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Humanities

William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”

Nav Persaud, Heather Butts and Philip Berger
CMAJ November 09, 2020 192 (45) E1414-E1416; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.201567
Nav Persaud
Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine; Department of Family and Community Medicine, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Ont.
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Heather Butts
Long Island University, Brookville, NY
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Philip Berger
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Toronto, Ont.
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  • RE: Sir William Osler and racism
    SANJAY A PAI [M.D.]
    Posted on: 19 December 2020
  • The authors reply (RE: “William Osler: saint in a ‘White man’s dominion’”) [Response 2/2]
    Nav Persaud [MD MSc], Heather Butts [JD MPH] and Philip Berger [MD]
    Posted on: 11 December 2020
  • The authors reply (RE: “William Osler: saint in a ‘White man’s dominion’”) [Response 1/2]
    Nav Persaud [MD MSc], Heather Butts [JD MPH] and Philip Berger [MD]
    Posted on: 11 December 2020
  • Osler, Racism, Historiography, and Medical Biography
    James R. Wright, Jr [M.D., M.A., Ph.D.]
    Posted on: 23 November 2020
  • RE: William Osler
    Thomas S. Huddle [M.D., Ph.D.]
    Posted on: 21 November 2020
  • RE: a bit of perspective please
    A. Mark Clarfield [MD FRCPC] and David B Hogan [MD FRCPC]
    Posted on: 16 November 2020
  • RE: William Osler:saint in a White man's dominion
    Patricia Morley-Forster [MD, FRCPC, Pain Medicine Founder Status]
    Posted on: 15 November 2020
  • Co-existing heart failure does not diminish the stature of a giant
    Gregory A. Kline [MD]
    Posted on: 12 November 2020
  • Saint Osler
    Brian M. Cornelson [MD]
    Posted on: 10 November 2020
  • RE: A Saint in Browntown?
    Gina Ragini Agarwal [MBBS PHD MRCGP FCFP]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • Dare we hope
    Vivian McAlister [MB, FRCSC]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • RE: Defining a person by their skin colour is also racist. Erasing history will doom us to repeat it.
    Gregory K Chan [MD]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • RE: Osler
    Mary Seeman [MD]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • RE: racial discrmination in Canada
    adebola OE Obayan [MD,PhD,FRCSC]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • RE: Osler’s Racism
    Jeffrey P. Ludemann [MDCM, FRCSC]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • “Distinctions of race, nationality, colour, and creed are unknown within the portals of the temple of Æsculapius.” – William Osler (1849-1919), Montreal, 1 September 1897.
    Nadeem Toodayan
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • RE: More medicine less racism please
    Mike Figurski [MD CA-CPHIMS BSc(h)]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • RE: William Osler
    Douglass H. Dalton [M.D.C.M.; F.C.F.P.]
    Posted on: 09 November 2020
  • Posted on: (19 December 2020)
    RE: Sir William Osler and racism
    • SANJAY A PAI [M.D.], CONSULTANT PATHOLOGIST, COLUMBIA ASIA REFERRAL HOSPITAL,

    I read with great interest the article by Persaud et al that suggests that Sir William Osler harboured racist views (1).

    The part that intrigued me most was the line where I learnt about the Medical Students Society of McGill University having recommended that we stop using Osler eponyms and rename locations named after him, because of the belief that Osler was racist and sexist.

    Whether this is true or not, and whether Osler should be viewed through the lens of contemporary thought, is indeed relevant. But thus far, eponyms which have been renamed, have been those for physicians with a Nazi past. This is perfectly justified. Even if it were true that Osler was racist, it seems a bit much to equate Osler with such physicians.

    How would the students react to the term "Hansen's disease"? Hansen once injected leprous material beneath the conjunctiva of a woman in a shameful experiment - which he continued to justify as acceptable in the name of science (2). What do we do with other uncomfortable facts such as our current knowledge that Henry Ford, the motoring pioneer, was an anti-Semite? Or that many American forefathers who wrote in their constitution that 'all men are created equal' - and yet had slaves.
    While I welcome the fact that the students are willing to question dogma, I find this specific opinion of theirs rather disconcerting and indeed, perplexing.

    REFERENCES
    1. Persaud N, Butts H, Berger P. Wi...

    Show More

    I read with great interest the article by Persaud et al that suggests that Sir William Osler harboured racist views (1).

    The part that intrigued me most was the line where I learnt about the Medical Students Society of McGill University having recommended that we stop using Osler eponyms and rename locations named after him, because of the belief that Osler was racist and sexist.

    Whether this is true or not, and whether Osler should be viewed through the lens of contemporary thought, is indeed relevant. But thus far, eponyms which have been renamed, have been those for physicians with a Nazi past. This is perfectly justified. Even if it were true that Osler was racist, it seems a bit much to equate Osler with such physicians.

    How would the students react to the term "Hansen's disease"? Hansen once injected leprous material beneath the conjunctiva of a woman in a shameful experiment - which he continued to justify as acceptable in the name of science (2). What do we do with other uncomfortable facts such as our current knowledge that Henry Ford, the motoring pioneer, was an anti-Semite? Or that many American forefathers who wrote in their constitution that 'all men are created equal' - and yet had slaves.
    While I welcome the fact that the students are willing to question dogma, I find this specific opinion of theirs rather disconcerting and indeed, perplexing.

