Sir William Gowers: a life in neurology

Abstract

Reviews the book William Richard Gowers 1845-1915: Exploring The Victorian Brain by Ann Scott, Mervyn Eadie and Andrew Lees (2012). This splendid new biography is full of fresh insights into Sir William Gowers and his time. According to the book, he is described as becoming apprenticed to a local physician and surgeon in Coggeshall at the chance suggestion of his aunt. Gowers was a hard worker who pushed himself every day. For some years, he allowed himself little time for developing friendships or interests outside medicine, or his immediate family, to whom he was devoted. The book was based on his own clinical experience-Gowers kept meticulous collated records of patients he had seen-and is notable not only for its concise and accurate descriptions but also for its classification of neurological disease. He was for many years assessor for a Life Assurance company. Gowers contribution to neurology, as described by his contemporaries, may be summarized as emphasizing the importance of a full and detailed clinical examination, developing a classification of neurological disorders. The authors have been able to draw on hitherto unknown family sources, Gowers' own diary from his early years, and illustrations and recollections culled from many published and unpublished sources. This fresh information provides warmth and understanding, especially of his early life and struggles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)