Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859

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Journal of the association of physicians of india • vol 63 • march, 2015
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 -1930)
JV Pai-Dhungat*, Falguni Parikh**
Postal stamps issued on Holmes, Watson, England, 1993; Conan Doyle, Churchill, Stamp - SA, 2000; Conan Doyle seal, Spiritual con 1934
M
edicine, being a humane science, is
adopted by men and women with a broad
spectrum of interest. Many such individuals
have left the subject during the course or after
graduation, and have resorted to many other
avocations. Such medicos, referred to as truants
from medicine or "deserters", show their
talents in many other fields. Among novelist
writer-doctors, the names of Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle, Anton Chekhov, A. J. Cronin, Somerset
Maugham, Richard Gordon and Robin Cook,
at once come to one's mind.
Sir Ar t h u r Co n a n Doyl e i s p r ima ri l y
remembered for his creation of detective
Sherlock Holmes and his exploits. He received
his Medical degree from Edinburgh University
in1885 and opened his practice in South Sea
in England. Initially, he did not do well in
practice and supplemented his meager income,
by writing short stories.
Professor (Retd), Associate
Professor, Dept. of Medicine, TN
Medical College & BYL Nair Ch.
Hospital, Mumbai 400 008
*
**
Influenced by Edgar Alan Poe, he patterned
the detective activities of Holmes after his
teacher Dr. Joseph Bell, who pursued clinical
diagnosis as an adroit criminal investigator.
The first Sherlock Holmes work, "Study in
Scarlef, appeared in 1887, with no particular
success. However, it introduced Holmes and
his friend Dr. Watson, to the public and later
the monthly deluge of Sherlock Holmes stories
began in Strand magazine (1891), where it met
with tremendous success and was in constant
demand. Doyle became tired of writing
detective fiction and turned to be historian,
traveller and a lecturer. He attempted to close
the series in "the Final Problem" (1893). The
resulting public outcry shocked him. People
wept and wore mourning bands, and Doyle
was looked upon as an assassin; not able to
rid himself from Holmes, Doyle was forced to
call him back in 1901 (Hounds of Baskervilles),
and continued till "His Last Bow". Holmes and
Dr. Watson have become household words,
reaching far beyond class or nation. The stories
have been translated in forty-one languages.
Doyle always maintained that historical novels
were his greatest work; yet, Sherlock Holmes &
Dr. Watson have remained immortal characters
outliving their author. Serialized television
episodes on Sherlock Holmes short stories,
made by BBC are a treat to watch.
Doyle was extremely versatile. Not only
was he a physician, novelist- writer, but
also a historian, poet, athlete, soldier, war
correspondent (Boer war), and a spiritualist.
He was knighted in 1902.