New dean instrumental in bringing collection of rare books to School of Medicine

Edward Edward Halperin, M.D., M.A., officially came on board as dean of the University of Louisville School of Medicine on Nov. 1.

Between the announcement of his appointment and his arrival in Louisville, he has been busy with all of the activities normally associated with moving a home and office - a list of things to do that can seem overwhelming.

But Halperin hasn't limited himself to boxes and crates - between his acceptance of the job at UofL and his resignation from Duke University, he has been busy working on behalf of the UofL School of Medicine.

In the months of September and October, Halperin traveled to Columbia University in New York City and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to give talks to pre-med students about why they should consider applying to medical school at UofL.

"I believe it is essential that we cast a wide net for outstanding Kentucky students studying at Ivy League schools and for top out-of-state UofL medical students," he said.

Halperin was also instrumental in bringing to Louisville a gift of rare books and folios from the estate of G.S.T. Cavanagh, a noted collector and dealer of antiquarian medical books.

Approximately 100 volumes will come to UofL's Kornhauser Medical Library and several will be available as gifts for UofL medical students receiving academic awards.

The collection includes first editions of works by noted scientific and medical authors Sir Humphrey Davey, Joseph Priestly and Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Other notable works include a set of volumes by Charles Mayo and Howard Kelly and a full set of Bell's "Textbook of Surgery."

Cavanagh joined the Duke University School of Medicine in 1962 as director of the Medical Center Library and ended his career as curator of the Trent Collection of the History of Medicine.

"I first encountered Mr. Cavanagh as a young member of the Duke faculty in the early 1980s," said Halperin. "I was working on some manuscripts in the History of Medicine Reading Room and dictating notes into my handheld Dictaphone. He told me he would have 'none of that noise' in the library and threw me out."

During the subsequent years, Halperin became friends with Cavanagh through his scholarly work on the history of medicine and when Cavanagh died, Halperin spoke at his memorial service.

He praised Cavanagh as a "fine scholar, mentor and distinguished bookman," adding that, "It's a real pleasure to bring a little bit of that legacy to UofL."