Letters If the low response on this survey indicates anything, it reflects the need for continual To the Editor: personal contact and follow-up at these instituI wish to comment on one aspect of Linnea tions by qualified personnel, who persistently Sodergren's article entitled "The Impact of and aggressively promote library services. Northlands Regional Medical Program Library JUDITH LORRIG Services" (Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 62: 348-353, Rochester, Minnesota Oct. 1974). Question 10 of the survey used to assess the Northlands program dealt with the PLIGHT OF THE HOSPITAL LIBRARIAN utilization of resources at Mayo and the University of Minnesota. As an extension librarian for To the Editor: Northlands in 1971 and 1972, I believe the My primary purpose in writing this letter is to statistics as published in the article for question object strenuously to the absence by hospital 10 do not reflect what actually happened during associations and the Bulletin of significant that period. I submit here the statistics gath- concern for the plight of the hospital librarian. With specific reference to the Bulletin, I have TABLE 1 recently learned that a modified version of a talk on hospital library standards by a hospital Statistics Reported by Survey Statistics administrator was not accepted for publication Extension in MLA Bulletin in this journal because it was a "controversial" Librarians subject. I can appreciate the feelings of sensitivity UniverUniverwhich this topic may have to MLA since the Mayo of Mayo sit sity ofMedical Medical Yast Committee's revision of the present JCAH Mine MinneMinne. MnneLibrary Library standard for services is now before that library sota sota body for their concurrence and ultimate incorporation in the Accreditation Manual. 72 11 229 5 Literature As a member of the Yast Committee, and searches and fully in support of the revision as published in bibliographies 532 525 18 7 Interlibrary the MLA News, I object to your actions regardloans ing the manuscript in question for these rea-
NORTHLANDS RMP LIBRARY SERVICES
Reference questions
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17
11
5
sons: 1. There is nothing in the editorial policy statement which indicates that controversial subjects are not suitable for publication. The stated rationale for publication is that the manuscript ' . . . be of value to . . . medical librarianship . . . ." 2. The number of hospital administrators who have even the faintest interest in or regard for hospital libraries is minuscule. I know very few. One served with me on the Yast Committee and another submitted the rejected manuscript. I think you could publish an entire issue of vitriolic diatribes on hospital administrators
ered by myself and the extension librarian at the University of Minnesota for literature searches, interlibrary loans and reference questions during 1971 and 1972 (Table 1). I realize the survey only covered those hospitals which had received the core collection, but these institutions were essentially the ones requesting the services above. The discrepancy between the statistics obtained by the extension librarians and those in the article is probably due to the fact that records for these services were not kept by the physicians in these institu- and advertise that issue in the New York Times tions nor by a librarian or library manager since without getting any reaction, let alone a negafew of them had one at that time. tive reaction, from any of them.
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Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(3) July 1975
LETTERS
3. With the tremendous response at San Antonio to Helen's inspired Town Hall Meeting of hospital librarians, and from written responses received in the course of her ad hoc committee's deliberations on the JCAH revision, I feel you are derelict in not bringing some positive statements by a hospital administrator to the attention of this large portion of our membership. 4. Finally, where else but in one's professional journal can one engage in meaningful debate about professional matters? I think Helen and most of her committee did an outstanding job with the new proposed hospital library standards. I will defend them against anyone. But that doesn't mean they cannot be challenged or questioned or in fact rejected by others in MLA. Perhaps they need strengthening; who knows unless these pages are open to those who wish to debate the issue. I will shortly become involved with academic medical librarianship. Undoubtedly. I will be concerned about faculty status for librarians. And this issue has been raised in many library journals, including this one, for a long time. Is the hospital library population's need for recognition a second class matter? If anything, I think their situation is desperate compared to that of the academic librarian. At least we can insist on hiring professional librarians or trained library technicians or certified medical librarians. Who will do the same for the hospital library? That's the gut issue that needs debate and discussion. At present, I feel almost like a man complaining to the maitre d' about the quality of the service while viewing a bread line across the street. All this and the bicentennial a year way. God help us.
Needless to say, I transferred it to our Rare Book Room, and immediately proceeded to early volumes of Index Medicus and the Surgeon General's Catalog, where a rich bibliographic trail unfolded before my boggled eyes. From 1903, when Watson slowly passed "beyond the ken" of his old friend, he served as medical officer at a London asylum [3, 5], took a teaching post in Birmingham [4], and finally settled in the North-West (third wife?) [8]. Early in this period, practice as an internist led him into pioneer hematological research with a British vogue [2, 4, 6, 7, 14] and some international repute [3, 5]. Later he returned to surgery; for in 1911 and 1912 he published cases involving pathology of the intestines [8] and of the stomach [9]. After travels in Austria and Hungary, he was deeply concerned with military orthopedics in 1914 [10]. (His professional career was, of course, interrupted on August 2nd, when he made "His Last Bow" as Holmes' dogsbody). By 1916 his operating experience had become so versatile and so intensive that he was developing a distinctive surgical style, discipline, and philosophy of his own [11, 12]. After the war he turned with relief to pediatric practice, again concerning himself with "obscure psychiatric lesions" [13]. Later he showed important interest in cancer [15]. Watson's magnum opus, written after his own retirement, does for surgery what Holmes' did for beekeeping [1]. However, Watson's retirement (1922) was to the wuthering moors of East Lancashire, rather than to the more relaxing South Downs [18]. Like Sherlock, John H. handled a limited number of cases after he retired [16, 17]. Inasmuch as Watson was going so strong so after Holmes' career burned out (cocaine?), long JOHN A. TIMOUR Philadelphia, Pennsylvania he perhaps deserves more attention than he has yet received. Unfortunately, he left no children [18].
