William Osler

William Osler revolutionised the art of practicing medicine at the patient bedside. His biography concerns the evolution of modern medicine, doctors' training, holism in medical thought, and the doctor-patient relationship. Accessibly written, this book brings to life both a fascinating man and the formative age of twentieth-century medicine.

"...this biographu is a monumental accomplishment."--American Historical Review

Auteur
Michael Bliss, a professor at the University of Toronto, is an award-winning historian of Canada and of modern medicine. One of his many previous books, The Discovery of Insulin, has been widely recognized as a classic of medical history. Professor Bliss has been appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He lives in Toronto.

Texte du rabat

William Osler, who was a brilliant, innovative teacher and a scholar of the natural history of disease, revolutionized the art of practicing medicine at the bedside of his patients. He was idolized by two generations of medical students and practitioners for whom he came to personify the ideal doctor. But much more than a physician, Osler was a fiercely intelligent humanist.
In both his writings and his personal life--and through the prism of the tragedy of the Great War--he embodied the art of living. Indeed, this is a book not only about the evolution of modern medicine, the training of doctors, holism in medical thought, and the doctor-patient relationship, but also about humanism, Victorianism, the Great War, and much else. Meticulously researched and accessibly written, William Osler: A Life in Medicine brings to life both a fascinating man and the formative age of twentieth-century medicine.

Résumé
William Osler was born in a parsonage in backwoods Canada on July 12, 1849. In a life lasting seventy years, he practiced, taught, and wrote about medicine at Canada's McGill University, America's Johns Hopkins University, and finally as Regius Professor at Oxford. At the time of his death in England in 1919, many considered him to be the greatest doctor in the world. Osler, who was a brilliant, innovative teacher and a scholar of the natural history of disease, revolutionised the art of practicing medicine at the bedside of his patients. He was idolised by two generations of medical students and practitioners for whom he came to personify the ideal doctor. But much more than a physician, Osler was a supremely intelligent humanist. In both his writings and his personal life, and through the prism of the tragedy of the Great War, he embodied the art of living. It was perhaps his legendary compassion that elevated his healing talents to an art form and attracted to his private practice students, colleagues, poets (Walt Whitman for example) politicians, royalty, and nameless ordinary people with extraordinary conditions. William Osler's life lucidly illuminates the times in which he lived. Indeed, this is a book not only about the evolution of modern medicine, the training of doctors, holism in medical thought, and the doctor-patient relationship, but also about humanism, Victorianism, the Great War, and much else. Meticulously researched, drawing on many new sources and offering new interpretations, William Osler: A Life in Medicine brings to life both a fascinating man and the formative age of twentieth-century medicine. It is a classic biography of a classic life, both authoritative and highly readable.

Contenu

• Preface: On Doing an Osler Autopsy

• 1: English Gentlemen with American Energy

• 2: Learning to See: Student Years

• 3: The Baby Professor

• 4: The Best Men: Philadelphia

• 5: Starting at Johns Hopkins

• 6: We All Worship Him

• 7: The Great American Doctor

• 8: Leaving America

• 9: A Delightful Life and Place

• 10: Sir William

• 11: All the Youth and Glory of the Country

• 12: Never Use a Crutch

• 13: Osler's Afterlife