In this letter, Osler responded to Barker’s news that the Hopkins medical school had implemented a full-time requirement for its clinical as well as pre-clinical faculty chairs. Barker, who succeeded Osler as Chair of Medicine, refused to do this and so had to step down. Osler had earlier protested the full-time scheme as a bad idea, and was angry at the medical school’s unfair treatment of his friend.
Transcript:
30th
Dear Barker
I am very sorry to hear that the conditions have been made impossible for you. The letter which you have written does credit to your heart and head — more to the former. Certainly you have been hardly treated from the standpoint of