Baltimore, June 2nd 1911.
Dear Osler,
Marburg left for Europe ten days ago. His address is care of Brown, Shipley and Co. 123 Pall Mall, London. I have written him, quoting from your letter that part relating to Payne's library. Can you not communicate with them directly? I question whether he will care to increase his donation of $10,000 for the purchase of the library. If he should be willing to do so, he would probably wish to learn
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first how Leighton's estimate compares with Sotheby's.
If the library is to be sold this summer, I shall have to leave with you the matter of securing it for us, I start in a couple of weeks for Denver and Los Angeles to attend the meetings of the Tuberculosis Association and the A.M.A. when these are over I am planning trips to Alaska, British Colombia, etc., returning here probably early in September.
I hope very much that you will be able to get the medical part of Payne's library for us. You will recall that while Marburg's
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gift is counted in the endowment fund raised recently for the University, he specified that it should be for the purchase of the library.
What a wonderful time you had in Egypt. I enjoyed the cards you sent and the letters which I have seen.
I do wish that you were here to advise us about the clinical proposition. The initiative comes from Mr. Gates -- a million dollar cure in sight if we can use it along the general lines indicated in Mr. Flexner's report -- I enclose a copy of this. There is certainly need of
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improvement in the direction of getting a group of heads and associates of three or four leading clinical departments to devote their whole time to the school and hospital in developing their subjects, as the laboratory method. The methods of teaching modern medicine and investigating it demands something of this kind. If we do not do it, the money will go elsewhere where they are ready to take it up and carrying out the plan. We shall stand still or drop back unless we are ready to advance in this direction, which is that of coming reforms in medical education. But there are all sorts of difficulties -- I shall try to write you soon -- love to yourself and Mrs. Osler -- yours sincerely, William H. Welch