The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-02-06
DOCTORS STORY
The Problem That Grew Out Of
a Queer Night Call.
u STUDY IN MEDICAL ETHICS.

4 STUDY IN MEDICAL ETHICS.
1t Was q Case In Which, Mystery and
Suspicion Wsrs Mixed, and Il Awoks
The Question Of a Physieian's Right
10 Violate q Pledge Of Secrecy.
This IL q story. told by a well known
physician, Of a problem that suddenly
confronted him and how he inter-
preted the ethics of his profession and
acted on 1t.
II was reused one night he said.
'by a telephone call. An unfamiliar
voice asked me If I could attend a
man who had been injured. l answer
Cd that l could If the case was ur-
gent. but before l could ask who wat
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. l unlocked the
door, and a man wearing a long ulster.
q dark hat and a pair Of colored glass
e. entered.
doctor he said. before we start
I want to make a request. This case.
~ l told you, is urgent. But before
we start I must have your assurance
that you will treat this visit as a
confidential mission. l can't say any
more. except to add that you're run
ming no risk Of any kind in help
ing me-
"There was nothing about the mans
appearance that seemed suspicious.
He was quiet and self possessed.
There wasn't a trace of nervousness
about him, and he was we'll dressed.
I thought there was no reason for re-
fusing to make the agreement.
II took my hat. and we started. The
carriage was a closed u We got in:
the man turned on a small electric
light and then drew the blinds over
the windows.
doctor he said. I'm going to ask
you to take this trip without knowing
where you're going. I'll assure you
it's all right. l want you to blindfold
yourself before we leave the carriage
until we get inside the house.
"Well, l didn't like the look Of this,
but l was in and didn't like to back
out. BY the time the carriage stop
ped l didn't have the least idea what
part Of the town we were in, he had
made so many turns. I put on the
blindfold, as my visitor requested, and
We went into a house.
upstairs found my patient. He
had been shot twice. Revolver bullets
they were. The wounds weren't dan
gerous, but they were painful because
they had not been treated earlier.
II dressed them. told the woman
who was there what sort Of care the
patient ought to have and then told
them that I'd have to see the man at
least two or three times more before
I could answer for his safe recovery.
1.-THE man with the dark glasses
quietly assented to this. but insisted
that he should bring me at night. as
he had that time. l agreed.
1.-The next morning the papers told of
a robbery in which a householder had
been wounded after shooting one of
the burglars. who succeeded in escap.
ing. All the facts of the case indi-
Gated that my patient of the night be-
fore was the burglar who had been
shot. The householder recovered
quickly.
1.-The question stared ut me: Did the
ethics Of the medical profession allow
me to go to the police and tell them
what I knew, or did my promise bind
me to secrecy? thought it over all
day and finally decided that ! bad no
right to say anything about the mat,
ter. I'smade three more trips in the
same manner. All this time l watch
ed the papers. but nc trace was found
Of the burglars. When | made my
last visit l told the man who had first
called me that my fee would be $50.
He took from a large roll some bills
and handed them to me without a
word. !: He drove me home. and that
was the last I ever saw Of either of
them.
THAT was a good many years ago.
but I've often wondered whether ! did
right in not violating that mans con-
ndence."
II don't think you did, said a men,
her of the group. 1.-The medical pro-
fession has no right to shield a GRIM
inal. Women and children should be
given the greatest protection We q
give them. but no word given a GRIM
final is binding"
But suppose it had turned out that
the man WAS not the burglar in ques-
tion?. l believe he was. but It might
have been otherwise" &
That's true" said a third. ut was
all right to keep your promise 90 long
- you. had no actual knowledge that
the man was a criminal. Where you
made your mistake was In making
such a ridiculous agreement in the first
place"
"And let. q man, dangerously injur-
Cd, suffer-" asked the 6rst speaker.
ssRafnAmbef. when I first agreed to Sc