At the opening of the Montreal Neurological Institute in 1934, Edward Archibald, who had been a major force behind its establishment, said: "To gather knowledge and to find out new knowledge is the noblest occupation of the physician. To apply that knowledge with understanding and sympathy to the relief of human suffering is the loveliest occupation." Martin Entin's biography offers a detailed account of the extraordinary life and accomplishments of the master surgeon who so eloquently described his profession.

Archibald (1872-1945) graduated from McGill University's medical program in 1896 and served his residency at the Royal Victoria Hospital. Convalescence from pulmonary tuberculosis kindled a life-long professional interest that led to his pioneering work in thoracic surgery. A superb technician, Archibald became a leading figure in neurosurgery, brain surgery, war surgery, bowel cancer, and kidney tumors. His appointment as chief surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital in 1928 revitalized surgery in Montreal and he is credited with laying the groundwork for the innovations of Drs. Wilder Penfield and William Cone. Archibald also profoundly changed surgical education in Canada, moving it from the purely clinical to the scientific.

Entin's delightful biography reveals this remarkable man to be one of the great surgeon-scientists of his time. Edward Archibald also offers a detailed account of one of the most exciting periods in the history of medicine.