Author: C. F. Osler

This book is a compilation of twenty-two addresses given by Sir William Osler in various settings. He spoke on the philosophical and moral foundations of medical science, giving instruction to the student the teacher, the physician and the nurse. In his own eloquent words, "we are here not to get all we can out of life for ourselves, but to try to make the lives of others happier... The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head. Often the best part of your work will have nothing to do with potions and powders, but with the exercise of and influence of the strong upon the weak, of the righteous upon the wicked, of the wise upon the foolish." - Summary by Luke Sartor

Here are thirteen biographical sketches of physicians penned by one of the founders of modern medicine, William Osler, published in 1908. "Sir William Osler, one of the best-loved and most influential teachers of his time, was born in Canada in 1849…. Wherever he worked his gifted and unique personality was a center of inspiration… one would like to see his honorable place as a man of letters more generally understood. His generous wisdom and infectious enthusiasm are delightfully expressed in his collected writings…. His lucid and exquisite prose, with its extraordinary wealth of quotation from the literature of all ages, and his unfailing humor and tenderness, put him in the first rank of didactic essayists…. Rich in every gentle quality that makes life endeared, his books are the most sagacious and helpful of modern writings…" - Summary by Christopher Morley, Modern Essays, 1921, and David Wales

3Evolution of Modern Medicine

By Sir William Osler

This is the manuscript of Sir William Osler's lectures on the "Evolution of Modern Medicine," delivered at Yale University in 1913. Here, the father of modern clinical medicine provides a brief introduction to the history of medicine from its origin to modern developments, such as the rise of preventive medicine. Originally written for the general public, the classic text is both engaging and informative, especially for those interested in healthcare professions, or medicine and history in general. - Summary by Cao Yuqing