History of Medicine Society

Founded by Sir William Osler in 1912, the History of Medicine Society (formally "section"), at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), London, is one of the oldest History of Medicine societies in the world and is one of the four founder committees of the British Society for the History of Medicine.

History of Medicine Society
Formation1912
FounderSir William Osler
TypeCharity
Purpose'To foster an interest in all aspects of the history of medicine'[1]
Location
  • 1 Wimpole Street, London
President
Sean P. F. Hughes[2]
Parent organization
The Royal Society of Medicine
AffiliationsBritish Society for the History of Medicine Worshipful Society of Apothecaries
WebsiteHistory of Medicine Society

It covers every medical speciality and with the support from numerous notable physicians and surgeons of the time, including Sir Francis Champneys, Sir Ronald Ross and others, the first meeting on 20 November 1912 had 160 attendees. Subsequently, the society's events became regular and it continues to hold regular events at the RSM in London.

Every year, undergraduate prizes are awarded in memory of the late pathologist Norah Schuster. Eponymous lectures are also held, including the C. E. Wallis lecture every five years.

Origins

Interest in the history of medicine at the RSM can be traced back to 1818, when an exhibition of the Chamberlen family's obstetric instruments took place at the Medical and Chirurgical Society of London. At the request of Dr Joseph Frank Payne, physician who was interested in the history of medicine, the RSM agreed to incorporate one meeting in each session on a historical topic.[3]

Following a failed attempt by Sir D'Arcy Power to form the society in 1900, Osler then succeeded in founding the society by writing 168 personal invitations and planning for "all those who feel that the study of the history of medicine has a value in education".[3] It was considered by Osler to be one of the three most useful things he achieved during his life in England.[4][3][5]

It covers every medical speciality and with the support from Sir Francis Champneys, Sir Raymond Crawfurd, Sir Thomas Clifford Allbutt, Sir Ronald Ross, Sir William Selby Church, Sir Henry Morris, Henry Barnes and Professor Richard Caton, the first meeting on 20 November 1912 had 160 attendees.[3][6]

The society's lectures by Osler, as the first president, covered William Petty's manuscripts and the history of Anaesthesia, and encouraging research and scholarship in topics. Despite opposition from Sir Richard Douglas Powell, Osler personally invited guests to join the new society. When the 50th Jubilee of the Section was celebrated at a special meeting on 21 November 1962 it was noted that "the contribution to the knowledge of medical history made by the Section has been very considerable".[6]

It is one of the oldest history of medicine societies in the world and is also one of the four founder committees of the British Society for the History of Medicine.[4][7][8]

The president's medal was initiated by William Hartstorn, who was president between 1973 and 1975. It was made by Kim Southam and donated by Maurice Newbold and officers of the section in 1976.[3]

Prizes

Norah Schuster Prize
Lee Hatter, Norah Schuster prize winner in 2017
Norah Schuster Prize winners, 2018

Named after the late clinical pathologist, Norah Schuster,[4] every year, since 1991, three essays in the field of history of medicine or science are chosen to receive this prestigious award.[9][10] The winners are invited to give a short presentation on their research.[11][12][13] This has opened up opportunities for medical students to further their careers.[14]

Eponymous lectures

C. E. Wallis Lecture

Named after doctor and Dental surgeon, Charles Edward Wallis, this memorial lecture is given every five years and arranged in conjunction of the Odontology section. Wallis was active at the RSM and interested in history and Archaeology.[15][16][17] His brother, Mr Ferdinand Wallis donated £100 in 1927 to fund a lecturer, appointed by the society to speak on the history of dentistry.[17][18]

Bynum Lecture

Sponsored by Cambridge University Press, the Bynum lecture is named after medical historian Professor W. F. Bynum. This lecture is given annually by a practising social historian.[19][20]

Honorary Fellows

2017 Tilli Tansey has been elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.[21]

Notable dates
Sir Archibald Garrod
  • 1912: First Meeting on 20 November, with Sir William Osler as first president.
  • 1919: First lady to present a paper to the society, Dorothea Waley Singer.[3]
  • 1927: First British qualified female dentist, Lilian Lindsay presented "The London Dentist of the 18th Century".[22]
  • 1932: Meeting in honour of Sir Archibald Garrod[3]
  • 1950: First female president of History of Medicine Society, Lilian Lindsay.[3]
  • 1962: Jubilee of History of Medicine Society. Attracting younger colleagues highlighted as an issue.[3]
  • 1993: GMC issues "Tomorrows Doctors", which promotes studies in the history of medicine. Subsequently, in 1997, the society organised a symposium on "The history of medicine and tomorrows doctors".[3][23]

