“I would like an arrangement made with publishing houses in India and Australia to issue special editions of my text-book in those countries ... I have so many friends in both places, many of them men in official and teaching positions that the book would be adopted in the schools — as indeed it has been at Sydney ...”
The first part of this article examined the life and medical influences of William Osler (Box 1) in the context of his Australian connections. This second part looks at his encounters with Australians in the final years of his life, and the influence and legacy he left on Australian practitioners and medical practice after his death.
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- 1. Cushing H. The life of Sir William Osler. 1st ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1925.
- 2. Roxanas MG. Harvey Cushing and some Australian connections: part 1 — early life and work. J Clin Neurosci 2010; 17: 168-172.
- 3. Walsh GP. Fiaschi, Piero Francis Bruno (1879–1948). Australian Dictionary of Biography 1981; 8: 491-492. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1981.
- 4. Osler G. Letters from Lady Grace Osler. Osler Library, McGill University, Montreal.
- 5. Fraenkel GJ. Hugh Cairns: first Nuffield Professor of Surgery, University of Oxford. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.
- 6. Hughes JT. Hugh Cairns (1896–1952) and the mobile neurosurgical units of World War II. J Med Biogr 2004; 12: 18-24.
- 7. Young J, Sefton A, Webb N. Centenary book of the University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine. Sydney: Sydney University Press, 1984.
- 8. Scot Skirving R. Reviews — William Osler. Med J Aust 1925; 2: 457-458.
- 9. Scot Skirving R. The life of Sir William Osler. Sydney: Australasian Medical Publishing Company, 1926.
- 10. Feindel W. In memoriam: William Carleton Gibson, 4 September, 1913 – 4 July, 2009. Osler Libr Newsl 2009; (112): 14-15.
- 11. MacDermot HE. On gavels. Can Med Assoc J 1972; 106: 1109.
- 12. Lilienthal C. 2008: forty year reunion biographies, Faculty of Medicine graduates, University of NSW. Sydney, 2008.
- 13. Isbister JP. Clinching the diagnosis: what would Osler say today? Pathology 1983; 15: 361-363.
- 14. Preda A. The master-word of Dr William Osler. Sydney: Fast Books, 1996.
- 15. O’Rourke MF. William Osler: a model for the 21st century [editorial]? Med J Aust 1999; 171: 577-579. <MJA full text>
- 16. Anonymous. Obituary: James Linklater Thomson Isbister. Med J Aust 1937; 1: 152-154.
- 17. Golden RL, Roxanas M. William Osler’s textbook: the Australian edition. Osler Libr Newsl 2007; (108): 4-6.
I wish to sincerely thank Elizabeth Milford (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons), Pamela Miller (Osler Library), Liz Rouse (Royal Australasian College of Physicians), Kay Lee and Frances Miechels (Concord Hospital Medical Library) who contributed to this article with their willing help in searching references and pictures. I acknowledge with gratitude the inspiration and guidance of Dr Charles George, Dr Richard Golden, Dr Oleg Preda, Professor Michael O’Rourke and Dr Jill Forrest.
None identified.