Boston Medical Police

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Sewell Phelps, 1820 - Medical ethics - 23 pages
 

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Page 4 - ... and by soothing mental anguish. To decline attendance, under such circumstances, would be sacrificing to fanciful delicacy, and mistaken liberality, that moral duty, which is independent of, and far superior to, all pecuniary consideration. 6. Consultations should be promoted in difficult or protracted cases, as they give rise to confidence, energy, and more enlarged views in practice.
Page 16 - ... at such time as the secretary may fix, not less than ten nor more than...
Page 8 - ... others. For, if such nostrum be of real efficacy, any concealment regarding it is inconsistent with beneficence and professional liberality; and, if mystery alone give it value and importance, such craft implies either disgraceful ignorance, or fraudulent avarice. It is also reprehensible for physicians to give certificates attesting the efficacy of patent or secret medicines, or in any way to promote the use of them.
Page 6 - It frequently happens that a physician, in incidental communications with the patients of others, or with their friends, may have their cases stated to him in so direct a manner as not to admit of his declining to pay attention to them. Under such circumstances, his observations should be delivered with the most delicate propriety and reserve. He should not interfere in the curative plans pursued, and should even recommend a steady adherence to them, if they appear to merit approbation.
Page 19 - Obstetric operations, when necessary, shall be charged in addition to the usual fee for attendance. In obstetrical practice, all subsequent visits shall be charged as in ordinary cases of attendance. In cases of labor when the child is born, but not the placenta, before the arrival of the accoucheur, the whole fee is to be charged. When both the child and placenta are born before the arrival of the accoucheur, half or the whole fee may be charged, according to circumstances. This rule is intended...
Page 9 - Gratuitous services to the poor are by no means prohibited: the characteristical beneficence of the profession is inconsistent with sordid views and avaricious rapacity. The poor of every description should be the objects of our peculiar care. Dr. Boerhaave used to say they were his best patients, because God was their paymaster. It is obvious, also, that an average fee, as suited to the general rank of patients, must be an inadequate compensation from the rich (who often require attendance not absolutely...
Page 4 - In consultations, theoretical discussions should be avoided, as occasioning perplexity and loss of time. For there may be much diversity of opinion concerning speculative points, with perfect agreement in those modes of practice which are founded, not on hypothesis, but on experience and observation.
Page 7 - Diversity of opinion and opposition of interest, may, in the medical as in other professions, sometimes occasion controversy and even contention. Whenever such cases unfortunately occur, and cannot be immediately terminated, they should be referred to the arbitration of a sufficient number of physicians, or a courtmedical.
Page 8 - General rules are adopted by the faculty in every town, relative to the pecuniary acknowledgments of their patients ; and it should be deemed a point of honour to adhere to them ; and every deviation from, or evasion of these rules, should be considered as mtriting the indignation and contempt of the fraternity.
Page 10 - A wealthy physician should not give advice gratis to the affluent ; because his doing so is an injury to his professional brethren, The office of a physician can never be supported as an exclusively beneficent one ; and it is defrauding, in some degree, the common funds for its support, when fees are dispensed with, which might justly be claimed.

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