PHAROS - Alpha Omega Alpha

Letters to the editorRe “Wrongful death”I read your recent editorial (Summer2008, p. 1) with the greatest interest: itrecalled a score of patients throughoutmy nearly fifty-year career as a hematologistand oncologist.You struck a marvelous balancewithout being stridently censorious . . .and it shined a light on homeopathywhich celebrates the dictum of “primumnon nocere.”Thanks for your successful efforts.George H. Porter, MD(AΩA, Duke University, 1958)President Emeritus, Ochsner ClinicFoundationNew Orleans, LouisianaI just read your editorial in therecent issue of The Pharos. Do youremember the band leader Kay Kyser,who had radio shows on NBC in the1940s?Some time in the mid 1940s heconverted to Christian Science to helphis “arthritis.” During his active days,he married late to a young singer inhis band, Georgia Carroll. He movedto Chapel Hill in 1951. They had twogirls. As a freshman in 1953, I rememberthe Kysers rolling the children in ababy carriage. We became friends. Mylate physician father had known Mr.Kyser when they were in undergraduateschool.I was a medical resident at the hospitalin 1962. One night, when I wason call, I stopped by the ER to seewhat was going on. Mr. Kyser wasstanding against a wall. I said,“Mr. Kyser, can I help youwith anything? He said,“Duncan, one of mydaughters is sickwith appendicitisand they want to operate on her.” I toldhim I would check on things. When Icame back to see him, I told him I hadchecked things out and she neededsurgery. He said, “Yes, I want her operatedon but I can’t sign for it becauseI’m a Christian Scientist, as you know.” Ifelt a chill go down my spine. Mr. Kyserthen said, “Georgia is not a ChristianScientist. She could sign but she’s visitingher mother in California.” Anotherspinal chill. After relaxing a few seconds,I said, “Do you have her phonenumber?” We had the hospital phoneoperator call the number and got Mrs.Kyser. I told her what was necessary,she said, “Yes,” as the phone operaterand another resident listened in.Years later, the other daughter developedovarian cancer, said goodbyeto her friends, and went off somewhereto die.I have never understood ChristianScience. I wish when I was a student atUNC School of Medicine they had Mr.Kyser come to a class or Grand Roundsand discuss it.Duncan S. Owen, Jr., MD, FACP(AΩA, Virginia CommonwealthUniversity, 1989)Richmond, VirginiaMy general practice was in LosGatos, California. I had an estimated150,000 patient encounters in fortyyears.One day out of the blue came aphone call from San Francisco, the producerof an excellent medical TV show.I don’t know how he got my name.“I have a niece who is a ChristianScientist, who is very ill in yourarea. Would you see her? She’s onlytwenty-eight and can’t get out of bed athome.” I phoned the home and said Iwas coming to see her. “Okay”—shortlythe husband called our office and canceledthe house call. I went anyway andknocked on the door, was treated courteouslyand shown to her bedside.I found a young woman lying onher side with a contracture of her hipdue to a ruptured appendiceal abcesspresenting in her groin. The husbandwould carry her to the bathroom. Hertemp was 101 and she was quite pale.She had been bedridden for threeweeks.The husband agreed to hospitalization,and there I got consultation frommy wonderful surgeon friend, who wasa gentle, quiet guy, not threatening inany way. Together we took her to theOR, drained the abcess, and startedantibiotics. Later, she walked out of thehospital.Some months later I got a letterfrom the patient, thanking me, andsaying that she was wrestling with herbelief in Christian Science and had notcome to a conclusion yet.So thank you for teaching me whatI didn’t know about the background ofMary Baker Eddy and Phineas ParkerQuimby.William W. Johnson, MD(AΩA, Northwestern University, 1953)Medford, OregonMedical illiteracyThe summer issue was superb. Everyarticle sparkled with elegant writingand pertinent new information (tome). But several of the essays left mewith a forlorn sense of angst. In mysimple- minded view, the historical andcontemporary popularity of alternativemedicine (CAM is an unfortunateeuphemism) is primarily related to the54 The Pharos/Winter 2009