Wilder Penfield, Sir Arthur Currie, and the Montreal Neurological Institute

Abstract

Wilder Penfield and the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) are inextricably linked. It was Penfield's unique idea to create a building with an academic atmosphere wherein basic neuroscience and clinical care of neurological patients would benefit from interaction and mutual support. It is clear that without Penfield that there would be no MNI; however, the role of another Canadian icon, Sir Arthur Currie, in the development of the MNI has heretofore been barely mentioned. The thesis of this paper is that Currie had a critical role in the gestation of the MNI that has generally been ignored.

After the war is over: the role of General Sir Arthur Currie in the development of academic medicine in Canada

“…The money was also used to establish the Pathological Institute and fund a chair of medicine. 2 The Pathological Institute negotiations alerted Currie to the complexity of modern academic medicine. The negotiations to recruit Dr. Jonathan Meakins to the chair of medicine focused on the role of research within clinical care and introduced Currie to the town-gown rivalry between Montreal's hospitals and his university.…”

“…After showing Penfield the Pathological Institute and the medical clinical research unit, Archibald wined and dined Pen eld at the Mount Royal Club and hoped to impress him by having Currie host the affair. 2 The seeds of the MNI were sown.…”

“…Although it is natural for there to be tension between the administration (Currie, Martin) and clinicians (Pen eld, Archibald), especially about cost overruns, Pen eld would dismiss Currie privately while writing him congratulatory letters. 2 Pen eld's opinion became the historical view, and Currie was forgotten. Mark Sadler, a neurologist in Halifax, revised this history and, using newly uncovered documents, showed that Currie was critical to the initiation, completion and research funding of the MNI.…”

“…Mark Sadler, a neurologist in Halifax, revised this history and, using newly uncovered documents, showed that Currie was critical to the initiation, completion and research funding of the MNI. 2 Currie warned Pen eld that "the suit would have to be cut to the cloth available," and they were able to horsetrade an extra elevator for an extra oor. 2 When Pen eld stormed out of a Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) Board of Governors meeting, Currie spoke forcefully against the prevailing sentiment to abandon the project by portraying Pen eld as the best in his eld who was attracting patients who would not otherwise come to RVH.…”

“…2 Currie warned Pen eld that "the suit would have to be cut to the cloth available," and they were able to horsetrade an extra elevator for an extra oor. 2 When Pen eld stormed out of a Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) Board of Governors meeting, Currie spoke forcefully against the prevailing sentiment to abandon the project by portraying Pen eld as the best in his eld who was attracting patients who would not otherwise come to RVH. 2 Currie was clearly able to fashion persuasive arguments speci c to the hospital, the clinician, the university and the Rockefeller Foundation as required.…”