.MTM5Nw.MTIwNzkx: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "42 wrong in prescribing something black and bitter. I don't think I vented it at the time on any moral tonic. I knew that Fred had a large practice and I wouldn't have chal...") |
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42 | 42 | ||
wrong in prescribing something black and bitter. I don't think I | wrong in prescribing something black and bitter. I don't think I resisted | ||
it at the time on any moral | it at the time on any moral basis. I knew that Fred had a large practice | ||
and I wouldn't have challenged him on his methods. But I would have | and I wouldn't have challenged him on his methods. But I would have | ||
felt puerile if I had attempted to do it the same way. Every doctor has | felt puerile if I had attempted to do it the same way. Every doctor has | ||
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who will. I think I hoped to convert the patient to my way, which I considered | who will. I think I hoped to convert the patient to my way, which I considered | ||
better, at least, than his way. Later, however, I became a | better, at least, than his way. Later, however, I became a | ||
little more strenuous about it and viewed that type of medical | little more strenuous about it and viewed that type of medical palavering | ||
as definitely second rate, a kind of greasy insult to the patient." | as definitely second rate, a kind of greasy insult to the patient." | ||
"I know what you mean. But you probably had something else in | "I know what you mean. But you probably had something else in | ||
mind when you were talking, some time back, about doing no damage, | mind when you were talking, some time back, about doing no damage, | ||
didn't you?" | didn't you?" | ||
"Yes, although ^'again' it was only with a good bit of experience that I | "Yes, although ^'again' it was only with a good bit of experience that I | ||
saw it as damage. I'm referring to the things that doctors say, not | saw it as damage. I'm referring ^now^ to the things that doctors say, not | ||
the placebos they may prescribe. They feel that they | the placebos they may prescribe. They feel that they are required to make | ||
some kind of a pronouncement and they have the urge to make it | some kind of a pronouncement and they have the urge to make it | ||
sound very professional or scientific. And actually that is what | sound very professional or scientific. And actually that is what | ||
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of our deepest apprehensions and superstitions. It seems to us to come | of our deepest apprehensions and superstitions. It seems to us to come | ||
from the outside, hence it represents an attack or an invasion: something | from the outside, hence it represents an attack or an invasion: something | ||
we eat, drink or | we eat, drink or breathe, even something we touch. And behind | ||
that something, you can see traces of the earliest war gods | that something, you can see traces of the earliest war gods | ||
of all, those that we should keep looking around for | of all, those that earliest man recognized and set himself to placate. It is logical | ||
for one thing, to perform the | then, that we should keep looking around for those darkest of mysteries | ||
so that they won't think we are presuming to deny them | for one thing, to perform the roles of worry, that is, to genuflect repeatedly | ||
so that they won't think we are presuming to deny them. That | |||
is why simple reassurance is so useless in the anxiety states: the sufferer | is why simple reassurance is so useless in the anxiety states: the sufferer | ||
feels that his only means of loosening the | feels that his only means of loosening the grip of the war god is constant | ||
Latest revision as of 19:18, 20 August 2021
42
wrong in prescribing something black and bitter. I don't think I resisted it at the time on any moral basis. I knew that Fred had a large practice and I wouldn't have challenged him on his methods. But I would have felt puerile if I had attempted to do it the same way. Every doctor has to establish his characteristic methods in medicine just as much as in general social living. Fred did it convincingly, tongue in cheek, but I couldn't see myself doing it the same way. You know the argument always rises: if you don't do what they want, they'll go to the doctor who will. I think I hoped to convert the patient to my way, which I considered better, at least, than his way. Later, however, I became a little more strenuous about it and viewed that type of medical palavering as definitely second rate, a kind of greasy insult to the patient."
"I know what you mean. But you probably had something else in
mind when you were talking, some time back, about doing no damage, didn't you?"
"Yes, although ^'again' it was only with a good bit of experience that I
saw it as damage. I'm referring ^now^ to the things that doctors say, not the placebos they may prescribe. They feel that they are required to make some kind of a pronouncement and they have the urge to make it sound very professional or scientific. And actually that is what the patient came for, and is prepared to be fascinated by, and it is just that which makes the trouble. I think that you, Inspector, would be the one to understand from your own personal experience that the way we feel toward ourselves as sound, whole and healthy is very different from what we feel toward a sick or impaired self. Sickness arouses some of our deepest apprehensions and superstitions. It seems to us to come from the outside, hence it represents an attack or an invasion: something we eat, drink or breathe, even something we touch. And behind that something, you can see traces of the earliest war gods of all, those that earliest man recognized and set himself to placate. It is logical then, that we should keep looking around for those darkest of mysteries for one thing, to perform the roles of worry, that is, to genuflect repeatedly so that they won't think we are presuming to deny them. That is why simple reassurance is so useless in the anxiety states: the sufferer feels that his only means of loosening the grip of the war god is constant