    REFERENCES
    1. Persaud N, Butts H, Berger P. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ November 09, 2020 192 (45) E1414-E1416; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.201567

    2. Lanska DJ. Armauer Hansen: The Controversy Surrounding his Unethical Human-to-Human Leprosy Transmission Experiment
    https://worldneurologyonline.com/article/armauer-hansen-the-controversy-... [ Last accessed 19-12-20 ]

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: I am a contributor to the book Bryan CS, ed. Sir William Osler: An Encyclopedia. Novato, California: Norman Publishing/HistoryofScience.com; 2020. The essay is on "William Osler on medical ethics"

    References

    • 1. Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • 2. Lanska DJ. Armauer Hansen: The Controversy Surrounding his Unethical Human-to-Human Leprosy Transmission Experiment https://worldneurologyonline.com/article/armauer-hansen-the-controversy-surrounding-his-unethical-human-to-human-leprosy-transmission-ex
  • Posted on: (11 December 2020)
    The authors reply (RE: “William Osler: saint in a ‘White man’s dominion’”) [Response 2/2]
    • Nav Persaud [MD MSc], Associate Professor, University of Toronto
    • Other Contributors:
      • Heather Butts, Assistant Professor
      • Philip Berger, Associate Professor

    Some facts are hard to face. Although Osler’s statements were obviously racist some of our colleagues used creative language to describe the racism: “unkind”, “a few off-hand comments” and “Race was certainly a blind spot”. Osler is celebrated for the wisdom he imparted through his speeches, but when we pointed to a newspaper article describing a racist speech some wondered if it was fair to attribute the racist ideas to Osler. The National Medical Association was formed in 1895 when Black physicians were excluded from the American Medical Association [6] and, meanwhile at the 1895 American Medical Association annual meeting in Baltimore, Osler delivered the Address in Medicine, reported on behalf of the Committee of Arrangements and spoke on several other matters. [7]

    Some of our colleagues inveighed that our article should never have been published. We are pleased that among the vast Osler literature, some room is being eked out for anti-racist perspectives despite such protests. Irene Moore Davis, President of the Essex County Historical Research Society has said: “What we accept, what we honour, who we choose to honour, says a lot about what we value as a society."

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • 6. 6. History [Internet]. National Medical Association. [cited 2020 Dec 9]. Available from: https://www.nmanet.org/page/History
    • 7. House of Delegates Proceedings, Annual Session. Am Med Assoc. 1895;1895(000):14.
  • Posted on: (11 December 2020)
    The authors reply (RE: “William Osler: saint in a ‘White man’s dominion’”) [Response 1/2]
    • Nav Persaud [MD MSc], Associate Professor, University of Toronto
    • Other Contributors:
      • Heather Butts, Assistant Professor
      • Philip Berger, Associate Professor

    We are pleased that our article about Osler’s racist misconduct has helped some of our colleagues reassess Osler’s position in modern medicine, and to reflect on racism more broadly.[1] While the names of Abraham Flexner, Woodrow Wilson and James Watson are being dropped by medical and educational institutions,[2,3] some of our esteemed colleagues refused to reconsider Osler and instead rehashed tired defenses that we cited and discussed.

    In attempts to cancel out Osler’s racist statements, some colleagues quoted from racist speeches that we did not have room to describe. While it is tempting to impute anti-racist sentiments into Osler’s comment about medicine rising above differences in “race, nationality, colour, and creed”, Osler was referencing the “the Anglo-Saxon race” across the Empire from Australia to Canada in a speech titled “British medicine in Greater Britain”.[4] In the same speech, he mocks British colleagues in India (that he calls “Vishnu-land”) because calls for more investments are even being made by “native chiefs!”. Immediately after the carefully plucked quote about “race” and “creed” are a series of white supremacist lines about “the great race so dominant on the earth to-day”.

    In an homage to his mentor, Rudolf Virchow, Osler does indeed reference Galatians 3:28 that reads: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. [5] This verse has different interpre...

    Show More

    We are pleased that our article about Osler’s racist misconduct has helped some of our colleagues reassess Osler’s position in modern medicine, and to reflect on racism more broadly.[1] While the names of Abraham Flexner, Woodrow Wilson and James Watson are being dropped by medical and educational institutions,[2,3] some of our esteemed colleagues refused to reconsider Osler and instead rehashed tired defenses that we cited and discussed.

    In attempts to cancel out Osler’s racist statements, some colleagues quoted from racist speeches that we did not have room to describe. While it is tempting to impute anti-racist sentiments into Osler’s comment about medicine rising above differences in “race, nationality, colour, and creed”, Osler was referencing the “the Anglo-Saxon race” across the Empire from Australia to Canada in a speech titled “British medicine in Greater Britain”.[4] In the same speech, he mocks British colleagues in India (that he calls “Vishnu-land”) because calls for more investments are even being made by “native chiefs!”. Immediately after the carefully plucked quote about “race” and “creed” are a series of white supremacist lines about “the great race so dominant on the earth to-day”.

    In an homage to his mentor, Rudolf Virchow, Osler does indeed reference Galatians 3:28 that reads: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. [5] This verse has different interpretations, but Osler clarifies in the very next sentence he is referring to “national lines” and two sentences later that he is talking about that fact that Virchow is “not of this country, not of our blood” because Virchow was from Germany and not the United States. There is nothing in the speech about redressing the crime of mass enslavement or addressing racism, and to the contrary Osler relays his delight at giving Virchow “four choice examples of skulls of British Columbian Indians” that were used in a study comparing skulls across races.

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • 1. Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • 2. Viglione G, Subbaraman N. Universities scrub names of racist leaders — students say it’s a first step. Nature. 2020 Aug 20;584:331–2.
    • 3. AAMC Renames Abraham Flexner Award for Distinguished Service to Medical Education [Internet]. AAMC. 2020 [cited 2020 Dec 9]. Available from: https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/press-releases/aamc-renames-abraham-flexner-award-distinguished-service-medi
    • 4. Osler W. British medicine in Greater Britain. Boston Med Surg J. 1891;137: 221-227.
    • 5. Osler W. Rudolph Virchow, the man and the student. Boston Med Surg J. 1891; 125: 425-7.
  • Posted on: (23 November 2020)
    Osler, Racism, Historiography, and Medical Biography
    • James R. Wright, Jr [M.D., M.A., Ph.D.], Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.