WATSON: MEDICAL AUTHOR
It is well known that the late Sherlock Holmes published crime monographs while active, and a treatise on apiculture when retired. His colleague, John W. Watson, M.D., usually is remembered for reports of the great detective's exploits. Imagine my delight, therefore, when I stumbled upon a full-length medical book from Watson's pen in the stacks of my library [1]! Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(3) July 1975
REFERENCES 1. WATSON, J. H. Fundamentals of the art of surgery. London, Heinemann, 1926. (New York, Hoeber, 1927). 349 p. (The title page correctly indicates that John received his medical training at the University of London.) 2. WATSON, J. H. AND WEBER, F. P. A case of chronic polycythaemia with enlarged spleen. Trans. Clin. Soc. Lond. 37: 115-135, 1904. 3. WATSON, J. H. AND WEBER, F. P. Ueber die Abhaengigkeit der "Viscositaet" (innerer Rei-
345
NORTHLANDS RMP LIBRARY SERVICES
Reference questions
73
17
11
5
sons: 1. There is nothing in the editorial policy statement which indicates that controversial subjects are not suitable for publication. The stated rationale for publication is that the manuscript ' . . . be of value to . . . medical librarianship . . . ." 2. The number of hospital administrators who have even the faintest interest in or regard for hospital libraries is minuscule. I know very few. One served with me on the Yast Committee and another submitted the rejected manuscript. I think you could publish an entire issue of vitriolic diatribes on hospital administrators
ered by myself and the extension librarian at the University of Minnesota for literature searches, interlibrary loans and reference questions during 1971 and 1972 (Table 1). I realize the survey only covered those hospitals which had received the core collection, but these institutions were essentially the ones requesting the services above. The discrepancy between the statistics obtained by the extension librarians and those in the article is probably due to the fact that records for these services were not kept by the physicians in these institu- and advertise that issue in the New York Times tions nor by a librarian or library manager since without getting any reaction, let alone a negafew of them had one at that time. tive reaction, from any of them.
344
Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(3) July 1975
LETTERS
3. With the tremendous response at San Antonio to Helen's inspired Town Hall Meeting of hospital librarians, and from written responses received in the course of her ad hoc committee's deliberations on the JCAH revision, I feel you are derelict in not bringing some positive statements by a hospital administrator to the attention of this large portion of our membership. 4. Finally, where else but in one's professional journal can one engage in meaningful debate about professional matters? I think Helen and most of her committee did an outstanding job with the new proposed hospital library standards. I will defend them against anyone. But that doesn't mean they cannot be challenged or questioned or in fact rejected by others in MLA. Perhaps they need strengthening; who knows unless these pages are open to those who wish to debate the issue. I will shortly become involved with academic medical librarianship. Undoubtedly. I will be concerned about faculty status for librarians. And this issue has been raised in many library journals, including this one, for a long time. Is the hospital library population's need for recognition a second class matter? If anything, I think their situation is desperate compared to that of the academic librarian. At least we can insist on hiring professional librarians or trained library technicians or certified medical librarians. Who will do the same for the hospital library? That's the gut issue that needs debate and discussion. At present, I feel almost like a man complaining to the maitre d' about the quality of the service while viewing a bread line across the street. All this and the bicentennial a year way. God help us.
Needless to say, I transferred it to our Rare Book Room, and immediately proceeded to early volumes of Index Medicus and the Surgeon General's Catalog, where a rich bibliographic trail unfolded before my boggled eyes. From 1903, when Watson slowly passed "beyond the ken" of his old friend, he served as medical officer at a London asylum [3, 5], took a teaching post in Birmingham [4], and finally settled in the North-West (third wife?) [8]. Early in this period, practice as an internist led him into pioneer hematological research with a British vogue [2, 4, 6, 7, 14] and some international repute [3, 5]. Later he returned to surgery; for in 1911 and 1912 he published cases involving pathology of the intestines [8] and of the stomach [9]. After travels in Austria and Hungary, he was deeply concerned with military orthopedics in 1914 [10]. (His professional career was, of course, interrupted on August 2nd, when he made "His Last Bow" as Holmes' dogsbody). By 1916 his operating experience had become so versatile and so intensive that he was developing a distinctive surgical style, discipline, and philosophy of his own [11, 12]. After the war he turned with relief to pediatric practice, again concerning himself with "obscure psychiatric lesions" [13]. Later he showed important interest in cancer [15]. Watson's magnum opus, written after his own retirement, does for surgery what Holmes' did for beekeeping [1]. However, Watson's retirement (1922) was to the wuthering moors of East Lancashire, rather than to the more relaxing South Downs [18]. Like Sherlock, John H. handled a limited number of cases after he retired [16, 17]. Inasmuch as Watson was going so strong so after Holmes' career burned out (cocaine?), long JOHN A. TIMOUR Philadelphia, Pennsylvania he perhaps deserves more attention than he has yet received. Unfortunately, he left no children [18].
WATSON: MEDICAL AUTHOR
It is well known that the late Sherlock Holmes published crime monographs while active, and a treatise on apiculture when retired. His colleague, John W. Watson, M.D., usually is remembered for reports of the great detective's exploits. Imagine my delight, therefore, when I stumbled upon a full-length medical book from Watson's pen in the stacks of my library [1]! Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 63(3) July 1975
REFERENCES 1. WATSON, J. H. Fundamentals of the art of surgery. London, Heinemann, 1926. (New York, Hoeber, 1927). 349 p. (The title page correctly indicates that John received his medical training at the University of London.) 2. WATSON, J. H. AND WEBER, F. P. A case of chronic polycythaemia with enlarged spleen. Trans. Clin. Soc. Lond. 37: 115-135, 1904. 3. WATSON, J. H. AND WEBER, F. P. Ueber die Abhaengigkeit der "Viscositaet" (innerer Rei-
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