A Tribute To Oliver Sacks source photo by Luigi Novi 9.13.09
Oliver Sacks, undated
Dr. Oliver Sacks, noted physician and author of Migraine, published January, 1971, died on August 30, 2015. With his passing, a rich source of clinical description presented in a wonderfully accessible prose is lost to the reading public. His genius lay in his ability to blend clinical narratives with neuroscience in a way that touched and informed his readers. His descriptions brought to life total patients-- how they thought and saw the world as well as their often-elegant accommodations to disability. Dr. Sacks was always interested in the individual behind the medical condition.
During the late 1970s, I was the Director of the Montefiore Headache Unit of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Oliver was one of many part-time physicians seeing patients. He would sometimes get lost in the excitement of discovery. He spent countless hours with these patients, but often forgot to prescribe a treatment for their headaches. The patients notified me that they loved all of the attention to the detail of their conditions, were extremely fond of him, and felt greatly understood, but“ could he please give me a pill?”
Whatever subject caught his interest, and there were many including the Stereoscopic and Fern Societies of New York, his approach was to learn everything about the topic. Oliver never lost his youthful ability to wander unconstrained by adult limits on viewing the world. On visiting the frog exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, he wondered aloud“ have you ever thought what it would actually feel like to be a frog?” I thought“ not really,” perhaps I have been missing an opportunity to explore the world around me.
For migraine patients, he validated their condition and invited them to share their experiences with the world. This was often better than a pill. The last time we spoke, Oliver mentioned that despite his illness, he had three more books in him. I am saddened they will not be written.
Mark W. Green, MD The Center for Headache and Pain Medicine
The Mount Sinai Hospital New York, NY
www. headaches. org | National Headache Foundation 29