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