Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 1742

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES (1809-1894) A dissertation on acute pericarditis. The Welch Bibliophilic Society 1937 39 pp. 18.9 cm.

Because he is so well known for his verse and literary essays, it is often forgotten that Holmes was a physician and professor of anatomy at Harvard from 1847 to 1882. His medical writings, while offering no original discoveries, made their mark on his generation. Holmes' part in convincing obstetricians of their potential role in the transmission of puerperal fever and his introduction of the use of the microscope and stethoscope into the medical curriculum are certainly worthy of mention. Having returned to Harvard after his studies with Louis and Andral in Paris, Holmes completed his M.D. degree in 1836. One of the requirements for the degree was a dissertation on a medical subject and Holmes wrote this essay to fulfill that requirement. The manuscript lay unpublished in the Boston Medical Library until the Welch Bibliophilic Society published it. Holmes completed the essay in only three days and the manuscript has been presented "in all its individuality, without correcting any of the vagaries of spelling and punctuation, or editing it in any way whatsoever" (Introduction, p. 5).

Cited references: Cushing H412; Waller 4847

Gift of John Martin, M.D.