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RSVP to osler.library [at] mcgill.ca by April 14

Dear Friends,

On Saturday, April 18th from 11 am to 1 pm the Osler Library of the History of Medicine will be holding a special celebration commemorating several of its builders and benefactors.

Dr. William Feindel, (1918-2014), Honourary Osler Librarian, will be honoured with the unveiling of a very significant acquisition by the library: a very rare collection of five life-sized anatomical illustrations painted on silk. These were produced in France in the 17th century and used by the French anatomist and medical professor Dr. Amé Bourdon to illustrate his lectures and his 1678 anatomical atlas. This addition to the library’s rich anatomical collection seems a fitting tribute to Dr. Feindel’s memory, who, like Osler himself, epitomised someone whose appreciation of the past nurtured his vision for the future.

We will also be recognising the generosity of the Class of ‘61 whose class gift supported the publication of a facsimile edition of the Herbal of al-Ghafiqi, one of the rarest items in the Osler Library, and the Class of ‘82, whose generosity has allowed the library to build its endowment and has made a number of important acquisitions possible.

We will also be celebrating the achievements of Dr. W. W. Francis and the generosity of his decedents. Dr. Francis’ life-long devotion to Osler and the Osler Library has been replicated by his family, who recently donated a number of important Oslerian books and papers to the library. We will also be remembering Dr. Joseph Stratford and Dr. Edward H. Bensley, two men whose legacies were recognised recently by important donations to the
library.

We very much hope you can join us, and we welcome you to invite others who may be interested in attending as well. For more information contact Chris Lyons at christopher.lyons [at] mcgill.ca or 514-707-2108.