A doctor enjoys Sherlock Holmes by Edward J. Van Liere
“A doctor enjoys Sherlock Holmes” by Edward J. Van Liere is a collection of essays written in the mid-20th century. The book presents an insightful and often lighthearted exploration of the Sherlock Holmes stories from both a medical and literary perspective. Its main topic is the intersection of medicine, science, and detective fiction, as Van Liere, himself a physician, analyzes the medical references, scientific accuracies, and character portrayals within the Sherlock Holmes
canon. At the start of the book, Van Liere introduces his work with acknowledgments and a table of contents that signal a wide range of essays connecting Holmes' adventures to topics like anatomy, weather, poisons, and nervous maladies. The opening essay, “Doctor Watson and the Weather,” meticulously surveys how Dr. Watson frequently uses weather as an atmospheric and narrative device in the Holmes stories, offering numerous specific examples and discussing their function both as storytelling elements and as realistic details stemming from Watson's (and perhaps Conan Doyle’s) sensibilities as a medically trained observer. Subsequent sections in the opening continue this analytical and conversational style, breaking down instances of anatomical references, period medical terminology such as “brain fever,” and the depiction of poisons and psychological states within the stories. Throughout these essays, Van Liere not only shares medical facts and context but also displays a deep appreciation for the literary craft of Conan Doyle and Dr. Watson, blending medical insight with a reader’s enthusiasm for Holmesian mysteries. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Doctor Watson and the weather -- The anatomical Sherlock Holmes -- "Brain fever" and Sherlock Holmes -- Curare and Sherlock Holmes -- Sherlock Holmes and the Portuguese man-of-war -- Doctor Watson and nervous maladies -- Dogs and Sherlock Holmes -- The botanical Doctor Watson -- The surgical Doctor Watson -- Sherlock Holmes, the chemist -- Doctor Watson's universal specific -- Doctor Watson, endocrinologist -- Genetics and Sherlock Holmes -- The zoological Doctor Watson -- Doctor Watson, cardiologist -- The physiologic Doctor Watson -- Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, perennial athletes -- The therapeutic Doctor Watson -- Doctor Watson, general practitioner.
Credits
Tim Lindell, Laura Natal and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 61.4 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
