Evening star., 1962-02-15
STOP KILLING
YOURSELF
By PETER J. sTEINcRoHN


wish more doctors would do
more talking when a person
filled with fears and ap-
prehension comes to them.
But. unless it's something
physically serious, they seem
to brush you off as someone
taking up their time need
lessly. They write you out a
prescription, tell you to keep
in touch, and that's that. 1t
doesn't do us much good.
Most people these days are
suffering from nerves" and
nothing can seem so real and
hard to take every day. Yet.
I've been to doctors who say,
Forget it, it's only your
nerves." Please write some
thing about this in your
column.-Mrs. G.
IHAVE WRITTEN so many
columns on this subject that
some Of my colleagues think
that I am kicking up too
much dust.
One friend said the other
day. You'd think this is
something new. People begin
to think that no doctor takes
time to explain. They all
blame it on the fact that we
are so busy. They say that
the old horse-and-buggy-
doctors always found time to
reassure their patients.
II disagree. I think that 1t
all boils down to what kind
Of person the doctor happens
to be. If he's compassionate
and sympathetic by nature,
he'll take the time to hear
out a frightened and be-
wildered patient"
I recall what my mother
used to say many years ago,
I've just come from my
doctor. He's supposed to be a
good doctor, and I guess I
like him, but all he does Is
give you a bottle of medicine
and pat you on the back. I
wish he'd talk more or, at
least, listen a little. The
trouble Is that there are
always a few dozen patients
in the waiting room anxious
to see him. The poor man
hasn't any time"
Nevertheless. during the
same era I recall another
doctor with a large practice
who always found time to
talk and listen and sympa-
thize. In fact, many's the
time he stopped-while on
the way to a call-to play
softball with us kids.
I'll repeat again what I
have said so many times land
I hope my medical colleagues
won't take this as a slur
against my profession): No
doctor-regardless of how
well trained and efficient
can be a good doctor unless
he makes" the time to listen
to, and talk to his patient.
Three out of four patients
who come to the doctor are
knotted up in some emotional
problem or other (whatever
their illness> and its the doc
tors job to unite the knots.
He'll never succeed unless he
has patience and under
standing and sympathy.
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: I'm
only asking you to guess. 1
know you won't attempt a
definite diagnosis from a let
ter. Here are my husbands
symptoms. He is Al and has
progressively failing hearing
in one ear (very bad now;
has ringing and kissing in
the ear-even when he feels
well. When 1t stops, he knows
he's going to be sick with
nausea, vomiting, and verti-
go. The attacks last for a
week or two and are occur
ring more frequently. Yet.
he's stubborn and won't 60
to a doctor.-Mrs. G.
MY GUESS Is Meniere's
disease. Also an unusually
serious case of unreasoned
stubbornness. How will he
ever get we'll? The condi-
tion-if that's what it isis
hard enough to overcome
with the best of medical care.
BELL Syndicate Feature)
Dr.. Steincrohn's Ieatlet,
"HotD to Manage Arthritis, -
tDiH be mailed on receipt OF a
stamped, Selt-addreSSed en-
Uelope and 10 cents in coin
for handling. Address DR..
Steincrohn in care of The
EUening Star.
Tomorrow: Acne.