Dr. Superman?

Medicine has made spectacular strides in the 20th century, but people may be too impressed with its wonders. Said John L. Bach, A.M.A. press chief, speaking before a gathering of doctors in Hattiesburg, Miss.: "The word 'science' now carries some of the connotations of magic in the nonscientific man's vocabulary. So much has been written on what's new in medical science and what science reveals that it is [hard] for the man in the street to understand where science leaves off and science fiction begins." As a result, said Bach, the patient often reveres his doctor "who is the only real live scientist he knows [as] a dispenser of wonder drugs and a performer of life-saving operations." Worse, many a doctor is playing along with the myth: "He thinks that in order to keep his patient's confidence, he must live up to a superhuman role, and build the illusion that medicine is an exact science and doctors are infallible." Bach's advice to such medicos: "Take on the classic humility of the old country doctor who often said: 'I have done all I can; we must leave the rest to God.' "

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.