- © 2004 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
I read Ronald McGarry's historical article, about a dispute involving medical staff at the Niagara Falls General Hospital,1 with great interest.
Dr. W.E. Olmsted, one of the signatories to a group resignation letter quoted as the epigraph for McGarry's article, was my grandfather. He had been a schoolteacher before deciding on medicine as a career. Perhaps it was because of his teaching experience that he was so meticulous in his use of the English language. In any case, I remember many times when he corrected my pronunciation or spelling. Thus, he would have been disappointed to see his name misspelled as “Olmstead.” In all other respects, however, the article reflects the picture of my grandfather that I treasure — a somewhat forbidding gentleman of impeccable character, who was very concerned about the care of his patients and whose involvement in medicine extended to the education of hospital workers and pharmacists. I congratulate McGarry for reminding us of this long-forgotten era.
David I. Gove Family Physician (retired) Ajax, Ont.
Reference
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