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The U. S. has no counterpart of Harley Street. Nearest approximations.are Boston's Back Bay district and Washington's I ("Eye") Street. A Harley Street physician or surgeon always comports himself decorously, properly, ofttimes pompously. He has medical learning plus a general culture. (Lord Dawson knows his literature, from which he often quotes. Matthew Arnold is his favorite poet.) Harley Street patients rarely change their doctors. The doctor is part of the family organization. Harley Street men wear a sort of professional uniform. The present costume (Lord Dawson maintains his meticulously) consists of morning clothes— black shoes and socks, grey spats, striped trousers, black coat, grey top hat. Thus attired Harley Street makes its calls.
Dr. Dawson's Yarrow circle spread to the British court. King Edward VII had digestive troubles—aftermath of typhoid fever and of his continual gustatory excess. Dr. Dawson, as consultant physician, kept the royal paunch content. He became personal physician (1907) to George V, who then was the Prince of Wales. Upon George's coronation (1910) Dr. Dawson continued with greater prestige as his personal physician. The royal family frequently had great difficulty disciplining their heir, whom they familiarly still call David but whom subjects-apparent call Edward. At such times the King would call on Dr. Dawson to take the youngster in hand. Prince Edward always obeyed the doctor. He still is amenable, having voluntarily appointed Dr. Dawson his personal physician seven years ago. The Prince pays Dr. Dawson £500 a year to keep him well, the King the same amount. However, Dr. Dawson received £10,000 extra, plus honors for his attendance in the King's last bad illness.
Lord Dawson has this in common with Eve: whereas she was made from Adam's side, he was made a privy councillor by the side-piercing of George V. For 20 years he had been advancing at Court toward privy councillorship — Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (1911), Companion of the Bath (1916), Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1918), Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George (1919), Knight Commander of the Bath (1926). (He must wear the insignia of those orders at the Winnipeg medical convention.) Professionally he had been "made" long before. It is ten years since his grateful monarch and good friend elevated him to the peerage. He chose the title Lord Dawson of Penn because (it is said) he traces his ancestry to the great William Penn's family.