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William Osler: A Life in Medicine
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, 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 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 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.
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, 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 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 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.
632 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 1999
66 people are currently reading
797 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bliss
38 books22 followersMichael Bliss was a Canadian historian. He was an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and a member of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 16, 2009
Excellent biography of the Canadian physician who became everyone's favorite clinician. A pleasant read, with abundant information on his family and contacts, as well as influences in the medical world up to and including today.
August 9, 2025
When an ex Regius Professor of Medicine at Cambridge passes you a biography of an ex Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford and tells you to read it before you meet next, you do tend to jump on it straight away…
William Osler is a familiar name to any medical student, not least because of his many eponyms in medical jargon (e.g. Osler’s nodes). What is often discussed far less was how he revolutionised medical education in the USA.
He championed Socratic style bedside teaching, focusing on asking questions as a way of instilling knowledge in medical students and junior doctors. It’s a style of teaching which has been championed all over the world since. Osler also set up the residency system for speciality training, which is used in a number of countries.
Most fascinatingly, Bliss’ biography does much more than simply discussing the remarkable achievements of the legendary Professor Sir William Osler, but also telling us about Willie, who would play pranks on his fellow medical students and even invented a fake persona, under which he would submit hilarious medical articles which were often fake case reports. The biography also makes a point of highlighting Osler’s basic humanity which always came shining through, a common decency and kindness which seemed to have illuminated the lives of all who interacted with him.
A spectacular, albeit long, biography of a titan of medicine.
William Osler is a familiar name to any medical student, not least because of his many eponyms in medical jargon (e.g. Osler’s nodes). What is often discussed far less was how he revolutionised medical education in the USA.
He championed Socratic style bedside teaching, focusing on asking questions as a way of instilling knowledge in medical students and junior doctors. It’s a style of teaching which has been championed all over the world since. Osler also set up the residency system for speciality training, which is used in a number of countries.
Most fascinatingly, Bliss’ biography does much more than simply discussing the remarkable achievements of the legendary Professor Sir William Osler, but also telling us about Willie, who would play pranks on his fellow medical students and even invented a fake persona, under which he would submit hilarious medical articles which were often fake case reports. The biography also makes a point of highlighting Osler’s basic humanity which always came shining through, a common decency and kindness which seemed to have illuminated the lives of all who interacted with him.
A spectacular, albeit long, biography of a titan of medicine.
November 30, 2024
Not the easiest book to read but well worth the time spent. A well-written and accurate study of the life of one of medical history's most famous physicians. A must-read if you are interested in the world of medicine at the turn of the 19th century and should be required reading for medical students. Dr. William Osler was much more than just a great physician.
March 20, 2017
Very Good Biography. I think this is one of the few biographies I've read. I was impressed with the amount of research that Bliss put into the book, and also with Osler's single-minded dedication to medicine.
May 23, 2021
This biography is a fascinating telling of William Osler's life (1849 to 1919), his successes and failure, his times, medicine in the 19th century and early 20th as practiced in Canada, eastern United States, Western Europe, and Britain. Each period is described in detail - the section on the First World War in England was a new view - at least for me.
At 500 pages, the book is an ambitious read but Michael Bliss keeps this a compelling story while providing extensive detail. It may surprise us but there was rapid change in the second half of the 19th century in new discoveries and understands about best treatments. Osler deserves some credit for this in his study of pathology and bacteria. He blended research and practice and guided schools in the United States, Canada, and Britain in developing their medical school programs. Very shortly after he died in 1919 antibiotics were developed and insulin for diabetics.
Bliss asks - "Will Osler continue to persist - as, say, writers persist, as Whitman has persisted, as Jane Austen and George Eliot, whose world shaped the Osler family before it came to America, have persisted, and as Orwell and Darwin, but not Marx and Freud or most of Osler's medical contemporaries have persisted? (p 499) Bliss leans towards Yes - he may not have made tremendous discoveries and his essays and cases may be dated now - however "he may never be surpasssed as English-speaking medicine's most inspirational father-figure, mentor, and role model." (499)
Perhaps the greatest benefit to the reader from this book is William Osler is the warmth of entering the life of a very kind, generous, good person.
Medscape has a slide show on "Most Influential Physicians in History - Part 4 - the Top Ten" - spoiler alert - Osler came in number one.
At 500 pages, the book is an ambitious read but Michael Bliss keeps this a compelling story while providing extensive detail. It may surprise us but there was rapid change in the second half of the 19th century in new discoveries and understands about best treatments. Osler deserves some credit for this in his study of pathology and bacteria. He blended research and practice and guided schools in the United States, Canada, and Britain in developing their medical school programs. Very shortly after he died in 1919 antibiotics were developed and insulin for diabetics.
