| December 2003 | ||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
| Nov Jan | ||||||
18 December 2003Kos was one of the Greek islands not included on our 6th Form Greek (Tour of the Peleponese) trip. It is the birthplace of Hippocrates, the celebrated physician and the man considered to be the father of western medicine. Clinical and academic teachers love his aphorisms. The most commonly used is
“Life is short, and Art long; the crisis fleeting; experience perilous, and decision difficult. The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and externals cooperate.”
In first year they were greeted with wide eyed smiles. After, well, we were far to trendy to be impressed by that sort of thing. (Like all students everywhere) Upon graduation the overwhelming majority doctors make a oath of service. This is called the Hippocratic Oath.
The Original
I SWEAR by Apollo the physician, AEsculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation.
TO RECHON him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look up his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according the law of medicine, but to none others.
I WILL FOLLOW that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give a woman a pessary to produce abortion.
WITH PURITY AND WITH HOLINESS I will pass my life and practice my Art. I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves.
WHATEVER, IN CONNECTION with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
WHILE I CONTINUE to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!
It has been altered by individual schools and some do not practice the oath at all. If you graduate in abstentia you may never get the opportunity to swear the oath. Some students decline.
The original oath is no longer said. Mainly due to the references to Greek Gods, slaves, abortion etc... After the WW2, the World Medical Association was formed in 1947 largely at the behest of the British Medical Association, and the WMA adopted the Declaration of Geneva (below). It was created in response to the doctors involved in unethical practice and who used the excuse of following the law. Legislation from Nuremberg states that a physician cannot deviate from their oath whatever the legislation. Torture (physical or mental), the death penalty and the organ trade all issues still unfortunately relevant today.
The ethos of the Hippocratic Oath is retained almost in its entirety, and reinstates an intentional code of medical ethics which applies in all times.
Declaration of Geneva
"At the time of being admitted as a Member of my Profession:
I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due;
I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity;
The health of those in my care will be my first consideration;
I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of my profession;
My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from its beginning, even under threat, and I will not use my specialist knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity;
I make these promises solemnly, freely, and upon my honour."
I took the oath this year. The University of Glasgow recently amended their oath to much (including my own) chagrin. I found however, that in that grand old room, with oil paintings of austere bearded old men looking down on me; latin or English, new or old version it is still that delicious mix of thrill and daunting that only comes from once in a life time occasions.
“I do solemnly and sincerely declare that as a Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Glasgow I will exercise my professional knowledge and skills to the best of my ability, for the good, safety and welfare of all persons committing themselves, or committed to my care, regardless of their individual status or standing.
I will not knowingly or intentionally do anything or administer anything to their hurt or prejudice for any consideration, or from an motive whatever. I will keep silence as to anything I have seen or heard in the practice of my profession, which it would be improper to divulge.
I will assist patients to make informed decisions and I will respect these decisions. I will endeavour to earn and keep the trust of my patients and colleagues, by acting honestly and fairly, and by continued effort to improve and share my knowledge and skills.”
Silently, silently, it’s changed me. One of the many thoughts that raced through my mind while repeating the oath was what on earth Hippocrates or some of the old guys looking down on me would have thought to see me there, gowned up and parents weeping. I hoped they’d not have minded too much.
On a less severe note, I never felt more like I was in a Harry Potter novel. Glasgow University is old old old. J
comment []12:20:04 AM
Crime and punishment
Forgiving Justice (.pdf)
From www.wickedness.net , a very interesting site.
E-Journal. Vol 1. No. 1 Perspectives of Evil and Human Wickedness
comment []12:14:25 AM
Ideas for a Greener Christmas.
Green Guide to Christmascomment []12:12:10 AM
The grass isn’t greener.
NHS in crisis? Patients in France also wait on trolleys“Paul Webster in Paris
Sunday December 7, 2003
France's public hospital system, often cited as a model for Britain, is on the brink of paralysis, according to medical staff, who blame a lack of funding and personnel.
Trade unions representing the system's 750,000 staff have organised street demonstrations later this month, claiming a lack of government money could result in many of the 1,500 hospitals going bankrupt, despite a 5 per cent budget increase this year to about €50 billion (£35 billion).
'
We believe the [conservative] government is encouraging a situation in which the public system is being run down so that the most lucrative business can be transferred to private clinics,' said a spokesman for the four unions involved. 'Public hospitals will end up as nothing more than hospices for the poor.'A crisis has been evident since the deaths of 15,000 elderly people during the August heatwave. But this has been followed by a new scare in which Parisian and provincial hospitals have been overwhelmed by three winter epidemics: infant bronchitis, gastroenteritis and 'flu.
While tiny patients were kept waiting in corridors for hours and anxious parents advised to go to private clinics, doctors warned that the worst was yet to come.
Emmanuel Grimpel, head of emergencies at Paris's Armand-Trousseau hospital, said the
'flu epidemic had struck early and underlined a serious lack of medical staff and beds nationwide. He predicted that the crisis would last until mid-January.…”
Providing for health care is like trying to fill a bottomless cup. I would be reticent to directly compare different countries as it’s like trying to compare apples and oranges. A nation’s lifestyle and value structure, attitude to health is as important. Even what they constitute as an illness. I do believe how compassionate a society is lies in their approach to the weakest members of society, most notably the elderly, children and those living on the fringes of society. Given the current world situation it is worth noting that a large proportion of the homeless were in the armed forces.
Time and again the press ignore this for the headlines. Either we in the UK have a system on the brink of collapse and one that is woefully inadequate, guilty of near criminal neglect or we have an enviable system, such that we are overwhelmed with asylum seekers, refugees and illegal immigrants all looking for a healthcare holiday.
As with all things, I imagine the truth lies somewhere in between.
comment []12:01:39 AM
This Page was last update: 04/01/2004; 21:48:19
Copyright 2004 Annelise Ribeiro
Theme Design by Bryan Bell
