Two Scottish Tales of Medical Compassion

Two Scottish Tales of Medical Compassion is a collection of two beloved short stories, "Rab and his Friends" and "A Doctor of the Old School," and a brand new history of the Edinburgh School of Medicine, all of which emphasize the importance of compassion and humanity in the medical field. "Rab and his Friends" is the story of a young apprentice who watches a grueling surgery and is struck by the kindness of the attending physician. "A Doctor of the Old School" is about a Highland country doctor who devotes his life to caring for others. Both reflect the type of doctor that was trained at the Edinburgh School and the ideals taught there. The commentary by Dr. Raffensperger, "A Brief History of the Edinburgh School of Medicine," not only gives perspective for the stories and a background of the authors and characters, but also emphasizes how the Edinburgh principles of compassion furthered the science of medicine. These stories and the lessons they teach are valuable tools for any modern physician to rely on. JOHN BROWN, M.D. (1810-1882) was a well-known Scottish doctor and writer from Edinburgh. He attended the medical school at the University of Edinburgh before becoming apprentice to James Syme at the Minto House Hospital. His experiences at the hospital influenced his writing, including "Rab and his Friends," the short stories in his book Horae Subsecivae, and others. IAN MACLAREN (1850-1907) was the pen name of Highland-born John Watson. Watson studied for the ministry at the University of Edinburgh and at Tubingen in Germany. In addition to serving at the Parish of Logielmond in Perthshire and the Sefton Park Church in Liverpool, he was well known as a writer and speaker, culminating in several speaking tours in the United States. His works include "A Doctor of the Old School," Beside the Bonnie Briar Bush, and The Days of Auld Lang Syne. JOHN RAFFENSPERGER, M.D. was a surgeon-in-chief at the Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago and a professor of surgery at Northwestern University. He has authored surgical textbooks, a history of the Cook County Hospital, a collection of short stories, and a "surgical thriller." He currently lives in Sanibel Island, Florida.