Hisgreatnessisattributedbyhisbiographersandcriticsnotalonetohisprofoundmedicalknowledgeandinsightbuttohisbroadgeneraleducation,’sproblemwasthesameaseveryoneelse’s,,ateacherofphysicians,andamedical-researchspecialist.Therewasnotimeina24hourdaythatdidnotrightlybelongtooneofthesethreeoccupations,exceptthefewhoursforsleep,meals,andbodilyfunctions.
Oslerarrivedathissolutionearly.Hewouldreadthelast15minutesbeforehewenttosleep.Ifbedtimewassetfor11:00P.M.,hereadfrom11:00to11:15.ifresearchkepthimupto2:00A.M.hereadfrom2:00to2:,Oslerneverbroketheruleoncehehadestablishedit.Wehaveevidencethatafterawhilehesimplycouldnotfallasleepuntilhehaddonehis15minutesofreading.
Inhislifetime,,,OslerisknownasanauthorityonSirThomasBrowne,seventeenthcenturyEnglishprosemasterandOsler’’scontributiontomedicalresearch,tothereformofmedicalteaching,:HowcanIfindtimetoread?
Theanswermaynotbethelast15minutesbeforeIgotosleep.Itmaybe15minutesadayatsomeothertime.Inthebusiestofcalendarsthereisprobablymorethanone15-minuteperiodtuckedawaysomewherestillunassigned.I’veseensomecurioussolutionstotheproblemoffindingtimeforreading.
Duringarmydaysinthelastyearofthewar,,,butprobablytherankofcaptain.
Butherehewas,stillaprivatefirst-class—becausedespitethemilitaryemphasisoneducation,efficiency,loyalty,andallothercriteriafordeterminingpromotion,,exceptonce,hehadbeentransferredorcomeupagainsttableloforganizationlimitations,oranewchangeinregulations,,.
,beforeIaskedhim,,atthecommand“rest!”Isawonemaninthewholelonglinepulloutapaperpocketbookandbegintoread,standingup.
WhenItalkedwithhim,—waitingformeals,buses,doctors,haircuts,telephonecalls,dates,performancestobegin,orsomethingtohappen.Therewerehis15minutesaday,ormore.Therewerehis20booksayear—1,000inalifetime.
,believeme,.
.
Youcan’tescapereadingl5minutesaday,andthatmeansyouwillreadhalfabookaweek,2booksamonth,20ayear,and1,’saneasywaytobecomewellread.