The Gold headed cane and its author, William Macmichael / by Francis R. Packard.

  • Packard, Francis Randolph.
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Gold headed cane and its author, William Macmichael / by Francis R. Packard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    11/12 (page 11)
    With Baillie’s death the autobiography of the Gold Headed Cane as compiled by Macnuchael ended. When, in 1884, Dr. Munk, the learned chronicler of the College of Physicians of London brought forth the third edition of the little book, he added a number of pages written in the Macmichael style and adding much information to the previously garnered store. Thus he gives us little sketches of Sir Henry Halford, who had presented the Cane to the College, and under whose auspices the new hall of the College was opened in 1825; Dr. Macmichael, the originator of this unique autobiography; and Drs. John Aryton Paris and Thomas Mayo, who were respectively presidents of the College in succession to Sir Henry Halford. In 1830, Macmichael published “Lives of British Physicians,” of which another edition was published by Thomas Legg in 1846. Macmichael himself contributed himself to it the lives of Linacre, Caius, Harvey, Sir Thomas Browne, Sydenham and Radcliffe. The biogra- phies of twelve other English medical worthies were contributed by Dr. Bisset Hawkins, Dr. Parry, Dr. Southey, Dr. Munk, and Mr. Clarke. The book is a small volume containing portraits of some of the more famous subjects. It was dedicated to Sir Henry Halford. Although not so happy in its conception and execution as the Gold Headed Cane, this little work is a most valuable contribution to English medical literature. The lives are well written, accurate, and contain information much of which is derived from sources inacces- sible to the genera] reader. If in this hurried review I have been able to awaken interest in Macmichael’s charming little medical classic, if, perchance its perusal might stimulate some medical librarian or literary physician to under- l ke a similar labor in a new direction, how happy would be the result.