    The Star’s coverage of Persaud et al.1 states the paper has been “rigorously fact-checked.” This claim is false. One glaringly anachronistic statement is "[Osler] was an active member of the American Medical Association when -- after a contentious debate -- it rejected membership applications from qualified racialized physicians."1 The cited reference shows this US debate occurred in 1870 (NB, Osler was still a medical student in Canada).
    Historians collect available and relevant data on a topic, determine what seems credible, analyze this in the context of its totality, and then develop a narrative that best fits the data. Focusing on a few outlying observations is improper technique. The authors fail to contextualize or address presentism, the uncritical evaluation of ideas or events through a lens of present-day values.
    The authors’ lack of understanding of medical biographies promotes unwarranted sensationalism. As explained by Barron Lerner: “For decades, physicians wrote much of the history of medicine, often ‘great man’ histories that celebrated their colleagues' accomplishments as part of a celebratory historical narrative. Beginning in the 1970s, social historians challenged this type of scholarship, arguing that it was Whiggish, omitted the flaws of the medical profession, left patients out of the story, and ignored issues of gender, race, and class.”2 The authors focus on Harvey Cushing changing a word in a quote. His book was publi...

    Show More

    The Star’s coverage of Persaud et al.1 states the paper has been “rigorously fact-checked.” This claim is false. One glaringly anachronistic statement is "[Osler] was an active member of the American Medical Association when -- after a contentious debate -- it rejected membership applications from qualified racialized physicians."1 The cited reference shows this US debate occurred in 1870 (NB, Osler was still a medical student in Canada).
    Historians collect available and relevant data on a topic, determine what seems credible, analyze this in the context of its totality, and then develop a narrative that best fits the data. Focusing on a few outlying observations is improper technique. The authors fail to contextualize or address presentism, the uncritical evaluation of ideas or events through a lens of present-day values.
    The authors’ lack of understanding of medical biographies promotes unwarranted sensationalism. As explained by Barron Lerner: “For decades, physicians wrote much of the history of medicine, often ‘great man’ histories that celebrated their colleagues' accomplishments as part of a celebratory historical narrative. Beginning in the 1970s, social historians challenged this type of scholarship, arguing that it was Whiggish, omitted the flaws of the medical profession, left patients out of the story, and ignored issues of gender, race, and class.”2 The authors focus on Harvey Cushing changing a word in a quote. His book was published in 1925 at the height of medical hagiography. Cushing regularly omitted unflattering materials.
    Michael Bliss, a meticulous social historian, spent several years reviewing essentially all of Osler’s writings and other relevant historical data. If his Osler biography3 documented and then “downplayed” a couple of racist statements and characterized them as offhand remarks, his judgement was likely fair and sound. Bliss never shied away from criticism in his biographies, as evidenced by his rather scathing assessments of Frederick Banting4 and his partner Charles Best.5 The preface to his Osler biography states that he planned to do some “icon bashing” and that the only “warts” he discovered were on Osler’s hands (i.e., from dissecting tuberculous bodies without gloves). If Michael Bliss, who wrote “Try as I might, I could not find a cause to justify the death of Osler’s reputation,”3 did not see racism, it is presumptuous and arrogant for three non-medical historians with rudimentary knowledge of Osler to conclude he was by cherry-picking a few statements that do not otherwise fit into an overwhelming pattern of admirable behavior and contributions. While fighting racism is important, a statement about statues of “once-revered individuals who participated in racist crimes” being used in the same sentence as “Osler” is unwarranted and unjust. While scurrilous charges based upon weak historical evidence make headlines, such a tactic is an inappropriate way to promote a just cause!

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • 1. Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • 2. Lerner BH. The Fielding H. Garrison Lecture: Great doctor history. Bull Hist Med 2018; 92(1): 55-77.
    • 3. Bliss M. William Osler: A life in medicine. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999. Quote from page xiii.
    • 4. Bliss M. Frederick Banting: A Biography. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1984.
    • 5. Bliss M. Rewriting Medical History: Charles Best and the Banting and Best Myth. J Hist Med Allied Sci 1993; 48(3): 253-274.
  • Posted on: (21 November 2020)
    RE: William Osler
    • Thomas S. Huddle [M.D., Ph.D.], Professor of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine

    Persaud et al. urge us to rethink our high regard for Osler in light of his objectionable attitudes toward non-white races and cultures. Instead of idolizing Osler and other white men, we would do better to redirect our sense of who best exemplifies professional virtue to physicians of color who overcame the racism of their times to succeed professionally. This particular brand of iconoclasm has now become a common public ritual, as demands to remove Confederate statues have moved on to attacks on the American founders and on British heroes such as Churchill and Nelson. What these men exemplified, we are told, is racism and white supremacy. If not down the memory hole with them, at least let us see them clearly as the deplorable creatures they were, unworthy of the pedestals we have put them upon.

    There is no doubt that white male heroes of the Anglosphere in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries held many attitudes we now rightly find objectionable. It would be odd if they did not, as white racial and Western cultural superiority were unquestioned presumptions in the elite culture of the time. Persaud et al. and others seek to bring our present heightened sensitivity to racism to our cultural inheritance, bringing figures like Osler to the bar of contemporary standards for antiracist virtue and finding them wanting. This project is not wholly misguided. The important figures of our history need to be seen in light of their faults as well as of...

    Show More

    Persaud et al. urge us to rethink our high regard for Osler in light of his objectionable attitudes toward non-white races and cultures. Instead of idolizing Osler and other white men, we would do better to redirect our sense of who best exemplifies professional virtue to physicians of color who overcame the racism of their times to succeed professionally. This particular brand of iconoclasm has now become a common public ritual, as demands to remove Confederate statues have moved on to attacks on the American founders and on British heroes such as Churchill and Nelson. What these men exemplified, we are told, is racism and white supremacy. If not down the memory hole with them, at least let us see them clearly as the deplorable creatures they were, unworthy of the pedestals we have put them upon.

    There is no doubt that white male heroes of the Anglosphere in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries held many attitudes we now rightly find objectionable. It would be odd if they did not, as white racial and Western cultural superiority were unquestioned presumptions in the elite culture of the time. Persaud et al. and others seek to bring our present heightened sensitivity to racism to our cultural inheritance, bringing figures like Osler to the bar of contemporary standards for antiracist virtue and finding them wanting. This project is not wholly misguided. The important figures of our history need to be seen in light of their faults as well as of their accomplishments. And unsung physicians who struggled against the racism of their times should be recognized.

