The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-05-06
TRUTH IN THE SICK RooM.--PHYs1c1ANs

TRUTH IN THE SICK ROoM.--PHYsICIANs
There are some physicians who act, from
pr'"clple, on the rule always 10 conceal the
imminence of their peril from patients who
are very i'll, and commonly from their
friends likewise. They always assure then,
that there is no ir,nc,liate danger, and that
they will certainly recover, ,n!r.s some un-
toward accident happens. and often give nc
hint, and will allow no one else to give such
a hint Of the danger to which the paticn, is
exposed, until death itself terminates the
case. We know Tie reason that is com
monty urged for this re.icenc.: that hope
Is powerful agent in the physical system
and whilst there is liie there is ground ol
hope, and TO destroy this hope is 10 destroy
the patient. There is much truth in this,
nnl this furnishes one of the stronges. OBJ
jec;ions to the practice.
liza physician only .xpresse! hope where
there was ground for it, even the fan,est,
his assurances would always have their de-
81 Snci effect. but some are known to ca
press hope i'll every case. when every intel
ligcnt person knows, at least afterwards,
there could not TIC shadow uf hope, and
hence in the end his assurances iai. to pro-
ducc their intended result. They are re-
gar,!ed rs part OF his professional system Of
deception, and fail to impart any conf
dencc to the patient. He thinks the doc
tor is dccciving him-for his good, it is
true but still drcriving him-and this
makes him imagine tic danger - be often
greater than it i, in reality. Hence the
very ground ou wicl, the system is rrac-
tised, as y system, shows how untcEabIe
it is.
In many cases it is not true that the
knowledge Of danger will have all Injurious
effect 1t often acts in another way. But
waving this, the common rule connected
with it. that excludes ailusion TO religion.
and all access oi a minister or a pious trirEd
to sick room, who NAV Introduce the sub
Jcc rs cI";tiV ohJcttionah,c.
nout taking the high ground that
ole warrants, that no man has right
TO ,mperil the soul Of his ne yhhor, even if
there were some risk to the body, We have
ample ground for all reasonable minds, o,
lower considerations. The alleged risk in
many cases is purely imaginary. 1t is tru,
tha; an ignorant zcaiot in the ministry NAV
do harm. but so may an ignorant zr:lot in
medicine, and we are not arguing for the
one any more than for the other. But it is
not true that the vis, Of a wise and indicc,,s
minister. or pious friend, will do narm to 4
sick person. 1t is often the very reverse.
Many sick persons are agiated abou,
their spiritual condition to an extent that
they are unwilling 10 avow, AMI this ari.a
tion seriously affects their physical con,!i
tion. and intcrieres with the action of RENE.
dial agents. The visit of iniicious anf
intelligent spiritual counsellor will often re.
move these agi'ations, anl give a tranquiIi-
ty to the soul that enables the holy 10 react
and Recover from its ailments. And there
is Il soothing, tran1ni!lzing effect in the
gentle tones Of human voice in t.nnycrs;-
ton, PRAYER, and singing, chat none but
those who have actually seen its power c,.r
estimate. We have seen raving mana,
htilled to silence by hymn, when nothing
else was able to restrain those rawlings for ;
single moment. Now to ignore these srir
'tua! agencies, VIII the spirit go powerful,
reacts Oh the body. is unwise and unphilo
sophiral in the extreme.
The iudicious minister is always an ally
Of the judicious physician, and neither can
wisely or safely disregard the province o
the other. We nre gial to he able to testf,
to the general Courtesy Of .le medical pro
fession in this respect, and to say That thos
who are otherwise, are the exceptions, an.
they but few in number, and not formula
ble in influence. Central Presbyteri1n