Profiles in Cardiology

Presumably the reasons which Dr. J. Willis Hurst had for inviting us to write this article are related to the conspicuous circumstances which, by an accident of birth, have placed us close to the source. It has been implied that the highest requisite which must be possessed by anyone writing about the life of another person, whatever his motives-whether to justify or to defend the individual, to hold up a certain ideal of conduct, to apply a new writing approach (as done here), or to simply present facts-is the equipment or knowledge which the writer himself brings to the task (Scammell, 1984). In addition, some sympathy must be shown toward the person. “To know the poet you must love him,” wrote William Wordsworth and this holds true for teachers as well (Bond, 1968).