Description:

William Osler
[Oxford, England], ca. June 5, 1919
William Osler Signed Copy of Clemenceau's "De la Génération des Éléments Anatomiques" - With Bonus Osler TLS Establishing Provenance!
SB with TLS
A hardcover copy of the French-language medical school graduate thesis of Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929), inscribed and signed by Sir William Osler (1849-1919), the celebrated Canadian doctor often referred to as the Father of Modern Medicine, as: "Library of the / Medico Chir Faculty / from / Wm Osler" on the half title page. N.d., n.p. but ca. June 5, 1919, [Oxford, England] based on the 1p typed letter signed by Osler and laid down on the facing page, the reverse of the marbleized loose endpaper. The TLS is signed "Wm Osler" and includes an autograph endorsement as "Love to you all." Georges Clemenceau, "De la Génération des Éléments Anatomiques" ["On the Generation of Anatomical Elements"] (Paris: Librairie Germer Baillière, 1867). With a bookplate from the "Library of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland" affixed to the front pastedown endpaper, with the donor identified in pen as "Sir William Osler." With "Library of… Maryland" hand-stamps scattered throughout. Red leather boards, gilt-embossed spine, and gorgeous marbleized endpapers. Minor strain to juncture of spine and front cover. Expected wear and shelf rubbing, with a few areas of surface abrasion. Toning and isolated foxing within. Else near fine. i-xxxii; 1-281; Errata: 283-286; and 50+pp of publishers' advertisements. 5.625" x 8.875" x 1.25." 8vo.

The 1p typed letter signed by Osler, on "13, Norham Gardens, Oxford" letterhead, dated June 5, 1919, was addressed to Marcia C. Noyes, Librarian of the Library of Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. Osler's letter reads in part: "Dear Miss Noyes, I send you an interesting book for the library - the graduation thesis of the great French tiger…"

Georges Clemenceau was a physician before becoming a prominent French statesman and Prime Minister of France. Clemenceau had graduated from the Faculté de Médicine in Paris after successfully defending his thesis, "On the Generation of Anatomical Elements" in 1865. His thesis was published two years later under the Librairie Germer Baillière imprint. His thesis pertained to the origin of life-giving and life-sustaining elements found in the natural world, such as eggs or blood corpuscles. Two representative chapter subheadings from the thesis are: "De la Genèse des Éléments Anatomiques dans l'Ovule"["On the Genesis of Anatomical Elements In the Ovum"] and "De la Genèse des Éléments Anatomiques chez l'être déjà formé" ["On the Genesis of Anatomical Elements In Beings Already Formed."]

Dr. William Osler revolutionized the 19th C. study and practice of medicine by fundamentally changing how it was taught. Osler was one of the founding members of the Association of American Physicians and a founding professor of Johns Hopkins Hospital. One of the first doctors to lobby for residency training programs, Osler understood the importance of learning through hands-on experience, repetition, and practice. By emphasizing speaking to and listening to the patient, Osler advanced our understanding of pathology by underscoring the importance of medical history in positing a diagnosis. In this way, he also advocated for the most fundamental patient rights and reshaped the relationship between doctor and patient.

Osler's interest in teaching medicine inspired him to collect an enormous personal library of books related to medicine and the history of medicine. Osler willed his personal library to his alma mater, McGill University; the collection became the core of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5.625" x 8.875" x 1.25"
  • Medium: SB with TLS

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