author
Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle
1871–1921
A Philadelphia eye specialist who turned medical oddities into gripping reading, he helped create one of the era’s best-known collections of unusual case histories. His books range from practical health guides to the enduringly fascinating Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine.
1 Audiobook
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
by George M. (George Milbrey) Gould, Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1871, Walter Lytle Pyle was an American physician and ophthalmologist. Records of his books and author listings show that he wrote, edited, or contributed to a number of medical works at the turn of the twentieth century, building a reputation as both a practicing doctor and a medical writer.
He is best remembered today as the co-author, with George M. Gould, of Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine, an encyclopedic survey of rare and extraordinary medical cases that has remained widely read long after its original publication. Other works associated with him include 3,000 Questions on Medical Subjects and A Manual of Personal Hygiene, showing the range of his interests from reference and teaching tools to everyday health advice.
Pyle died in 1921. Even now, his writing stands out for making the history of medicine feel vivid, surprising, and deeply human.