New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-05
OSLER'S QUEER VIEWS.
The Learned Doctor Is flirting an
EssdY to PrOUc Them.

Baltimore, had been seeking for the best method |
to secure free, cOpious and sensational advance
Advertising for his forthcoming treatise, to be
called THE Crisis of Forty Years." he could not
possibly have hit upon a better course than the
he pursued the other day. The doctor has
been called from his long and successful labors
at Johns Hopkins University to become regus
professor of medicine at oxford, England, and in
a farewell address to his fellows at the Bati-
more seat of learning he declared that he had
two pet obsessions regarding man.
The first he said, lis the comparative use
IcssEess of men above forty years of age. This
ray seem shocking and yet, read Alright, the
worlds history bears out the statement. Take
ne sum of human achievement in action, in sci
cnce in art in literature, subtract the work of
tne men above forty and, while we should miss
great treasures, even priceless treasures. we
would practically be where to-day.
My Sc, ond fixed idea is the uselessness of men
above sixty years of age, and the incalculable
, heneht it would be. in commercial, political and
professional life if, as a matter of course, men
stopped work at this age"
The doctor suggested that the sixty
year-old chaps ought to be chloroformed.
the publication of these views in the news
papers next day brought down upon Dr. Osler
IN avalanche of ridicule, accompanied by col
Umn after column of authentic instances where
len mac dCNleNeU great InlnSS AFTER Iney were
forty years old, and also after they sixty.
The surgical expert did not retraCt, however,
except to say that his remarks about chloro-
forming only Joke, but he made the fur
Their announcement that he to bring
out a treatise supporting his views No one
supDoses that the doctor or the doctors pub
Usher had an eye on the advance advertising
that would be secured for this treatise by the
farewell address, but the result is just the same.
Hundreds of thousands of men forty are
waiting for that treatise now who would prob
ably never have heard OF it otherwise, and they
will pick it to pieces when they get it. At pres
ent they are declaring that anything like scien-
tifc demonstration of the doctors views is i'm
possible, and that to attempt it is I'M
worthy Of a of his scientific eminence. No
doubt ne will marshal a great array of facts
in support of his notion but no less an impos
ing array of contradicting facts can be raised
up against him. The outcome is certainly a
matter for interesting speculation.
AS DR.. Oser is himself ffty-six years old, it i
is also interesting to imagine what the oxford
University professors will think of the addition
TO their ranks of a who must be presumed
to believe himself comparatively useless'-un-
less, indeed, DR.. Oser considers himself of
the exceptions that prove the rule-and who also
considers many Of them to be absolutely useless
and fit only for instant retirement from the
practice of their profession
Dr Osler is fond of joke and good story
teller hut he is not fond of being the butt him
self. One Gay at his clinic Irishman with an
oCd growth on his chin brought before him.
whats the matter with your chimp" asked
OsIcr
Just as I expected" replied the Irishman
You don't know what is the matter, and you
have to ask me- came to you because 1 was
told you would know, but it is waste of time
and money. I've been to the best doctors
in The country about it. and most of them knew
what 1t was anyway, if they couldn't cure
it, but what's the use of fooling with you
when you don't know what ails me?'
The students laughed heartily, but Dr. Osler
did not.
DIR. Oser is a lover of the Bible. He once said:
THE only way to take the Bible is by simple
faith. When you begin to reason it out you
will surely become confused"
His chief hobby is running down first editions
of old books. He will chase a rare volume
across a continent and never rest until he has it,
His humanity is well known to some but the
full extent of his charities may never be gem
orally known. His admiration of the old STYLE
country doctor he often expresses to his stu
dents. Recently he said: You will do we'll 70
make such a one your exemplar and | would
urge you to start with no higher ambition than