Harvey Club of London
| Harvey Club Executive, 2024-25 |
| President: Harvey Leeper |
| Future President: Harvey Sener |
| Past President: Harvey Cooper |
| President Emeritus: Harvey McAlister |
| Harvey Historian: Harvey McKellar |
Upcoming Speaker Series, 2024-25:
Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 - Dr. Andrew Beckett, senior surgeon in the Canadian Forces and trauma medical director at St. Michael's Hospital will speak about Implications for the Canadian Civilian Medical System of the Next Global War. Given that the Harvey Club was founded to continue the education of physicians returning from the Great War in Europe just over 100 years ago, this talk will serve as a sobering bridge to our present day.Tuesday, November 26th, 2024 - Dr. William Wall, a Harvey club member who needs no introduction, will speak about Sir Roy Calne, a renaissance man and father of modern transplantation who had deep connections to London, ON to other luminaries in the field, and who had very special connection with art, especially as it related to liver transplantation. Sadly, Dr. Calne passed away this year at age 91, and this talk may allow reflection on the importance of our past and the lessons we can carry forward.
Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 - Dr. Rob Arntfield, medical director of London's Critical Care Trauma Center, and founder of Deep Breathe Ai will share with us some of the truly paradigm shifting changes that artificial intelligence is making for the practice of medicine. Unquestionably, this talk will offer a view into the future of medicine that may astonish and intrigue our club's founding membership as well as the membership today!
Friday, March 28th, 2025 - Harvey Club Presidential Oration by Harvey Leeper, Topic TBA
Honorary Members
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada was established in 1967, the year of Canada’s centenary. Since then the following Harveys have been admitted to the Order.
- Charles Drake CC
- Murray Barr OC
- Robert Noble OC
- Cecil Rorabeck OC
- Vivian McAlister OC
- Douglas Bocking CM
- Ramsay Gunton CM
- William Wall CM
- M. Lee Myers CM
Celebrating 100 Years
Legend: The Harvey Club commissioned Georgian Bay Tackle to make the Harvey Paddle for presentation as a gift to its centenary participants. The map is based on the explorations of Champlain, a contemporary of William Harvey. The paddle symbolizes the work of discovery and our debt to the indigenous peoples and the pioneers of this place.
In 2019 The Harvey Club of London will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Centenary activities underway include:
June 2019
- Harvey Club expedition to London UK: tour of Royal College of Physicians (Harvey's academic home); joint meeting with Osler Club of London; lunch in the House of Lords; dinner with the Harveian Society at the Naval Club; visit with the Harveian Society at Lettsom House.
- Election of Lord Darzi of Denham OM, KBE, PC, FRS as honorary member
Fall 2019
- Harvey Club expedition to Stratford in September.
- Lobby talk by David Prosser; lunch in the Marquee and a matinee of The Merry Wives of Windsor
Centenary year (2019) speakers: Dr Victor Dzau; Harvey McAlister; Robin Keirstead; Harvey Cheng - Donation to Western Libraries medical history collections: The Harvey Club joined with Dr George Ebers to donate a rare book to Western Archives. Jean Cruveilhier (1791-1874). Anatomie pathologique du corps humain. 2 vols. and atlas. Paris: J.-B. Baillière, 1829-1842. Read more on the importance of this book here.
- Harvey Club of London entry created on Wikipedia
Harvey McAlister (left) and Harvey Cheng (right) present Centenary Guest Speaker Dr. Victor Dzau with plaque in appreciation of his talk on October 17, 2018.
Our History and Activities
The Harvey Club of London is the oldest active medical club in Canada. It is named after English physician William Harvey (1578-1657) who first explained the circulation of blood in human body using scientific approach and heralded the field of physiology.
Founded in part by Prof James W. Crane, the Harvey Club was initiated by a request from several London doctors to provide refresher courses. Two lecture series were held in the winter of 1918. Upon completion of the second series on February 27, 1919, a dinner was held at Tecumseh House. At the dinner, Dr. Edward Spence suggested that a group be formed and a constitution and charter be created to form a club.
The Harvey Club continues to this day, having evolved over the years with the growth of the London medical community. The original objective of the club was to prepare, present and publish more scientific research papers – which it did –however broader interests in the sciences, professions, humanities and the world at large have also been encouraged.
Past papers and discussions of the Harvey Club include:
- “Sporadic Cretinism (with report of a case)” by Dr J.C.Lindsay, April 25, 1919
- “Tuberculosis in School Children” by Dr J.H.Holbrook, Nov 14, 1925
- “Is there a Solution for the Middle East” by Dr W. C. Heine, Nov 1984.
- “Climate Change - Beyond Kyoto” by Dr. G. MacBean, Nov 2002.
It currently meets four times a year, and there are about 70 active and emeriti members. The Harvey Club retains a presidential gavel, regalia cabinet, and motto.
Archival material related to the Harvey Club of London is deposited at Western Archives, Western University and an online finding aid is available here.
Since 2008, this group sponsors THE HARVEY CLUB OF LONDON PRIZE, which is awarded annually for the best medical student paper in the history of medicine at Western University. This prize winner receives a monetary award and their name is engraved on a silver plate, which is on display in the History of Medicine office. Read more about the Harvey Club of London Prize here.
