During the early days of the United States Military Occupation of Japan following World War II, Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, the Prime Minister's physician, sought some penicillin from the office of MacArthur's surgeon. Dr. Hinohara obtained the penicillin, and at the same time a copy of Aequanimitas, the famous collection of medical addresses by Sir William Osier. It was given to him by a young Medical Corps officer. Japanese physicians had had no exposure to humanism in medicine in their training, and Dr. Hinohara estimated that at that time Osier's name would have been known to fewer than 10 physicians in his country.
He was profoundly impressed with Aequanimitas, and translated the title address and paraphrased the others. In 1948, he published a book entitled The Life of Dr. Osier—Pioneer of American Medicine. Currently Dr. Hinohara is revising and updating his book; its publication will represent a major contribution of his life's work. Here again is another example of the proliferation of Osleriana by way of the magic words Osier chose to dress his thoughts.