Osler Menu for Auction

A menu from a dinner at the Maryland Club for Dr. William Osler is being offered this morning at Bonhams Auctions. It is from the collection of the medical library of James Tait Goodrich, who died of the novel Corona Virus earlier this year. Dr. Goodrich was a surgeon at Montefiore Hospital in New York and was most well-known for performing surgery on conjoined twins.

Dr. Goodrich's collection of medical ephemera was almost as well-known as the surgery. The collection includes works by Vesalius, ephemera from the 17th through the 20th century and an inquiry into smallpox by Edward Jenner. 

However, for me, the highlight is a menu from a dinner at the Maryland Club in honor of Dr. Osler held on May 15, 1903. It has been signed by Harvey Cushing, W.S. Thayer, Llewellys Barker, William Wood Russel, Egerton Davis, Jr. (Osler's alias), JMT Finney, and many more. 

The menu is printed with inspiring quotes, such as "promptness is the one quality of a physician necessary for success," and "The word of action is stronger than the word of speech." The latter is a "quote" from Egerton Yorrick Davis, Osler's alter-ego.

The actual menu is similar to many of the others of the same period, starting with olives, almonds and radishes, then little neck clams, soft shell crabs and cucumbers, saddle of lamb, Purée Mongole (a creamed split pea soup), Smithfield ham, lettuce and tomatoes, with strawberries and ice cream for dessert. Of course, all of the courses were accompanied by cocktails, sauternes, sherry, champagne and liqueurs.

In checking Harvey Cushing's "Life of Sir William Osler," it appears that the dinner was the night after the end of the American Physicians conference held in Washington, DC from May 12-15 under the presidency of his old Montreal friend, James Stewart. 

This makes a fascinating backstory to a wonderful piece of Osler ephemera. 

Update: The menu sold for $7,500, plus a 27.5% buyer's premium and applicable local taxes.