#include <mongo/client/dbclient.h>
#include <mongo/bson/oid.h>

int main( int argc, char const* argv[] ){
mongo::OID::gen();
}

Yields:

/usr/local/include/boost/smart_ptr/scoped_ptr.hpp:99: T* boost::scoped_ptr<T>::operator->() const [with T = mongo::AtomicWord<unsigned int>]: Assertion `px != 0' failed.

I can create a client connection and createIndex. The library then fails in the same mysterious way.

client::initialize() was missed. Library should error out sensibly where initialize is required and forgotten.