Oliver Wendell Holmes Quotes - 3 quotes

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) was an American physician, poet, and humorist. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He initially studied law at Harvard University but later switched to medicine, earning his degree from Harvard in 1836. Holmes practiced medicine for a decade and taught anatomy at Dartmouth College before becoming a professor at Harvard Medical School, where he served until 1882. Holmes is renowned for his contributions to medical science, particularly his work on the contagiousness of puerperal fever. However, he gained widespread fame as a poet and writer. His poem "Old Ironsides" (1830) helped save the USS Constitution from being scrapped. He also authored the popular "Breakfast-Table" series of essays, which were published in The Atlantic Monthly. Holmes literary works often combined humor and wit, reflecting his keen observations of society. He was also the father of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., a distinguished Supreme Court Justice.