kabay Lester J. Wallman E. Ainslie Webster tributed follows. Our gratitude for Dr. Se- David & Faye Kahn Jonathan Kahn Lillian Weisz gall's continued presence amongst us is very Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Kahn Eric Wesselow deep. Taking our cue from his own "Opi- Nancy Kahn Philip Witman nions on Longevity" that "no healthy life can Sarah Katz Romeo Wlochowicz be too long", we wish him health in abun- Mary C Keith M.L. Wollock dance, that he may be with us much, much Andrew Kelen A. Zeiber longer. Marian Kelen Leo Klag v.A. Kral

4 A Visit To The Open Arms Editor's Note: As David Clarke has pointed new address, Academic Dean, King's Col- When, as a McGill medical student, I received out, funds are needed for the restoration ofl3 lege, 266 Epworth Avenue, London, Ontario, final word that my one month elective in Norham Gardens. Readers who wish to con- N6A 2M3. medical ethics at Green College, Oxford had tribute should communicate with Sir John been confirmed for the summer of 1987,I was Walton, Warden, Green College at the Rad- Reprint of Osler's Men and Books delighted. Not only would this afford me the cliffe Observatory, Oxford OX2 6HG, Eng- Dr. Earl Nation collected twenty-six short land. opportunity to experience the university and pieces written by William Osler for the "Men city life at Oxford but, even more thrilling as and Books" section of the Canadian Medical president-elect of the McGill Student Osler A Reprint of the BibliothecaOsleriana Association Journal and in 1959, with the per- Society, the opportunity to experience the en- The Bibliotheca Osleriana, first published in mission of the Editor of the Journal, published vironment in which Sir William Osler spent 1929 at the Clarendon Press, Oxford, is the them in an elegant volume printed at the the last of his years. catalogue of the library which Sir William Castle Press. The book has long been out of Armed with a note of introduction provided Osler bequeathed to McGill University and print and difficult to find. Now, under the im- by Dr. William Feindel and a prearranged which forms the nucleus of the Osler Library print of the Sacrum Press of Durham, North meeting through the kind efforts of Dr. Ed- of the History of Medicine. The catalogue, fol- Carolina, Professor G.5.T. Cavanagh of the ward Bensley, I was bound to make Osler lowing Osler's own scheme of classification Duke University Medical Center Library has connections as I met the Warden of Green and enriched with his annotations, was com- published an equally elegant and very wel- College, Sir John Walton. I made the ac- pleted in the decade following his death by come reprint. The original edition was dedi- quaintance of Sir John on a sunny July morn- W.W. Francis, R.H. Hill and Archibald Mal- cated to the memory of George Dock. This ing and, following a brief tour of Green loch. By 1969 the Bibliothecawas long out of new edition is dedicated "by the editor to the College, we made the pleasant five minute print and a new reprint was published by the memory of George Dock and the publisher to stroll over to 13 Norham Gardens, the Open McGill-Queen's University Press. This was the memory of William Willoughby Francis". Arms. provided with a new prologue, by Lloyd G. Copies can be obtained from Old Galen's As we rounded the slight eastward bend Stevenson, and addenda and corrigenda. The Books, Box 3044, Durham, North Carolina in the two-way street, the beauty and majesty 1969 Bibliothecahas been out of print for sev- 27705 of 13Norham Gardens suddenly erupted out eral years, and in view of this, the Osler Li- of the lush green foliage on the right side. For brary has arranged for the reprinting of 200 a moment I had transcended time and could copies of the 1969 edition. The reprint is at- see vividly in my imagination Sir William tractively bound with Osler's coat of arms come bounding down the front steps wel- embossed on the cover; it employs perma- coming the new student to Oxford and the nent, acid-free paper, which has the addi- Open Anus. tional advantage of being thinner, so the Inside, my tour was limited to the main volume is easier to handle. Copies