Bliss asks - "Will Osler continue to persist - as, say, writers persist, as Whitman has persisted, as Jane Austen and George Eliot, whose world shaped the Osler family before it came to America, have persisted, and as Orwell and Darwin, but not Marx and Freud or most of Osler's medical contemporaries have persisted? (p 499) Bliss leans towards Yes - he may not have made tremendous discoveries and his essays and cases may be dated now - however "he may never be surpasssed as English-speaking medicine's most inspirational father-figure, mentor, and role model." (499)
Perhaps the greatest benefit to the reader from this book is William Osler is the warmth of entering the life of a very kind, generous, good person.
Medscape has a slide show on "Most Influential Physicians in History - Part 4 - the Top Ten" - spoiler alert - Osler came in number one.
September 8, 2024
Excellent read!! It never ceases to amaze me how medical personnel be it doctor, nurse or other managed to provide care and intervention in the absence of the diagnostics we have today, antibiotics, equipment etc. etc. Highly recommended!!
July 26, 2022
As much as I was fascinated by this man's journey I was heart broken when I read about the loss of his son.
The magnitude of pain this man was subjected to is unfathomable.
His vulnerability and fragility while he was on his death bed, and his last words always brought me to tears.
As a doctor whose speciality is internal Medicine I felt a great loss. I felt like I have lost a big brother, or a mentor.
The magnitude of pain this man was subjected to is unfathomable.
His vulnerability and fragility while he was on his death bed, and his last words always brought me to tears.
As a doctor whose speciality is internal Medicine I felt a great loss. I felt like I have lost a big brother, or a mentor.
May 5, 2025
What an inspiring man, I would’ve loved the meet him.
January 17, 2026
Detailed study of a medical giant.
The author knows his subject and covers it with an appreciation of Osler’s contributions to medicine. Well worth the read.
The author knows his subject and covers it with an appreciation of Osler’s contributions to medicine. Well worth the read.
January 5, 2019
This hagiography is the account of the life of William Osler who has been put on a pedestal by his acolytes on par with Christ and Shakespeare. He learnt and practised medicine during the sanguineous period of blood-letting (His father nearly died as a result of enthusiastic leeching prescribed during a bout of pneumonia).
Bacteriology came into existence, X-Rays were discovered during his lifetime. He died before the antibiotic era – succumbing to multiple lung abscesses that resulted from pleural effusion, in turn a consequence of pneumonia. His only succour was morphine – he avidly prescribed opioids himself.
He misdiagnosed often (but boldly admitted his shortcomings), did not innovate or make original discovery. Yet he will forever be remembered for the basic clinical principles of history taking, observing and examining the patient closely in order to establish a diagnosis or rather at a set of differential diagnoses.
Bacteriology came into existence, X-Rays were discovered during his lifetime. He died before the antibiotic era – succumbing to multiple lung abscesses that resulted from pleural effusion, in turn a consequence of pneumonia. His only succour was morphine – he avidly prescribed opioids himself.
He misdiagnosed often (but boldly admitted his shortcomings), did not innovate or make original discovery. Yet he will forever be remembered for the basic clinical principles of history taking, observing and examining the patient closely in order to establish a diagnosis or rather at a set of differential diagnoses.
July 1, 2012
A must read for all physicians.
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March 4, 20076/25/2005
October 17, 2017
I was going to give this 4 stars because of excessive valorization when I realized that there is no particular way of not valorizing William Osler. Think about it; he was innovative, an early adopter, social, charismatic and literate. He was also in the right place at the right time and carried success with dignity and charm. He may not have been quite the genius of his best contemporaries but neither was he the maladjusted fruitcake many of them were. Instead of creating momentum he facilitated it; particularly in the creation of the Johns Hopkins medical school and hospital; centre of excellence to this day. It may be hard to trust a man without a dark side but it appears that Osler was that guy. Aside from a few remarks that would get him into trouble with politically correct types today; he is remarkably free of controversy. Michael Bliss has captured in a remarkably well written and humane biography the story of an exceptional man. Bliss makes it look easy; recording medical advances along with personal struggles. I believe the book is at its best when it discusses the insane psychological wounds visited to those on the sidelines during the Great War; Osler, with most of his contemporaries, sacrificing a son and his world view. Check out this book; it is worth a read and will make you think about those who created in stuffy Victorian labs and hospital wards the foundation of our current medical system.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews