British Canadian, known as "king of pranks", Osler was one of the "big four" founding members of the Johns Hopkins Hospital where he had arrived in 1888 as physician in chief. He is best remembered for establishing the medical residency programme, taking medical students to the bedside, writing major textbooks[2] and whilst in England as Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford, founding the history of medicine section at the RSM in 1912. Raymond Crawfurd described him as a "magnet" in attracting members. Undeterred by opposing Sir Richard Douglas Powell who felt the Society had too many sections already, Osler meticulously planned the establishment of the History section, individually writing to more than 160 potential members. He considered the section one of his better achievements in his later years and his wish was for it to be a common meeting place for "scholars, students and all those who feel that the study of the history of medicine has a value in education".[1]
Crawfurd graduated in classics from New College, Oxford in 1888, before studying medicine. Primarily physician and lecturer at King's College, he became its medical Dean and major player in moving the hospital to Denmark Hill, for which he was knighted in 1933. Due to chronic illness, he left active medicine and wrote on history of medicine, publications including, The Last Days of Charles II (1909), The King's Evil (1911) and Plague and Pestilence in Literature and Art (1914).[5]
Physician at St Bartholemew's, Power was a prolific writer of medical history.[7] He later recalled how the section was "more like a family than an integral part of a great scientific society".[1]
Physician, pathologist and historian, he was invited to Oxford by William Osler in 1914, later becoming professor in history of medicine at University of London in 1930. One of the original history section members, Singer retained his position as editorial representative for twenty three years and maintained a high quality of the section's publications. He supported refugee scholars fleeing Nazi Europe and is known for his many publications of short histories. He kept a miniature set of traffic lights to control lengths of speakers, switching to red when they became dull or prolonged.[1][9]
After studying at St. Bartholomew's Hospital Singer's primary appointment was at the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, where he remained for the next twenty-nine years. He co-authored the textbook on Fibroid Diseases of the Lung, and The Science and Art of Prescribing and wrote The Illness and Death of Napoleon Bonaparte (1913). He loved old books and prints, and became Harveian Librarian at the Royal College of Physicians.[10][11]
Consulting physician to the National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart and the Royal Waterloo Hospital and a staunch Liberal, and a member of the Reform Club. His main interest was in the classics and was demonstrated in his book on The Relation of Medicine to Philosophy, his Fitzpatrick Lecture before the Royal College of Physicians in 1921 on Hippocrates and his successors. He witnessed "three wars and contested five general elections".[18]
Physician and surgeon who wrote a textbook on surgery and the history of medicine. At the jubilee meeting of the section, he pleaded for younger professionals to be involved.[1]
Guthrie, an ENT surgeon,[12] wrote A History of Medicine (1945), which gained fame following a review by George Bernard Shaw.[29] He gave his presidential address in 1957 when he stated "…it is obvious that history supplies an essential basis of medicine. It gives us ideals to follow, inspirations for our work and hope for the future".[30]
Accomplishing a great deal to promote history of medicine, Copeman attributed the establishment of the faculty of history of medicine and philosophy in 1959 to much of the section's influence.[1]
ENT surgeon at King's College Hospital and various other London hospitals, Cawthorne also became president of the Harveian Society and the Royal Society of Medicine. He was knighted in 1964.[33] In 1968, he was elected president of the section.However, he died before delivering his address.[1]
Anaesthetist with special interest in Otolaryngology, Cartwright published on history of medicine, became Head of the Department of History of Medicine at King's College Medical School, London and was active at the Faculty of History of Medicine and Philosophy of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries.[37]
^ abHenderson, Moll, J. M. H. (John) Michael (1996). Presidents of the Royal Society of Medicine : illustrated profiles, 1805–1996 : Dr. William Saunders to Sir Donald Harrison. London: Royal Society of Medicine Press. pp. 265–266. ISBN978-1853152641. OCLC36506805.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ abcdefghProceedings of the royal society of medicine – 56 – 1963 – supplement. Royal Society of Medicine Library: H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd. 1962. pp. 1–9.
^Alumni Cantabrigienses : a Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900. Volume 2 Part 2. From 1752 to 1900. Venn, John Archibald., Venn, John. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2011. p. 215. ISBN9781108036122. OCLC889954771.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Berridge, Virginia (1990). "4. Health and Medicine". In Thompson, F. M. L. (ed.). The Cambridge Social History of Britain, 1750-1950. Cambridge University Press. p. 171. ISBN0521438144.
^Keele, C.A. "Kenneth David Keele". munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk. Royal College of Physicians. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
^Robb-Smith, AHT. "William Henry McMenemey". munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk. Royal College of Physicians. Retrieved 7 August 2017.