    Yet, while it is well to point out that Osler was a man of his time, it is something else to demand that our recognition of his greatness be withdrawn. An important aspect of professional identity is an awareness of history and especially of those professional forbears who reflect the ideals we aspire to in the present. Osler was a physician of towering accomplishment in medical science, in medical education and in medical humanism. He has inspired generations of internists by his dedication to science, his compassion for his patients and his care for his students. That he was a man of his time in regard to race is regrettable but not a reason to banish him from the pantheon—or to banish virtually every other major figure of that time in our history. Race was certainly a blind spot for Western elites of the recent past; what our own blind spots are will no doubt be revealed to posterity. To demand pristine moral purity on the issue of race as a condition for the favorable recognition of great accomplishment is a curiously myopic demand—a failure to acknowledge that there may, or in fact that there will, be motes in our own eyes as we go about our moral lives. Persaud and his colleagues should consider that perhaps particular moral failures are not disqualifying for heroism—or for inclusion in the professional guild. We should all be thankful for that.

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
  • Posted on: (16 November 2020)
    RE: a bit of perspective please
    • A. Mark Clarfield [MD FRCPC], Geriatrician, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and McGill University
    • Other Contributors:
      • David B Hogan, Geriatrician

    16 Nov 2020

    To the editor,

    re Persaud N et al. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”

    While we can accept much of what the authors wrote in their recent piece about Osler, we found the conclusion unsettling: "As statues of once-revered individuals who participated in racist crimes are being removed around the world, we should change Osler’s place in medical curricula ..."

    This recommendation smacks of presentism, which with respect to Osler has become widespread.1 As are we all, he was an imperfect human being and held attitudes now considered offensive but then prevalent, though not universal, in his social class. In addition to the sins of racism and sexism, Osler was also ageist by our standards.2 We should, however, consider the totality of his life. He advocated repeatedly for humanism in medicine, respecting the profession’s roots, and improving medical education. This is when he is referred to, if ever, in current medical curricula. We also dispute that he committed “racist crimes” as implied by Persaud et al. In researching his magisterial biography of Osler, Bliss wanted to uncover his failings3 but told one of us (AMC), "Believe me, I looked everywhere, in every source I could find” but to his surprise found little.

    One must identify and eradicate prejudice and discrimination
    in medicine. For example, we applaud the initiative of the University of Toronto in highlighting the most egregious example...

    Show More

    16 Nov 2020

    To the editor,

    re Persaud N et al. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”

    While we can accept much of what the authors wrote in their recent piece about Osler, we found the conclusion unsettling: "As statues of once-revered individuals who participated in racist crimes are being removed around the world, we should change Osler’s place in medical curricula ..."

    This recommendation smacks of presentism, which with respect to Osler has become widespread.1 As are we all, he was an imperfect human being and held attitudes now considered offensive but then prevalent, though not universal, in his social class. In addition to the sins of racism and sexism, Osler was also ageist by our standards.2 We should, however, consider the totality of his life. He advocated repeatedly for humanism in medicine, respecting the profession’s roots, and improving medical education. This is when he is referred to, if ever, in current medical curricula. We also dispute that he committed “racist crimes” as implied by Persaud et al. In researching his magisterial biography of Osler, Bliss wanted to uncover his failings3 but told one of us (AMC), "Believe me, I looked everywhere, in every source I could find” but to his surprise found little.

    One must identify and eradicate prejudice and discrimination
    in medicine. For example, we applaud the initiative of the University of Toronto in highlighting the most egregious example of racism in modern times, the behaviour of Nazi doctors. (: https://medicine.utoronto.ca/news/cultivating-moral-courage accessed November 15, 2020)
    We agree that Osler was a man of his times who held sexist, ageist, and some but not all of the common racist views of his day.4 He deserves criticism on these points, but it is simplistic to conflate this with his full legacy.

    Yours sincerely,

    A. Mark Clarfield MD FRCPC
    Emeritus Professor of Geriatric Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-sheva, Israel
    Professor (adjunct), McGill University, Montreal,QC

    David B. Hogan MD FRCPC
    Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary AB

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • 1) Shaheen-Hussain S. No pedestal for medical pioneer Sir William Osler. Montreal Gazette; 10 Aug 2020, Accessed November15, 2020 at: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/opinion-no-pedestal-for-medical-pioneer-sir-william-osler
    • 2) Hogan DB. Sir William Osler - Fixed Terms, Fixed Ideas and "Fixed Period." Annals RCPSC. 1995; 28 (1):25-29.
    • 3) Bliss M. William Osler: A Life in Medicine. University of Toronto Press. Toronto 2000.
    • 4) Hogan DB, Clarfield AM. Osler and the Jewish people. CMAJ June 01, 1997; 156 (11): 1559-1562.
  • Posted on: (15 November 2020)
    RE: William Osler:saint in a White man's dominion
    • Patricia Morley-Forster [MD, FRCPC, Pain Medicine Founder Status], Professor Emerita, Western University

    To the Authors: My first reaction on reading this article was to defend the racist statements made by Dr. Osler, in a different era, over a hundred years ago. After all, I thought, no one can be perfect; he was simply a man of his time. And he was an inspiring medical educator, responsible for promoting bedside teaching and patient-centered medicine. But as I read further I found myself in agreement with the authors' major point. History, as written by white Europeans, has ignored the lives and distinguished accomplishments of Canada's first black and indigenous physicians. They fought the endemic racism of 19th century Canada to graduate as doctors and make a contribution to our society. We definitely should acknowledge their courage. Statues should be raised in their honour, educational institutions named after them.

    I like to think that, given the chance, Osler would reconsider his racist attitudes. One of his many pithy quotes was this: " One special advantage of the skeptical attitude of mind is that a man is never vexed to find that, after all, he has been in the wrong." (2)

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • Osler, William. The Treatment of Disease. Canada Lancet 1909;42:899-912. [www.litfl.com]
  • Posted on: (12 November 2020)
    Co-existing heart failure does not diminish the stature of a giant
    • Gregory A. Kline [MD], Clinical Professor of Medicine/Endocrinology, University of Calgary

    I read with interest the recent humanities piece by Drs. Persaud et al. but have been left with confusion as to the authors’ intents. If the piece was intended to highlight or re-discover the contributions of those who have not yet received their due in the history of medicine, then the authors have my applause and appreciation. On the other hand, if the authors’ intent was to assassinate a person already long deceased, then I have to add a note of caution. Apparently, Dr. Osler may have said or thought some things that are embarrassingly unflattering to his character and certainly unkind to those to whom he referred. If so, I can only hope that no one ever wastes their time in the future writing about my career for surely someone somewhere will have a recollection of something I have said that I might regret at a later date (given the opportunity to recant or clarify – something Dr. Osler is unable to do at this point).

