Walter Lytle Pyle

Background

Walter Lytle was born on December 20, 1871 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the son of William J. and Sarah Lane (Thomas) Pyle.

Education

His early education was obtained in the public schools, and he received from the Central High School of Philadelphia the degree of Bachelor of arts in 1888, and that of Master os arts in 1893. In the latter year Walter Lytle graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He did graduate work in London and Paris.

Career

While studying he serves as resident physician in the Emergency Hospital, Washington. Upon returning to Philadelphia, he became affiliated with the Polyclinic and Wills hospitals, securing in 1898 the appointment as assistant surgeon in the service of Dr. Conrad Berens at the latter institution. This position he held until his retirement in 1905. From 1908 to 1912 he was ophthalmic surgeon to Mount Sinai Hospital.

In 1897, in collaboration with Dr. George M. Gould, he published A Compend of Diseases of the Eye, a second edition of which appeared in 1899; in further collaboration with the same author, he brought out Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine (1897), and Cyclopedia of Practical Medicine and Surgery (1900).

In collaboration with Dr. Samuel Horton Brown, he edited the section on ophthalmology in the American Year Book of Medicine and Surgery for 1903 and 1904. From 1902 to 1907 he edited the section on ophthalmology in American Medicine. He also had editorial supervision of An International System of Ophthalmic Practice, begun in 1910, of which four volumes had appeared up to 1918.

Ill health prevented the full exercise of his remarkable ability during the last decade of his life, although he remained extremely active until the last, stoically continuing in his daily work where others less courageous would have sought rest and retirement. He died in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States.

Achievements

• Walter Lytle Pyle was an editorial writer of considerable prominence in the field of medical literature. As a result of his pronounced familiarity with medical literature he was in constant demand in a consultant capacity by the various medical book publishers. His most famous works: Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine, Cyclopedia of Practical Medicine and Surgery.

Works

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• book

  • Anomalies and curiosities of medicine : being an encyclopedic collection of rare and extraordinary cases, and of the most striking instances of abnormality in all branches of medicine and surgery, derived form an exhaustive research of medical literature FACSIMILE

    (FACSIMILE REPRODUCTION: 1900Anomalies and curiosities of ...)

  • A Manual of Personal Hygiene: Proper Living Upon a Physiological Basis

    ( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

Personality

A man of indefatigable industry and inexhaustible patience, Pyle was consulted by many persons with reputed irremediable ocular affections, and by reason of the personal qualities mentioned he was frequently able to attain success where others had obtained but mediocre results. Coupled with his talent for close application was a good memory and a brilliant mind, making the pursuit of knowledge for him a simple task.

Connections

Pyle was married, April 11, 1898, to Adelaide Besson, by whom he had a son and a daughter.

Father:

William J. Pyle

Mother:

Sarah Lane (Thomas) Pyle

Spouse:

Adelaide Besson

Daughter:

Sarah Lane Pyle

Son:

William J Pyle

coworker:

Samuel Horton Brown

coworker:

Conrad Berens

coworker:

George M. Gould

References

• Universities and their sons; history, influence and characteristics of American universities, with biographical sketches and portraits of alumni and recipients of honorary degrees Volume 2
• Who's Who in America Vol XI 1920-1921 : A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of the United States