The Doctor

The stamp was issued on June 9, 1947 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the American Medical Association. It features a reproduction of Sir Luke Fildes’ painting, “The Doctor.” The stamp not only honored the AMA but was also a tribute to the advances in medical science since the painting was made. Fildes' first son, Philip, died of tuberculosis in 1877. The image of the helpless doctor at his son's side during the ordeal left a lasting memory of professional devotion that inspired Fildes' 1891 work.