Covering the Feminine Form in the Osler Library of the History of Medicine

To William Osler, a firm grasp of the history of medicine was integral to the formation of a good doctor. This conviction drove his decision to amass a history of medicine library for the McGill Medical Faculty. Osler’s purpose was to create a library that reflected the intellectual foundations of the medical profession, yet he also realized that the act of collecting a library was subjective. This chapter examines the biases inherent in Osler’s Library with respect to women: biases in their representation as authors and subjects, and biases present within the pages of books Osler selected. Through its holdings and internal organization, the library unconsciously reinforced dominant society’s notions of female sexuality. The Osler Library today preserves a broad range of literature available to researchers who are interested in the female body and sexuality, a development that reflects changes in the dominant social and cultural fabric.