    Sir Isaac Newton (no hallowed saint himself) once said that, “if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” ​It is well recognized that Dr. Osler was one such "giant" in that he embraced the concept that medicine and medical education should be based upon science; he was the recognized leader of this movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. However, we would do well to pull out our endocrinology textbooks and recall that giants, for all their vertical advantages, can have many weaknesses as well: s...

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    I read with interest the recent humanities piece by Drs. Persaud et al. but have been left with confusion as to the authors’ intents. If the piece was intended to highlight or re-discover the contributions of those who have not yet received their due in the history of medicine, then the authors have my applause and appreciation. On the other hand, if the authors’ intent was to assassinate a person already long deceased, then I have to add a note of caution. Apparently, Dr. Osler may have said or thought some things that are embarrassingly unflattering to his character and certainly unkind to those to whom he referred. If so, I can only hope that no one ever wastes their time in the future writing about my career for surely someone somewhere will have a recollection of something I have said that I might regret at a later date (given the opportunity to recant or clarify – something Dr. Osler is unable to do at this point).

    Sir Isaac Newton (no hallowed saint himself) once said that, “if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” ​It is well recognized that Dr. Osler was one such "giant" in that he embraced the concept that medicine and medical education should be based upon science; he was the recognized leader of this movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. However, we would do well to pull out our endocrinology textbooks and recall that giants, for all their vertical advantages, can have many weaknesses as well: severe scoliosis, osteoarthritis, cardiomegaly with heart failure, diabetes, increased rates of cancer, sleep apnea, hypertension, hypopituitarism etc. For a medical practitioner (or the authors this CMAJ humanities piece) to diagnose a host of hidden but serious problems ​but omit the co-existing gigantism in which it occurs is as medically confused as it is historically inappropriate to use a person’s failings and weaknesses as a pretext to declare that their widely-appreciated help wasn’t so helpful after all. Giants can have problems that need diagnosis and correcting. But we still need to stand upon their shoulders to see beyond the barriers that otherwise stand in our way. Discovering and celebrating the best qualities of all those who work for the betterment of medical practice is surely a more charitable and gracious way to inspire others to do likewise while still generally acknowledging that humanity (including each of us!) has a long way to go.

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • Chan C. On the shoulders of giants. In: Mapping Scientific Frontiers: The Quest for Knowledge Visualization. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0051-5_5
    • Rostomyan L, Daly AF, Petrossians P, Nachev E, Lila AR, Lecoq AL, Lecumberri B, Trivellin G, Salvatori R, Moraitis AG, Holdaway I. Clinical and genetic characterization of pituitary gigantism: an international collaborative study in 208 patients. Endocrin
    • Beckers A, Petrossians P, Hanson J, Daly AF. The causes and consequences of pituitary gigantism. Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 2018 Dec;14(12):705-20.
  • Posted on: (10 November 2020)
    Saint Osler
    • Brian M. Cornelson [MD], Family physician, University of Calgary

    I am troubled by present-day society’s zealous identification of past wrongs by looking at historic figures through the lens of our present-day values. Turns out our saint Osler has demons. Do we risk negating all the good he contributed to medical practice by publicly defrocking him? That’s a clear risk in today’s black-or-white court of public opinion. Can we simply accept that he was a human with failings, as are we? How will we be judged a hundred years from now for the pervasive and persistent sexism and racism we tolerate in our ranks, or the perverse work ethic we condone that leads to high rates of addiction and suicide in our colleagues? Forgive Osler his past sins; it is ours that demand our consideration.

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: A Saint in Browntown?
    • Gina Ragini Agarwal [MBBS PHD MRCGP FCFP], Professor, Family Doctor, McMaster University

    At a time when attention is being focused on Black Lives, People of Colour and Indigenous Peoples, it is very poignant that Persaud et al have exposed some buried truths about Sir William Osler,(1) a man regarded by some leaders of the medical community in Canada as the ‘Father of Modern Medicine’.(2)

    Persaud et al merely hint at irony that I think needs some further elaboration. Sir William Osler has indeed had a hospital named after him and it is situated in Brampton, Ontario. This large bustling and busy hospital serves the surrounding community of majority visible minority patients in Brampton, also known as Brown-Town, Bramladesh and Singhville (3). In fact, the Census shows that in 2016, 73.31% (433,230 people) of Brampton’s population reported being a visible minority, ranked the fourth highest in number of visible minority populations in Canada; 60% were South Asian.(4) That’s a whole load of ‘coloured wards’ for doctors to see patients on!

    Naming a health care building after a medical historical individual of prominence implies that you uphold the values that they portray. Indeed, many renowned medical individuals have been indicted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (5). It is notable that of these 137 Laureates, only 3% are people of colour (and those four were all men); none were black or indigenous. How does that reflect on our system of medical accolade?

    At a time when truth and reconciliation are paramount, it begs the question as t...

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    At a time when attention is being focused on Black Lives, People of Colour and Indigenous Peoples, it is very poignant that Persaud et al have exposed some buried truths about Sir William Osler,(1) a man regarded by some leaders of the medical community in Canada as the ‘Father of Modern Medicine’.(2)

    Persaud et al merely hint at irony that I think needs some further elaboration. Sir William Osler has indeed had a hospital named after him and it is situated in Brampton, Ontario. This large bustling and busy hospital serves the surrounding community of majority visible minority patients in Brampton, also known as Brown-Town, Bramladesh and Singhville (3). In fact, the Census shows that in 2016, 73.31% (433,230 people) of Brampton’s population reported being a visible minority, ranked the fourth highest in number of visible minority populations in Canada; 60% were South Asian.(4) That’s a whole load of ‘coloured wards’ for doctors to see patients on!