are avail- floor, the other rooms being rented out. The able from the Osler Library for $140 (Cana- high ceilings, paintings, woodwork, fire- dian) or $110 (U.S.); Friends of the Osler place, and spiral staircase all contributed to Library may purchase the volume for $125 the Oxford atmosphere. Out on the back ter- (Canadian) or $95 (U.S.). race, reclining in the original furniture, it did Frances Groen Honoured not take much of a prodding for me to again think of the days when the OsIers and guests McGill's Life Sciences Area Librarian Frances dominated that very place. Groen has been elected President of the Medi- The disappointment of 13 Norham Gar- cal Library Association which has more than dens, I am sad to report, is that its upkeep has 5000 members in 70 countries and is based in been largely neglected since Sir William's Chicago. Amongst Mrs. Groen's predeces- time. As Sir John Walton and I returned to sors as President is Dr. W.W.Francis, our first Green College, he explained that the ever in- Osler Librarian. creasing cost of maintenance in the face of unavailable funds has translated into unar- Willie: A Dream Now on Videotape rested structural deterioration. However, Sir Newsletters of 1983-84 (nos. 43, 46, 47) contain John was quick to say -as I am quick to write references to Willie:A Dream,a dramatic mon- - that fund-raising and restoration plans are ologue portraying Sir William Osler written already well under way. With the responsi- and performed by Dr. Joseph LelIa, Chair- bility for maintaining 13 Norham Gardens man of the Department of Humanities and having been recently given to Green College, Social Studies in Medicine of McGill Univer- there is renewed optimism for its restoration, sity. The first performance was held in the certainly a worthwhile investment in the past Osler Library on May II, 1983.Described as a for our future! It was most reassuring that Sir "socio-historical-psychological interpreta- John himself is a true Oslerite and, under his tion", this innovative portrayal of Osler supervision, I am sure that the future of 13 proved highly popular, and Dr. LelIa was in- Norham Gardens is once again bright. vited to perform elsewhere at McGill Univer- . I am indeed thrilled to have had the ex- sity and in other centres in Canada and the perience of personally visiting the Open United States. The monologue, polished by Arms and am indebted to Dr. Bensley, Dr. repeated performances, has now been recast Feindel, and Sir John Walton for playing their as a videotape (in preparation for which Dr. part in bringing this dream to life! LelIa grew an Oslerian moustache and shaved the front part of his scalp!) The direc- David Clarke tor, Carlos Ferrand, made extensive use of the President, Osler Society of architecture, photograph collections and McGill University, 1987-88. books of the Osler Library to evoke an intri- guing and perhaps controversial portrait of 'Willie". The videotape is available on loan from the Osler Library. Readers wishing to puchase copies should contact Dr. LelIa at his

5 Friends of the Osler Library The Library gratefully acknowledges the support it has received from Friends, both old and new, who have responded to the appeal for funds for the 1987-88 academic year. To date 275 Friends have given a total of approximately $11 500.00. Most of the contributions have come from Friends in Canada and the United States of America. However, very welcome contributions have come also from Australia, Belgium, England, Switzerland, West Germany, and the West Indies. The names of Friends whose contributions are received after January 31, 1988 will be listed in the June issue of the Newsletter. D.M. Albert Fred D. Hoeniger + Margaret A. Revere PG. Ashmore + John R Hogle Michael A. Ricci Effie C Astbury David C Hull Hugh Y. Rienhoff + Rose Atherley . B.B. Hyams + H. Rocke Robertson . Beverly Avadenka . R.W. Hyde . James Roche . G.F. Bacon . Dr. & Mrs. Stanley Jackson . A.E. Rodin J.C Ball Robert Jackson L.D. Roman + J.A. Barondess Orville N. Jones . Harold J. Rosen . D.G. Bates ED. Joseph . N.P Rosman Irving Beck Edward D. Joseph . R.5. Rothwell + R.E. Bell . L.W. Kitchens, Jr. . M. Roxanas E.H. Bensley Richard J. Kahn Morris H. Saffron + P. Bernad +. Marian & Andrew Kelen Sandoz Canada Inc. . R.5. Berry Dr. & Mrs. Elton R Kerr J.W. Savacool Winifred L. Birkett T.E. Keys T.L. Savitt Daniel M. Bleed + Ralph Kimmerly R. Schlaeger H. Bloch Sue Kingston Harold N. SegalL F Munroe Bourne . D.G. Kinnear N. Shaftel . Ernest J. Bowmer . L.W. Kitchens, Jr. S.R Shapiro + S.R Bruesch C A. Knirsch . Anthony Batty Shaw + RF. Buchan . Gorden Krip . M.J. Shea . H.B. Burchell . LACMA Library + H. Sheldon + Burroughs Wellcome Inc. RB. Lacoursiere G. M. Shepherd J.W. Butin . RC Larimer RT. Shields, Jr. Margaret Byrne . Donald G. Lawrence Theodor K. Shnitka . Canadian Centre for Architecture Wayne Lebel + Samuel Shuster R.M. Caplan . Charles P. Leblond Seymour Siegal + John C Carson Sylvio leBlond . Mark Silverman Marcel Caya . S.5. Lee . Mark E. Silverman G.E. Chalmers + J.W. Lelia + E.E. Simpson . Bruce Charles . John Lewis . RR Smalley R. Cherry G.W Lilley + E. Kenneth Smith + L. Parker Chesney Robert CLove . Kaethe Solomon . R.L. Chester . V.K.S. Lui . Theodore L. Sourkes + Poul A. Christiansen . M.H. Macdonald + William Spaulding + W.B. Chung . Douglas W. Macewan . Edward A. Sprague . E. Clark . Frank C Macintosh . D. Stanley S.D. Clark + CD. Maclean We. Stein Clendening Hist. of Med. Collection . J.P. Macleod + Peter J. Stephens . Alan J. Coffey + John N. Mappin + Lloyd G. Stevenson . J.P. Colpa + E.L. Margetts Leonard J. Stiffel R.F. Commito . Edgar F. Mauer William P Stoneman + R.F.P Cronin . A. McDonald + L.R. Straub . R.A. Currie + E.E. McGarry Suffolk Academy of Medicine A. Czaharyn + John P McGovern Thomas Tanselle N.A. D' Amato Bessie McKinlay Harry Taube Lyubica Dabich McMaster University, Health Sciences Lib. CE.M. Tauhy . JD. Darnley Wayne T. McShane . W.A. Taylor . Nicholas E. Davies + J.F. Meakins Eric Teboul . Eric DeBeliaigue . J.A.F. Stevenson (in memoriam) + Texas Allergy Research Foundation + James P Dewar . J.H. Menetrez B. Edmond Thomas Nicholas Dewey . M.J. Messinger + WD. Tigertt - P.5.B. Digby Erich Meyerhoff . R. Carmichael Tilghman . Alfred Donovan . Tom Middlebro . Samuel Tirer W.R. Dorsey + Jo Miller . M. Wilson Toll + Althea Douglas . RJ. Moes + Mrs. Stuart R. Townsend John E. Duplantier D. Jack Momose . Marshall Trossman Andre Dupras K. Jack Momose W.W. Tucker . D.L. Dykeman + J.R. Moore University of California + Martin A. Entin . FC Moore . RE. Vlietstra . Charlotte Ferencz Sumner E. Moulton . F Wagner . R.A. Forse + J. Fraser Muirhead G.C Walsh Robert R. Forsey . Sean B. Murphy Anne H. Walters Robert Fortuine Joseph N. Nathanson Waring Library Society . T. Emmett Francoeur E.F Nation + Jean F. Webb + Lucia P Fulton . David Naylor Bryce Weir Abel Berland Fund Mrs. John Nicholls + LiIliam Weisz Palmer H. Futcher . Jeremy M. Norman Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine . W.B. Fye H.F. Norman Jan Weryho + R.R Galpin + R.T. O'Keli . Elizabeth B. White Esther Geller . David M. O'Sullivan Maurice White Leonard Geller . Eric Ormsby W.A. Whitelaw + Menard M. Gertler + P.F. Osler .+ J.W. Wilkerson A. Gibofsky + Mrs. E.B. Osler Huntington Williams + W.C Gibson Harry Oxorn J.W Wilson + S.A. Gillespie G.K. Parke . S. Wong CM. Godfrey Mrs. CS.F. Parsons (in memoriam CS.F. Parsons) . Woodward Biomedical Library . Phil Gold + Janie Parson + David Young . Richard L. Golden WD. Parsons James Tait Goodrich Rodolfo Q. Pasqualini ~atron . . W.E. Goodwin John Patrick : upportmg Ella Gottesman . Robert E. Paulette . P.E. Greig . Alan S. Peck + J.H. Greist Pennsylvania Hospital Legal Deposit 1/1988 ISSN 0085 - 4557 Mary S. Guggenheimer + R.Z. Perkins Editorial Committee for the Newsletter: + Fraser N. Gurd . James B. Phillips + Joseph Hanaway + Irwin J. Pincus Edward H. Bensley, Honorary Osler Li- . William C Hanigan Jean-Maurice Poitras brarian and Editor; Faith Wallis, History W.J. Hannak . J.D.E. Price of Medicine Librarian and Associate George T. Harrell . Raymond Prince Theodore J. Haywood H. Rakatansky Editor; Valerie Oboruns, Editorial As- . H. Alexander Heggtveit Hugh A. Raphael sistant.

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