Please join us for our second meeting of 2022. We are delighted to welcome Patrick Outhwaite (University of Groningen), who will speak on 'The Collecting Habits of William Osler: The Library Then and Now'.
Abstract:
1929 marked the opening of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine and the publication of its original catalogue, the Bibliotheca Osleriana. From its inception, the library had a clear set of aims that were defined by Osler himself and laid forth in the Bibliotheca. William Osler’s ambition was to create a library of significant authors in the history of medicine for teaching purposes. His modest collection of western medieval manuscripts presents a certain cohesion, reflecting the collecting habits and pedagogical aims of one person. This presentation explores the collecting habits of William Osler in comparison to his contemporary, and often auction house rival, Henry Wellcome. Through an investigation of the specific material details of the western medieval manuscripts, this talk reassesses the significance of Osler’s collecting philosophy over a century after his death.
** Please note this is a one hour session **