    Naming a health care building after a medical historical individual of prominence implies that you uphold the values that they portray. Indeed, many renowned medical individuals have been indicted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (5). It is notable that of these 137 Laureates, only 3% are people of colour (and those four were all men); none were black or indigenous. How does that reflect on our system of medical accolade?

    At a time when truth and reconciliation are paramount, it begs the question as to whether indeed other medically noteworthy names may be more apt and reflective of modern society’s values. And yet, sadly, there are few names noted in the haloed halls of medical history that accurately reflect BIPOC individuals’ contribution to our noble profession. We stand invisible, even in a city in which we are a majority.

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    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • 1. Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • 2. The William Osler Papers. Biographical Overview. Accesed 9/11/20 https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/spotlight/gf/feature/biographical-overview
    • 3. Ahmed-Ullah. N. How Brampton, a town in suburban Ontario, was dubbed a ghetto. Globe and Mail. June 3, 2016 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/brampton-a-story-of-political-importance-power-and-ethnic-enclaves/article30273820/
    • 4. Brampton City Proffile, 2016 Statistics Canada. Accessed 9/11/20 https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3521010&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&
    • 5. Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Laureates. Accessed 9/11/20 https://www.cdnmedhall.org/laureates
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    Dare we hope
    • Vivian McAlister [MB, FRCSC], Surgeon, University of Western Ontario

    In an era when cries of “Lock her up” can rile a crowd to frenzy, it is the duty of a responsible editor to ensure that declamatory comment is backed up by academic rigour. It is clear CMAJ failed this test today.1 It has compounded the error by encouraging the media to fan the flames so that the associated front page article of The Star claims that the journal is calling for an end to celebrating Osler.2 Neither the authors nor the editor acknowledged the debt that CMAJ has to Osler, who not only encouraged its foundation but frequently contributed articles when he was world-renowned and the journal not. The article is based on a non-sequitur. Osler never hindered Drs. Augusta, Abbott, Oronhyatekha nor Jones. Indeed, I believe that he would have supported the current interest in these doctors, just as societies named for Osler have supported research into their lives. All of these doctors are included in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, easily available online. Drs Augusta and Abbott feature in a book to be published by the American College of Surgeons on the historical role of Black surgeons in American medicine. Dr. Michelle Hamilton presented to Western's Osler Club on her biography of Dr Oronhyatekha, published by Dundurn Press a few years ago.3 The authors used hearsay to condemn Osler. Mortality from pneumonia was higher in Black patients just as mortality from COVID-19 is today. Why did the authors not quote from Osler when he addressed the topic directly...

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    In an era when cries of “Lock her up” can rile a crowd to frenzy, it is the duty of a responsible editor to ensure that declamatory comment is backed up by academic rigour. It is clear CMAJ failed this test today.1 It has compounded the error by encouraging the media to fan the flames so that the associated front page article of The Star claims that the journal is calling for an end to celebrating Osler.2 Neither the authors nor the editor acknowledged the debt that CMAJ has to Osler, who not only encouraged its foundation but frequently contributed articles when he was world-renowned and the journal not. The article is based on a non-sequitur. Osler never hindered Drs. Augusta, Abbott, Oronhyatekha nor Jones. Indeed, I believe that he would have supported the current interest in these doctors, just as societies named for Osler have supported research into their lives. All of these doctors are included in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, easily available online. Drs Augusta and Abbott feature in a book to be published by the American College of Surgeons on the historical role of Black surgeons in American medicine. Dr. Michelle Hamilton presented to Western's Osler Club on her biography of Dr Oronhyatekha, published by Dundurn Press a few years ago.3 The authors used hearsay to condemn Osler. Mortality from pneumonia was higher in Black patients just as mortality from COVID-19 is today. Why did the authors not quote from Osler when he addressed the topic directly? Why did the editors not correct the intended, but false, impression that Drs Augusta, Abbott, Oronhyatekha and Jones are forgotten because we are obsessed with Osler?

    “By his commission the physician is sent to the sick, and knowing in his calling neither Jew nor Gentile, bond or free, perhaps he alone rises superior to those differences which separate and make us dwell apart, too often oblivious to the common hopes and common frailties which should bind us together”4

    “...the priestly character of the physician has vanished with the ages; still there is left with us a strong feeling, of brotherhood, a sense of unity, which the limitations of language, race and country have not been able to efface”4

    “Distinctions of race, nationality, colour, and creed are unknown within the portals of the temple of Aesculapius. Dare we dream that this harmony and cohesion so rapidly developing in medicine, obliterating the strongest lines of division, knowing no tie of loyalty, but loyalty to truth – dare we hope, I say, that in the wider range of human affairs a similar solidarity may ultimately be reached?”5

    If we have not achieved what Osler dared to hope for a century ago, we should look to ourselves before we sling mud at another.

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • Oved M. Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine, made openly racist statements — and it’s time to stop celebrating him, medical journal article says. The Star. November 9, 2020
    • Hamilton M, Jamieson K. Dr. Oronhyatekha: Security, Justice, and Equality. 2017 Dundurn Press (Toronto) ISBN 978-1-45970-663-7
    • Osler W. Rudolph Virchow, the man and the student. Boston Med Surg J 1891; 125: 425-7
    • Osler W. Aequanamitas with other addresses to medical students, nurses and practitioners of medicine. 1925 P Blakiston's son & co. (Philadelphia) 188
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: Defining a person by their skin colour is also racist. Erasing history will doom us to repeat it.
    • Gregory K Chan [MD], Physician, University of Alberta

    Dear Authors (Persaud et al.)

    We are in a country where there is free speech
    This article, an opinion, is an expression of free speech.

    I would agree that William Osler is no saint. None of us are perfect. He was a human being. He had flaws. He had strengths.

    I don’t believe any person should be elevated above another human being – it does not matter whether they have a skill, have a particular appearance, possess great speaking skills, or if they are ‘racialized and possibly oppressed and have a story to tell’ - we are all human. To elevate another human being would create separation and disparity. To elevate a person based on race is, inherently, racist. To define someone based on their race is, inherently, racist.

