IV

Medical Advice and Medical Disits

HERE is another trial which often gives rise

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to feelings of great discontent in the minds of the sick. It shows itself in two opposite forms; sometimes they fancy because their friends let them go on without seeming to wish that they should have any additional medical advice, or any change of medical men, therefore they do not care for their recovery, or wish to try all means. This fancy preys upon their spirits, and gives a feeling of deep dissatisfaction. Were they to speak the truth, or rather, if they knew their own hearts, they would see how much they themselves are wishing to try some new treatment, or to have some new doctor. Visitors often propose and urge them to try some one in whom they have special confidence ; perhaps they stir up the desire in their minds, and even produce a feeling of dissatisfaction with their present attendant. The sick person ponders it in his heart, and wonders why his friends are so heedless and indifferent about it. Why it is their love and kindness, generally speaking, that makes them so; they see that little or nothing can be done, and they kindly forbear to tease you with asking you to try fresh plans, which may only give you much pain, and end in disappointment. They think it kinder to leave you merely to the soothing remedies which

are generally resorted to when all others are ineffectual, than to put you to the pain of undergoing many of the same remedies that have been tried already, without success. If you wish to see some new physician, propose it yourself, at least tell some friend that you think you should like to have some advice, if they see no objection; but remember always when you are doing so, how great a risk you are running; his advice may not suit you at all, it may merely add to your suffering. You cannot expect that a stranger should take the interest in you that one would who had long watched your case and known you; his manner may be trying to you-his opinion only cause you fresh pain. Weigh all these things thoroughly; some sick people are constantly wishing for a change of medical advisers; and what do they gain by it? A succession of disappointments and trials. Medicines given and rejected as failures, hope after hope arising, and as often failing.

In an early stage of sickness it is very desirable to have more than one opinion; but when all right means have been tried, it is a far more peaceful plan to keep to some one medical man, whoever suits you best, and not to seek for, or hanker after any more opinions. There are stages in the disease in which it may be well, if your usual attendant approves it, to have a fresh opinion, but the less frequently the better. Some sick people have a foolish jealousy of any new opinion. If friends wish and propose it, it is a duty at once to fall in

with their wishes, and give them the satisfaction of having tried all reasonable means. If they do not care about it, then you may be content and thankful, but do not be displeased if they express their wish that you should see some fresh person; take it as a proof of kindness. Do not be discontented,

or think that they tease you needlessly.

Sometimes sick persons are discontented with their medical man because he finds no means of relieving them. But surely this is not a just cause, for we may be sure that, for his credit's sake, every honest medical man will desire to cure a patient; and if he cannot do this, at least to give all the relief in his power.

Sometimes sick people fancy that medical men do not understand their particular case. Perhaps they may not, for they are working in the dark. But is this just cause for discontent? Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind, open their eyes to see your case, and give them understanding to treat it? Ask some friends, on whom you can rely, if it seems to them as it does to you; and if their opinion agrees with yours, and they advise that you should have another opinion, you will gladly let it be so. But if this cannot be, then take it as His will that you should not be relieved, as His will that you must suffer still. This will soften it to you, and enable you to receive the trial meekly.

Sometimes we cannot but feel that medical men do misunderstand our characters; they urge those to exertion whose whole mind and spirit is actively

at work; and to whom stillness is greater suffering and trial than are any of their remedies; by doing so, they increase the restlessness and discontent which is in their patients. Or, sometimes they let those remain idle, who need to be roused and stirred up. It must be so, for they see but little of their patients, are rarely acquainted with them. before their illness, and therefore cannot know their natural characters. They hear only our tales of illness, which we feel it necessary to tell them fully; and so they fancy that these are our thoughts at all times—the food of our minds, and that we need to be brought out of what seems to them morbid. Therefore in kindness they urge us, but indiscriminately for they have cultivated knowledge of disease more than knowledge of human nature; and look at the countenance as the index of disease, rather than of the mind within.

Another of the great trials which medical men often cause their patients, is the treating them (not medically, perhaps, but morally) as "nervous," "merely nervous." Do they not know, we sometimes ask, that they can say nothing more hopeless and discouraging to sick people?

If they mean by it, it is nothing; do not think of it, try to forget it; surely these words will not produce the effect they intend. Instead of this, if they said, "These are morbid feelings, you must struggle against them, they can be overcome; it will cost you a great and continued struggle, but you will be rewarded for doing so ;" there would be hope

and strength in such language, and the work thus given you to do would be very useful. The sick person would value the friend who would speak truth to him. On the other hand, the effect of saying, "it is only nervous," is to prevent the sufferer from again uttering such thoughts, or any that could be so construed; to make him feel that his physician does not understand him, and to shake his confidence wholly in him, even when there is no ground for it. Yet he ought to remember, that the physician merely used common language, and did not intend to cause so much pain.

If, on the other hand, he means by "merely nervous," or "it is a nervous pain," really an affection of the nerves, why then his words are sad and hopeless; for no pains are so peculiarly trying, so inexplicable, so incurable. But if this be the meaning of the words, then surely it is better to be told; better to know the whole sad truth; to be able to face it all, and see what it involves; and to seek how to meet it, in the strength of the Lord.

Do not trouble your physician with questions about his opinion of your state, the nature of the disease, or its probabilities. You will gain nothing by doing so; he will perhaps argue from it, that you spend a great deal of your time in thinking about it. Except when any particular changes occur in the disease, he knows nothing fresh, and can tell you nothing but what he has already told you. You may tempt him to give you some most unwelcome opinion as to its duration, or your nervous