Silas Weir Mitchell (1829–1914): The Rewards of Versatility and its Price

Abstract

Dr Silas Weir Mitchell, known as the father of neurology in the United States and as the author of several best-selling novels, pursued many interests during a long career in medicine and literature. He was also a renowned public figure and an able laboratory scientist who, according to President Theodore Roosevelt, served his country well. Mitchell was well ahead of his time and his refusal to conform to certain rigid ideas about what was and what was not permitted to a physician brought him into conflict with some of his contemporaries. This paper examines aspects of Mitchell's versatility, the rewards it brought him and the price he paid for it.