RCSI Heritage Collections

Among the antiquarian books in the RCSI Heritage Collections are those kept together in a special collection named for the surgeons to whom they once belonged. Their lives and their books are outlined here. 'Handbook of Operative Surgery' Sir William de Courcy Wheeler (1879-1943) William Ireland de Courcy Wheeler (1844–99) and Sir William Ireland de Courcy Wheeler (1879-1943), father and son, both became presidents of RCSI in 1884 and 1922 respectively. William Wheeler senior was surgeon to the Royal City of Dublin Hospital in Baggot Street; he published many articles and devised instruments for the treatment of hare-lip. Richard Butcher, his contemporary and colleague, send him so much work that the students called Wheeler ‘the butcher’s boy’. Sir William Ireland de Courcy Wheeler (the son) was surgeon to Mercer’s Hospital. His reputation as an operator and teacher was such that he was referred to as ‘the man who made Mercer’s’. He p...

While out in the field military medics needed concise and to the point medical reference books. Step forward the Oxford War Primers and  Military Medical Manuals series. These books were produced as an aid to all medical personnel who were working under the harshest condition during wartime. The Oxford War Primers were printed during the First World War by Oxford University Press. They contained much-needed medical information for those in the field. They were small, easy to transport and hard wearing. Some of the topics covered by these practical books can be seen below The Military Medical Manual were produced under the guardianship of Sir Alfred Keogh, Director-General of the Medical Services of the British Army. Keogh was born in Dublin on 3rd July 1857. He studied at Queen's College, Galway and Guy's Hospital London qualifying M.D., M.Ch., R.U.I from the Royal University of Ireland in 1878. Keogh joined the army as a surgeon in 1880 and...