The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-06-04
CALLING The DOCTOR.
People Are Not Confederate of the
Physicfan's Comfort.

Without intending to be SO, people
are extremely incOnsiderate to their
physicians, and unwittingly cause them
ii great deal of trouble and weariness.
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
teresting facts We're brought out and
talked over with that clearness of per
ception and directness that character
lze persons whose long familiarity with
tEelr business renders them experts.
I'm the course of my duties as nurse"
said young woman who has made a
name for herself, II have observed that
imagination and apprehension have d
great deal to do with sending for doe
tors at unreasonable hours. As rule
the sufferer might just a. well wait un-
til morning or send befoTe il is
late into the night. But fidgety and con-
seIuential folk seem To think that il
adds To their importance and the gray
ity of the situation if they rouse the
house at a :ime when everybody is OF
ought TO he 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 10 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
themselves, 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 indulninp our
selves we get into apprehensive states
and fancy all sorts of dreadful things
when once we gIvr way to our feelings
And II is especially SO with sick per
sons. They begin To think and TO worry
and wonder if they are really growing
worse, and, if there is an extra twinpe of
pain or little faintness or undue merry
BUSINESS, they lose their heads at once.
and everybody is reused to minister TO
what is really nothing more nor less
than the Legitimate result of too much
determination and too close atten-
ton to symptoms that would not be at
all alarming if they were not dwelt
upon.
OF course there are acute attacks of
various diseases that demand instant
attention, but when the doctor has
made one call he is usually quite we'll
qualified To state whether or not there
are conditions that are likely TO arise
that may give cause for alarm
Il have had many patients who could.
with little explanation and auietinr,
be reconciled to waiting for the doctor
until morning" added the young
woman.
Il have made it rule in nv ten
years experience never TO send for a
physician after ten o'clock at night or
before seven o'clock in the morning un-
less there was imperative need of it.
Doctors need rest and sleep Just DIS
much as other persons, and 4 is mani
fest injustice to them to call them out
at night unless il is absolutely neces-
sary. With reasonable consideration,
the doctor will live longer and lie more
valuable to his patients than if he were
dragged out at unreasonable hours and
upon frivolous pretexts."-N Y. Led
ger.