Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-03-27
Obligations Of Patients to their Ply
SicianS.
from the Code Of Medical Ethics,


l. The members of the medical profcs
sion. upon whom is enjoined the perform
ance Of so many important and arluoll:
duties toward the community, and who
are required to make so many sacrifices OF
comfort ease and health, for the welfare
of those who avail themselves of then
services, certainly have a right to expect
ard require, that their patients should en-
iertain a just sense of the duties which
they owe to their medical attendants.
?. The first duty of a patient is 10 select
as his medical adviser one who has receiv-
ed a regular professional education. In no
trade or occupation do mankind rely on
the skill OF an untaught artist; and in
medicine. confcssedly the most difficult
and intricate Of the sciences, the world
ought not 10 suppose that knowledge is
intuitiye.
3. Patients should prefer physician
whose habits OF life are regular, and who
is not devoted to company, pleasure. or to
any pursuit incompatible with his PROBES
sional obligations. A patient should. also
! cOnfide the care of himself and family. as
4 much as possible. to one physician: for Il
medical man who has become acquainted
with the pecuIi:iriiies of constitution. hab-
its and predisposition of those he attends.
is more likely to be successful in his treat
ment than one who does not possess thai
knowledge.
A patient who has thus selected his ply
sician should always apply for advice in
what MAY appear TO him trivial cases, for
the most fltal results often supervene on
the slightest accidents. 1t is of still more
importance thai he should apply for assis-
lance in the forming stage of violent dis |
eases; il is TO a neglect Of this precept that |
medicine owes much of the uncertainty |
and ilnper!eciion with which it has been
reprOacbed.
4. Patients should faithfully and unre-
servedly communicate to their physicians
the supposed cause of their disease. This
is the more important, as many diseases OF
mental origin simulate those depending
on external canses, and yet are only to be
cured hy administering to the mind dis
eased. patient should never be afraid
Of thus making his physician his friend
and adviser; he should always bear in
mind that medical man is under the
strongest obligations Of secrecy. Even
the female sex should never allow feelings
OF shame or ,lelicacy 20 prevent their dis
closing the seat, symptoms, and causes of
complaints peculiar to them. However
commendable modest reserve may be In
the common occurrences Of lite, its strict
observance in medicine is often attended
with the most serious consequences. and a
patient may sink under a painful and loath-
some disease, which might have been read
lily prevented had timely intimation been
given TO the physician.
8. A patient should never weary his I
physician with tedious detail of events d
or matters not appertaining to his disease. I
Even AS relates to his actual symptoms. he
will convey much more reaf Information
by giving clear answers to interrogatories
than by the most minute account OF his
OWE framing. Neither should be obtrude
upon his physician the details of his bust
ness nor the history Of his family con- 4
rsrr. h
Z In "sssiienss Of patient to The .