The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-03
Strange Case
Of Dr.. \

This is a story told by a physician
living in a large western city OF a
problem that suddenly confronted him
and of how he interpreted the
ethics of his profession and acted on
1t.
IT was reused one night" he said
by a telephone call. An unfamiliar
voice asked me If could attend o
man who had been injured. | an
swered that | could II the case was
urgent, but before could ask who was
calling, the speaker answered.: All
right, doctor, I'll call at your house in
ten minutes with a carriage
almost before had time to dress,
the doorbell rang. / unlocked the
door. and a man, wearing long I'll.
ster. a dark hat and a pair of colored
glasses. entered.
doctor he said, before We start
want TO make request. ms case
as / told you, is urgent. But before
we start, must have your assurance
that YOU will treat this visit as con-
fdcntial mission. | can't say any
more, except to add that you're run
ming no risk OF any kind In helping
me. And you can name your own
fee
There was nothing abou, the mans
appearance that appeared suspicious
He was quiet and sclf-posscssed-
there wasn't a trace OF nervousness
about him, and he was well dressed
The request was somewhat unusual
but. after all, nearly everything that
wc learn professionally is held IN the
strictest confidence without any dell
mite understandings to that effect, sc
thought there was no reason yor re-
fusing TO make the agreement.
II took my hat and we started. The
carriage, noticed. was closed one
We got in the man turned on small
electric light and then drew the blinds
over the windows.
doctor he said, Pm going to ash
you to take this trip without knowing
where you're going. I'll assure you 1t:
all right. want you to blindfolt
yourself before we leave the carriage
until We get inside the house.
well, l didn't like the looks of this
but I was in and didn't like to bacl
out. OF course I wasn't at all afrait
for my own safety. BY the time thu
carriage stopped didn't have the leas
idea what part Of town We were In
we had made SO many turns. | put oil
the blindfold. as my visitor requested
and we went up some steps and into
house.
Upstairs, found my patient. III
had been shot twice. Revolver bullets
they were. The wounds weren't dan
gerous. but they were painful becaus
they had not been treated earlier
Il dressed them, told the woma
who was there what sort Of care tn
patient ought to have, and then toll
them that Id have to see the man a
least two or three times more befOr
could answer for his safe recovery.
THE man with the dark glasse
quietly assented to this, but insiste
that he should bring me at night. a
he had that time. agreed.
The next morning the papers tol
OF q robbery, In which householde
had been wounded, after shooting on
Of the burglars, who succeeded In e.
Gaping. All the facts indicated tina
my patient of the night before wa
the burglar who had been shot &c
sure l could locate the house. Th
householder recovered quickly.
Tho question stared at me: Did til
ethics OF the medical profession allo
me to so to the police and tell thel
what | know, or did my promise bin
me to secrecy" thought it over a
day ana finally decided that had 1
right to say anything about the ina
ter. made three more trips In Il
same manner and finally decided tn
the man would get along without al
more calls. All this time | watch,
the papers, but no trace was found
the burglars. When l made my la
visit | told the man who had fir
called on me that my fee would
SIS. He took from a large roll Nv
500 bills and handed them to II
. without a word. lie drove me hon
and that was the last | ever saw
either Of them.
THAT was good many years ag
but I've often wondered whether | d
right in not violating that mans CO
J. fdefce."
Il don't think you did," said a mel
Der of the group. The medical pr
fession has no right to shield erin
nal. Women and children should
). given the greatest protection We Ct
give them-the same - on q vess
1t sea-but no word given q Grimm
: 10 binding"
But suppose It had turned out tn
the man WAS not the burglar In gu,
tion. believe he was. but II mig
have been otherwise-?"
}. That's true" said . third. TT v
ali raOhf IN keap vour nromise so lo