    I would agree that people have a story to tell. Both positive and negative contributions should stimulate critical thinking - “What can I learn from this person’s example?”

    From the article: “As statues of once-revered individuals who participated in racist crimes are being removed around the world, we should change Osler’s place in medical curricula and explicitly address racism in medicine.”

    I disagree with the author statement and logic. This author wants cancel a person from medical curricula. Upon review of their character as a whole, a person should be cancelled. Such a knee-jerk, emotional response has consequences. It’s so convenient to point fingers and pass judgement at a person, especially a dead one,...

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    Dear Authors (Persaud et al.)

    We are in a country where there is free speech
    This article, an opinion, is an expression of free speech.

    I would agree that William Osler is no saint. None of us are perfect. He was a human being. He had flaws. He had strengths.

    I don’t believe any person should be elevated above another human being – it does not matter whether they have a skill, have a particular appearance, possess great speaking skills, or if they are ‘racialized and possibly oppressed and have a story to tell’ - we are all human. To elevate another human being would create separation and disparity. To elevate a person based on race is, inherently, racist. To define someone based on their race is, inherently, racist.

    I would agree that people have a story to tell. Both positive and negative contributions should stimulate critical thinking - “What can I learn from this person’s example?”

    From the article: “As statues of once-revered individuals who participated in racist crimes are being removed around the world, we should change Osler’s place in medical curricula and explicitly address racism in medicine.”

    I disagree with the author statement and logic. This author wants cancel a person from medical curricula. Upon review of their character as a whole, a person should be cancelled. Such a knee-jerk, emotional response has consequences. It’s so convenient to point fingers and pass judgement at a person, especially a dead one, and throw them out. They’re dead. You can’t dialogue with a dead person. It is equally easy to elevate a person from the past based on written documents. We have limited information to pass judgement. Erasing history will enable future generations to repeat the mistakes of our past.

    Although people are tearing down statues around the world, should we follow suit blindly? Follow the trend? Act out of pure emotion and feeling?

    Throughout this article, it is hard to get a sense of any grace and dignity. Grace and forgiveness to people regardless of whether that person has done right or wrong? Shall we continue canceling the dead? Under this flawed logic, we are all guilty and none of us should be here and we should all be cancelled.

    Dr. Gregory Chan

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    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: Osler
    • Mary Seeman [MD], Professor Emerita (Psychiatry), Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

    In response to Persaud et al. (1), thank you for bringing the contributions of Thomas Augusta and Anderson Ruffin Abbott to the awareness of the medical community. Osler doesn’t need revisiting and revision because he made an indelible impression on his thousands of students that they, in turn, passed on to the generations of students that followed. In his voluminous writings, he bequeathed to us an essential philosophy of medicine (treat the patient not the disease) and left us with a host of quotable quotes, notably, “No human being is constituted to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and even the best of men must be content with fragments, with partial glimpses, never the full fruition.” (2)

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • 2. Osler W., Hinohara S., Niki H. A Way of Life and Other Addresses, with Commentary and Annotations. Duke University Press, Durham, N. Carolina, 2001, p.308.
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: racial discrmination in Canada
    • adebola OE Obayan [MD,PhD,FRCSC], general surgeon, NHRA, University of Manitoba

    Every day black doctors and trainee are racially discriminated against. This is worse in the academic medical institutions when it is impossible to get a foot in the door. The university of Toronto only had one black student for 4year until she complained. No matter what extra training one attains you are not fit for positions in tertiary medical centre. The worse group is general surgery like those described who in 2020 have no single black general surgeon in Academic position but make sure it is only for Caucasians.
    In summary as a black surgeon symbols are not adequate we want to see practical change like open opportunity for Black in tertiary institutions then we can begin the conversation.

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: Osler’s Racism
    • Jeffrey P. Ludemann [MDCM, FRCSC], Pediatric Otolaryngologist, British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital, UBC;, Principle Founder of dontchoke.ubc.ca

    Thank you for your insightful article. Your points regarding Dr. Osler’s racism are, in my opinion, totally correct and valid.

    Dr. Chevalier Q. Jackson (1865-1958), artist, medical instrument maker, and true pioneer in Pediatric Otolaryngology and Bronchoesophagology, was not a racist. As a child in rural Western Pennsylvania, “little 'Chev'” was nearly bullied to death by his peers; this was in response to “little ‘Chev’” showing his extreme “sensitivity” to the plight of all humans (and all living creatures). As a physician, Jackson had great respect for medical and nursing colleagues in all of the Americas (and in Europe), regardless of their race, gender or socio-economic status.

    Perhaps Chevalier Q. Jackson’s example, as a non-racist medical innovator and educator - and as a true Humanitarian - should be held higher.

    N.B. The movie Something the Lord Made also explores, with powerful insight, the topic of racism in Medicine and Surgery (albeit during a different time).

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_the_Lord_Made

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • Jackson, C.: The Life of Chevalier Jackson, An Autobiography, New York: McMillan Co., 1938
    • Cleft, L.: Chevalier Jackson. Arch Otolaryngol—Vol 83, March 1966
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    “Distinctions of race, nationality, colour, and creed are unknown within the portals of the temple of Æsculapius.” – William Osler (1849-1919), Montreal, 1 September 1897.
    • Nadeem Toodayan, Medical Registrar, The Wollongong Hospital; Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

    Friends,

    The subject of racism in medicine has come increasingly under the spotlight over the past few years, although the broader issue of inequality in healthcare has been studied for much longer. It is understandable – even desirable – that physicians from minority communities should be engaged in resolving such injustices, but a responsible rather than resentful approach is required. The insinuation that William Osler – modern medicine’s most beloved professional icon – was racist is remarkable, and a considered study of his life and writings will make this abundantly clear. Osler’s bibliography is brimming with both explicit and implicit remarks decrying divisiveness in all its forms and encouraging social harmony. His above quoted remark is just one of very many unambiguous statements encouraging professional tolerance and cohesion.

