Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-23
THE OBLIGATIONS OF PHI YSICIANS
TO THEIR PATIENTS.
Dr. Garnett Gives q Pointed Expression
OF his Views to Comm issiOner Black.

The following correspondence explains itself:
Commissioners Black to Dr. eiarnett.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
PENSION OFFICE, MEDICAL DIVISION,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 21, 1885.
Dr.. A. Y. p. Garnet, Cfty.
SIR: Your certificate OF sickness in the case Of
Mis- is hereby returned TO you, as 1t is
not sumciently explicit. The rules of this Office
require that physicians shall specify the trouble
with which the patient is afflicted. I have,
therefore, TO request that you make new GER
tihcate and forward it to this Office, accompa-
nled 10y tbs letter, as soon as practicable.
~, Tue certlncates oi physicians are treated in
tnlS ONCE with the Strictest confidence.
very respectfully, JOHN =. BLACK,
Commissioner.
Dr. Garnett to COmml siOner Black.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct D. 1886.
TO the Hon. John c. Black, Commissioner of PEN
SaOnS:
SIR: Yourletter of the 81 ST inst returning my
SICK ccrliticaL Le in The Case OF Miss has been
received. Iu IL you Say '.the rules vi his office
require that physicians shall specify the lrouuie
WIN whicn the patient is afflicted" My nrst
IMPRESSION upon readiug this extraordinary
and somewhat ImperL,nenl edlct was To return
IL Without continent, buL rejecting that the in
teres.s oi u latge huInDer oI intkDcent persons
ma! oe involved, nave determined 10 give
expression 70 my views of the issue which you
nave lnus presented. Several years ago this
question Of right on the part of u government
department 10 require CertiucateS OF ply Slcians
Specifying the disease with which an absent
empioJe had been affected came before the
llee expression Of opinion by Its memDers
upon the SUI, ject, it was determined tlIat
No such dem"nu should be Complied with. 1t
ioliows, Therefore, that, ii l felt disposed,
III refusing To furnish any such Information
l might base that refusal upon the verdict of
tue heulcai assoc lion, but this expressly de-
cline TO 10, aud Shall rest my action in the
premises entirely upon my seuse OF professional
proprlety-tne recognized Obligations of
countries the reiatiOu between the medical
man and his patient is regarded as q private
compact, involving The personal honor of the
fOi lner anu pUSSes ing All L.e sAuct.ty i'm ulied
by AN oath-oue which no honorable member
ol the fraternity could violate without entail
Ing upon hlnsel. personal disgrace 50 sacred.
lnueed, u Lnls reIallOu held Uy The professional
man tuat iust.'nces are not wanting where phy-
sic,ans nave submitted 10 imprisonment, under
Tue orders oi a judicial TRIBUNAL rather luan
disclose what tuey Regarded as the conuuences
Oi the sick roOl,i. This question cannot uow We
determined by the mere Official uIcLum OF u
government iunctiunary. although clothed in
LLle seemingly Arrogant iangudge vi ''reQutriaQ
tnat physicians SiluU, eLc." No medical man III
this cily WHO Possesses proper se.I-reapecL and
CORRECTLY appreciates tue dignity aud iespOnsi-
blil.ies III his profession viii ever demean HIM
sell 50 tar as to c.. .mpiy with such rule.
In the particular case re,erred 10 In your note
l have already informed you that tue party
had been under and still is under surg zeal
treatment, winch physically lied her iOr
the performance oI hef official dulles. In con-
SAusi'us peiuit me W say ludt aS tuIS Is gen.
erl ORDER or rule, not aioue coniIncd tn your
oItlce, understand, shall avoid .he Charge oi
being personally OHsnsive To you when eX-
press the opinion tnat the conception oi such q
rule must have Ori. .inateu WITH aud eInau.,ted
from some disciple oI d scuOol OF moral ethics
which CanuOu cunuescend to recognize. 1t
affords me profound satisfaction " add that,
having never accepted Il fee fOr writing these
cert .flcaLcs oLner communications to The
government departments ior HS emplOyes,
am entireiy Tree from any possible puLiLion
OF being pecunariiy Interested in the matter.
Very respectfully, &C.,