Involvements

Dr William Withering's letters

These were bestowed by Osler in his will.[3]

Sir William Hale-White, president of RSM 1922–1924 was a lecturer in Medicine who, following retirement, studied the history of medicine and wrote on René Laennec[24] and John Keats.[25] He is best known for cataloguing William Withering's letters.[26][27] A facsimile of Withering's letter was published by Dr Ronald Mann in 1986.[3]

Chalmers Room

Dr Albert John Chalmers, born in Manchester in 1870, was a physician in tropical medicine in Ghana and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He died in India in 1920 and was documented to have an interest in the history of medicine.[28] His wife donated £500 and 350 old books from Chalmer's personal library, including a first printed edition of Celsus, 1478, to the new Chalmer's room on the RSM library's third floor. This room was opened by a ceremony on 23 June 1922.[29] Although the actual room no longer exists, many of its books were displayed in 2016 as part of an exhibition in the RSM library.[30]

Origins
  • Sir William Osler
  • D'Arcy Power
  • Joseph Frank Payne, 2nd from right
  • Sir Richard Douglas Powell - Opposition
  • Sir Francis Champneys
  • Sir Ronald Ross
  • Sir William Selby Church
  • Sir Henry Morris
  • 1912 Council Minutes

See also

References
  1. the Society's Constitution
  2. "Welcoming the RSM's new section presidents". www.rsm.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  3. Hunting, Penelope (2002). The History of The Royal Society of Medicine. Royal Society of Medicine Press. pp. 330–333. ISBN 1853154970.
  4. "An introduction to the RSM's History of Medicine Society". www.rsm.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  5. Bliss, Michael (1999). William Osler, A lifetime in medicine. Oxford University Press. p. 415. ISBN 0195123468.
  6. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine – 56 – 1963 – supplement. Royal Society of Medicine Library: H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd. 1962. pp. 1–9.
  7. "The British Society for The History of Medicine Foundation". Medical History. 9 (4): 390–391. 1965. doi:10.1017/S0025727300031069. PMC 1033538.
  8. "Historical sketch of the ISHM". Archived from the original on 5 June 2013.
  9. "Victoria Thwaites". www.swansea.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  10. "RSM Norah Schuster essay prize" (PDF).
  11. "History of Medicine Norah Schuster Essay Prize". 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  12. "Bursaries". Apothecaries. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  13. "Imperial College Students win the Royal Society of Medicine's Norah Schuster Prize for History of Medicine". FoM Staff Blog. Imperial College London. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  14. "Success Stories". www.reidtrust.org.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  15. "CE Wallis lecture given by Mr Malcolm Bishop". www.rsm.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  16. "News at RSM" (PDF). RSM News. 2012. p. 6. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  17. Gelbier, Stanley; Randall, Sheila (1982). "Charles Edward Wallis and the rise of London's School Dental Service". Medical History. 26 (4): 395–404. doi:10.1017/s0025727300041818. PMC 1139219. PMID 6757599.
  18. RSM Calendars 1935 – 1948. RSM, London: Royal Society of Medicine. 1948. p. 18.
  19. "William Bynum Lecture 2016 – now available online – Global Health Histories, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  20. "Medical History WT/CUP Landmark – Global Health Histories, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  21. "Honorary Fellowship Ceremony and inauguration of new President". www.rsm.ac.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  22. Lindsay, Lilian (17 March 1926). "The London Dentist of the Eighteenth Century". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine. 20 (4): 355–366. doi:10.1177/003591572702000439. PMC 2100629. PMID 19985552.
  23. "Tomorrows Doctors" (PDF). GMC. 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  24. Viets, Henry R. (1 April 1929). ""DE L'AUSCULTATION MÉDIATE" OF LAENNEC". Archives of Surgery. 18 (4): 1280. doi:10.1001/archsurg.1929.01140130370024. ISSN 0272-5533.
  25. Hale-White, William (1975). Keats as doctor and patient. Norwood, Pa.: Norwood Editions. ISBN 0883052792. OCLC 1676269.
  26. Davidson, Maurice (1955). The Royal Society of Medicine: The Realization of an Ideal,1805–1955. London: Royal Society of Medicine: London: Royal Society of Medicine. pp. 169–170.
  27. W, Hale-White (1929). "The Withering Letters in the Possession of the Royal Society of Medicine". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine. 22 (8): 1087–91. doi:10.1177/003591572902200834. ISSN 0035-9157. PMC 2102740. PMID 19987046.
  28. "Chalmers Medal". Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  29. Opening of the Chalmer's Library. The Royal Society of Medicine. 1922.
  30. "Treasures of the Chalmer's" (PDF). RSM. 2016.
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