    Persaud and colleagues seem to perceive that Osler himself did not live up to such ideals. “Not by the lips, but by the life,” they might well say with Osler, “are men influenced in their beliefs.” But all throughout his life, William Osler was a warm and approachable supporter of minority physicians whenever he came into contact with them. Walter Sydney Atkinson (1881-1978), Wu Lien-teh (1879-1960), and John Andrew Kenney Sr. (1874-1950), are good examples of “racialized physicians” who spoke highly of Osler’s influence and character. Additionally, Osler was particularly indiscriminate in praising good medical work,...

    Show More

    Friends,

    The subject of racism in medicine has come increasingly under the spotlight over the past few years, although the broader issue of inequality in healthcare has been studied for much longer. It is understandable – even desirable – that physicians from minority communities should be engaged in resolving such injustices, but a responsible rather than resentful approach is required. The insinuation that William Osler – modern medicine’s most beloved professional icon – was racist is remarkable, and a considered study of his life and writings will make this abundantly clear. Osler’s bibliography is brimming with both explicit and implicit remarks decrying divisiveness in all its forms and encouraging social harmony. His above quoted remark is just one of very many unambiguous statements encouraging professional tolerance and cohesion.

    Persaud and colleagues seem to perceive that Osler himself did not live up to such ideals. “Not by the lips, but by the life,” they might well say with Osler, “are men influenced in their beliefs.” But all throughout his life, William Osler was a warm and approachable supporter of minority physicians whenever he came into contact with them. Walter Sydney Atkinson (1881-1978), Wu Lien-teh (1879-1960), and John Andrew Kenney Sr. (1874-1950), are good examples of “racialized physicians” who spoke highly of Osler’s influence and character. Additionally, Osler was particularly indiscriminate in praising good medical work, and included references to contributions from diverse backgrounds in his lectures on The Evolution of Modern Medicine (1921). In 1914, he specifically sought out the Kurdish physician Dr Sa’eed Khan with views to restoring the Hamadan tomb of the great Persian polymath Avicenna (c. 980-1037) – “one of the greatest names in the history of medicine” – a clear instance of Osler’s respect for medicine’s international heritage. Finally, Osler was strikingly liberal in his personal dealings with foreigners. Consider his observations regarding “the Musselman at prayer” during his 1911 visit to Egypt: “it seemed the very apotheosis of worship – so simple, so fitting in its attitude and with words so appropriate to human feelings.”

    William Osler was not racist, and he cannot be held personally responsible – as Persaud and colleagues imply – for the normalisation of racial inequalities in medicine. The historical record is unequivocally clear concerning Osler’s most attractive quality – his unconditional love for others – and this is consistently brought out in the reminiscences of his former colleagues and by those wishing to revitalize his legacy in more recent times. Osler may indeed have made a few off-hand comments that we would disagree with if repeated today but these remarks did not define him as a person and should not be used to denigrate his character one hundred years after his death. Rather, he should be upheld as a powerful advocate for a profession free from racism.

    Show Less
    Competing Interests: The author is a foundation member of The William Osler Society of Australia and New Zealand (www.wosanz.org). A more expansive response to Persaud's article will be included in volume 2 of the society's journal.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
    • Osler quotations from "British Medicine in Greater Britain" (1897), "Science and Immortality" (1904), and "The Evolution of Modern Medicine" (1913; published 1921).
    • Atkinson WS. An Osler Memorandum. JAMA. 1970; 211(12): 2018. Lien-Teh W. Reminiscences of Sir William Osler in Abbott's Memorial Volume (1926). Kenney JA. The Debt of Modern Medicine to Sir William Osler, Bart. J Natl Med Assoc. 1946; 38(3): 81-85.
    • Futcher PH. William Osler's Religion. Arch Intern Med. 1961; 107(4): 475-479.
    • Biographical details from Cushing (1925) and Bliss (1999).
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: More medicine less racism please
    • Mike Figurski [MD CA-CPHIMS BSc(h)], General Practitioner, Whitefoot Medical Clinic

    I attempted to verify the racist incidents and statements attributed to Dr. Osler in the article by Drs. Persaus Butts and Berger but was unable to do so, except those to his satirical pseudonym, Eggerton Yorrick Davis.  Most are "quoted" from contemporary articles, based on other contemporary articles, based on 3rd party hearsay.  A good example is citation 2, which quotes a 2019 McGill student proclamation which quotes a 1989 UBC press publication, which quotes an unnamed source from the Canada Club in 1914.  Similarly the evidence for sexism was the recollection of a female medical student who alleges he told her to go home the first time they met in her book years later.  EYD wrote entirely fiction, meant more to illustrate gullibility than science including "penis captivus", and that old men were useless and should be killed and cremated (1).  This would be akin to quoting the April Fools edition of the CMAJ as scientific fact, although this would be more obviously incompetent and therefor less likely to cause harm.  I would ask the CMAJ to focus on medicine, or at least to apply higher editorial standards. I enjoy reading articles that challenge what I think I know, but only if well written and researched.

    Competing Interests: older white male

    References

    • (1) https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/in-1905-a-canadian-hero-said-old-people-were-useless-and-sparked-an-internet-sized-public-shaming
  • Posted on: (9 November 2020)
    RE: William Osler
    • Douglass H. Dalton [M.D.C.M.; F.C.F.P.], Family Physician, CLSC Métro, Montreal

    I read the article with interest. One of the forgotten members of the "racialised" medical community was The Rev. Dr. William Wright who taught pharmacology at McGill at the end of the 19th century. He was of mixed race and described himself as "mulatto". This physician, professor and Anglican priest died (I believe) in 1908. William Osler was a major contributor to a stained glass memorial in his honour in the Church of St. John the Evangelist, Montreal.

    Competing Interests: None declared.

    References

    • Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger. William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”. CMAJ 2020;192:E1414-E1416.
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In this issue

Canadian Medical Association Journal: 192 (45)
CMAJ
Vol. 192, Issue 45
9 Nov 2020
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William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”
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William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”
Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger
CMAJ Nov 2020, 192 (45) E1414-E1416; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.201567

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William Osler: saint in a “White man’s dominion”
Nav Persaud, Heather Butts, Philip Berger
CMAJ Nov 2020, 192 (45) E1414-E1416; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.201567
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