Daily camera., 1897-06-17
CALLING THE DOCTOR.
People Are Not COnsiderate of the
Phyaiciau's Comfort

Without intending 10 be so, people
are extremely inccnsidCIE.- % their
physicians, and unwi1tinggly cause them
j great deal Of troul1lesna WEAKNESS.
At a somewhat informal meeting of
doctors and nurses, held not long since,
for the purpose of discussing the rela-
tions between the two, some very in
terestirg facts We're brought out and
talked owe. with that clearness of per-
ception and directness that character
ize persons whose long familiarity with
their business renders them experts.
'sIn the course of my duties as nurse"
said young woman who has made
name for herself, 81 have observed that
imagination and apprehension have
great deal to do with sending for doc
tors at unreasonable hours. AS rule
the sufferer might just as well wait an
til morning or send before it is
late into the night. But fdgety and con-
sequential folk seem to think that it
adds to their importance and the gray
ity of the situation if they rouse the
house at a time when everybody is or
ought to be asleep and send some sery-
ant or member of the family post haste
for medical aid
When people are ailing they get tired
and nervous and fretful and out of joint
with everybody and everything. They
are to certain extent entertained and
amused or at least occupied during the
day. Their thoughts are distracted in
spite OF themselves, and they have less
nervous force to eXpend upon them
selves. When night comes and the
house is quiet they are left more to
them selves. and their thoughts and
fancies run riot They magnify their
ills, and dwell upon their pains and
give free rein to their fears.
We all know that by indulging our
selves we get into apprehensive states
and fancy all sorts of dreadful things
when once We give way to cur feelings.
And i. is especially so with sicl: per
sons. They begin to think and 20 worry
and wonder if they arc really growing
worse, and, if there IS an extra twinge of
pain or a little faintness or undue ncrv-
BUSINESS, they lose their heads al once
and everybody is reused TO minster to
what is really nothing more. nor less
than the legitimate result of too nue.
self-eXamination and too close alter
tion to symptoms that would not be :;
all alarming if they were not dwelt
upon.
OF course there are acute attacks q
various diseases that demand irsten
attention. but when the doctor hn
made one call he is usually quite "'o:
qualified to state whether or not there
are conditions that are likely to al st
that may give cause for alarm.
81 have had many patients who could
with little explanation and quictirC.
be reconciled to waiting for the doctor
until morning. added the young
woman.
81 have made it rule in III, ten
years experience never 10 send for i!
physician after ten o'clock at night OF
before seven o'clock in the morning u
less there was imperative nee' cf it
Doctors need rest and sleep Just ~,
much as other persons. ard It is mani
fest injustice to them to caIl t..eln out
at night unless it is; absolutely rec>r-
sary. With reasonable consideration.
the doctor will live longer and be NOR"
valuable to his patients than if he were
dragged out at unreasonable hours and
upon frivolous pretexts.'-N. Y. Led
ger.