William Henry Welch and the Heroic Age of American Medicine

This is a classic in the history of medicine. It is laboriously written and rather detailed, but it captures much of the person of Welch and of the culture that existed in American medicine at the turn of the century. To someone with minimal medical background, this tome is probably dull. To me, after years of medical schooling and practice, this book is an inspiring revelation of the transition of medical education and medical care from centuries of alchemy to the scientific discoveries that now form the basis of medicine. The person of Welch looms very large indeed over the present system of medical eduation and research, but I never would have appreciated the depth of his contributions without reading this book. A must for anyone interested in the history of American medicine.

Simon Flexner portrays William Henry Welch as probably the biggest contributor in helping establish the backbone for medicine / pathology as we know it today. Simon Flexner was a very good friend of Welch's, and this source is one of the best secondary sources available to explore what is basically a patriotic American who helped his country in every single way (including the war) but did not get the fame or credit he deserved because to achieve all that this man had, he could not afford to concentrate on any one topic. This is a book which has enabled me to access what his most intermediate friends described him as, and not only was it a good source, but also an excellent read. If you want to know why American medicine really reached its pinnacle, this book is the answer.