Oliver Wendell Holmes (August 29, 1809 – October 7, 1894) was an American physician, poet, and polymath based in Boston. Grouped among the fireside poets, he was acclaimed by his peers as one of the best writers of the day. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table (1858). He was also an important medical reformer. In addition to his work as an author and poet, Holmes also served as a physician, professor, lecturer and inventor and, although he never practiced it, he received formal training in law.
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Holmes was educated at Phillips Academy and Harvard College. After graduating from Harvard in 1829, he briefly studied law before turning to the medical profession. He began writing poetry at an early age; one of his most famous works, "Old Ironsides", was published in 1830 and was influential in the eventual preservation of the USS Constitution. Following training at the prestigious medical schools of Paris, Holmes was granted his Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School in 1836. He taught at Dartmouth Medical School before returning to teach at Harvard and, for a time, served as dean there. During his long professorship, he became an advocate for various medical reforms and notably posited the controversial idea that doctors were capable of carrying puerperal fever from patient to patient. Holmes retired from Harvard in 1882 and continued writing poetry, novels and essays until his death in 1894.
Surrounded by Boston's literary elite—which included friends such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and James Russell Lowell—Holmes made an indelible imprint on the literary world of the 19th century. Many of his works were published in The Atlantic Monthly, a magazine that he named. For his literary achievements and other accomplishments, he was awarded numerous honorary degrees from universities around the world. Holmes's writing often commemorated his native Boston area, and much of it was meant to be humorous or conversational. Some of his medical writings, notably his 1843 essay regarding the contagiousness of puerperal fever, were considered innovative for their time. He was often called upon to issue occasional poetry, or poems written specifically for an event, including many occasions at Harvard. Holmes also popularized several terms, including Boston Brahmin and anesthesia. He was the father of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States.
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Some of their strengths
Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Sophisticated, Intense, Determined, Intelligent, Protective, and Caring.
Smart and Sophisticated
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes is someone who is a smart, sophisticated, and organized person who displays kindness and grace in every day interactions, and who also has a passionate soul. A person who defines themself by their friends and what groups they belong to.
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Ambitious and Forceful
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes as someone who is ambitious, hard-working, determined, and intelligent.
A person who has a knack for identifying opportunities, has amazing concentration and focus, who can work independently, who likes starting new things, and who is somewhat of an intellectual.
Assertive and Protective
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes is someone who is a somewhat private person who has a strong personality and ability to read other people.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Altruistic and Purposeful
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes tends to be someone who has a desire to be of service to a higher calling and who is always trying to perfect things. Who can be practical and polished, reserved and methodical, and who tends to trust internal judgment before trusting anyone else at face value.
Some of Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes's challenges
While Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes can be Difficult, Perfectionist, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Complicated, Brusque, and Relentless.
Difficult and Perfectionist
One of Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes's key challenges is that they are someone who can be difficult and too much of a perfectionist.
Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes must also exercise caution as they can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Relentless and Inflexible
Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes is someone who can be relentless, obsessive, and inflexible, who can be confrontational with work colleagues, can have difficulty communicating feelings and be somewhat reclusive, and who can be self-destructive, overindulgent, and extravagant.
Critical and Bossy
Finally, Oliver Wendell Sr. Holmes also can be too focused on the small details of life, try to control whatever is happening, and be finicky and demanding.
