Cristina Rolando * Zenit on Sunday, October 3. Every time you debate the role of the physician towards patients who want an abortion, the sick, who would die, there is always someone who remembers the Hippocratic Oath, an "oath" that appear to date back to 400 BC and is signed by doctors, dentists and veterinarians before starting the job.
But what is written in this oath?
"swear by Apollo and Aesculapius doctor for Igiea and Panacea - and to witness all the gods and Goddesses - which as you will allow me my strength and my thought, this will fulfill my oath that promise in writing here.
will consider him as a father that I started and I was a master in this art, and with gratitude the help and I will give as far as applicable to the food and the necessities of life, will consider as my brothers and his sons, if they wish learn this, teach them without compensation and without bond written, and I'll share my lessons and explanations of all this discipline Whole time my children as well as those of my teacher, and so the disciples who have sworn to want to devote to this job and no else outside of them.
sick to prescribe the appropriate diet that they agree in what I will be allowed out of my knowledge, and defend them from all unjust and harmful. Never, moved by the anxious insistence of some, propinerò lethal drugs or never commit such things.
For the same reason any woman to ever suggest that requirements can abort it, but Serber chaste and pure from every crime is my life is my art. Calculations did not draw patients leaving that task to the experts of this art. Entered into any home, it will tend only to the health of the sick, avoiding any suspicion of corruption, injustice and used, especially by the desire of illicit relations with women or with men, both free and slaves. All that during the cure and even outside of it I saw and I heard about the life of common people and should not be disclosed, I shall conceal as something sacred. I can if I have scrupulously observed by all my oath never transgress, live long and happily in full respect of everyone, and to collect abundant fruits of my art. What if it then and I'll violate the perjury could have happened just the opposite. "
reading the text, we can identify the fundamental ontological character of the medical profession. First, the necessity - for those already holding and a fortiori for those who are about to undertake it - to utter the oath in the presence of divinity, as it is sacred work, in fact, the gods are invoked not as to help but to witness the solemn nature of the promise given.
It is this value to account for the commonality of purpose between life and followers, as well as their mutual relationship with the teachers.
medicine then there is, purely and simply , as a profession related to other structural or formal elements, but art is sealed by a sacred bond. Transmit these teachings means, in other words, indicate a way of being and a lifestyle, sealing, while a debt of gratitude that is not extinguished with the death of the teacher but that is handed naturaliter also the disciples.
This view of medicine makes the ground that can not be reduced tout court a "profession" but should instead be promoted as a vocation, a vocation that involves the whole person to always Semel, precisely because of 'firm commitment inherent in the oath itself ("... if I am a traitor and perjurer ...").
Now, given the veracity of this premise, the question arises whether the concept of medicine as an art, contained in Corpus Hippocraticum , is something of an anachronism and it is placed in a socio / cultural particular which was the Hippocratic or, rather, there must be a guiding principle for the doctor's post-modernity.
To resolve the vexed question necessary to specify the value and meaning of prudence in acting doctor.
The exercise of this virtue is revealed to be considered so essential conditio sine qua non for medicine to reach the goal that is right: the healing of the sick person.
Ultimately, art or propositions to be realized through the virtues and the meaning that underlies them, not for medical science "options" alternative but on the contrary, it reveals both essential or medicine is an art and involves the exercise of virtue, or is not medicine, nor in the Hippocratic era or the present day.
But not all. Another standard is that constitutes the ethical value of medical science: the sacred character, the same vocation ("holy and pure ... I'll keep my life and my art ..."). Negligence, imprudence el'imperizia; the human disregard for the patient, the c.. D. burnout syndrome (note: see here ), referring to the ability stressors the profession and the easy enthusiasm of medical students, already disillusioned during the course of study or at least in the early years of practice, all indices are easily attributable to subjective motives are absent or inadequate.
then that's reviving the vocational nature of the profession means, in fact, not only recall the genesis of that motivation, but also help to guarantee the human capacity of the doctor making, while more tolerant to stressors.
are the personal qualities of listening and understanding towards the patient, together with those of their medical and scientific techniques, to determine the value of the trader.
Ultimately, ethical and philosophical analysis of Corpus that a close parallel between the life (the doctor) and art ( de doctor), "... holy and pure I'll keep my life and my art ..." and this symmetry between the way of being person and how the profession defines an aspect of bioethics today, inspired by the paradigm of virtue. The ethics of virtue, in fact, setting as its objective the training of the person (who want to be?), The attainment of its ultimate fullness and implementation of a successful life, not - nor could it! - A gap between personal and professional life.
the light of the above, the art and medicine as a vocation, virtue of medical ethics of the virtues are revealed elements of the Hippocratic Oath.
not all. Are high-drive concepts which are indispensable to the professional of today and of tomorrow to learn, to teach and make their own medical ethics. In particular, the activity of teaching, founded and directed by the virtues, the way that forms the essence is the approach that the teacher has towards the patient (so-called ethics at the bedside).
Finally, one last consideration. The Corpus includes some moral requirements are the expression of so-called "Bioethics of principles "(what do we do?). It reads, in fact:
"... Never, moved by the anxious insistence of some, propinerò lethal drugs or never commit such things. For the same reason no woman ever to suggest prescriptions that can make abortion [...] In any house entered, it will tend only to the health of the sick, avoiding any suspicion of injustice and corruption, and especially the desire for illicit relations with women [...] All that during the cure and even outside of it I saw and I heard about the life of common people and should not be disclosed as I shall conceal sacred thing [...]. "
The preservation of physical life, the primum non nocere , respect for professional confidentiality, patient autonomy, are fundamental principles that show a clear social and moral significance, making it completely unnecessary any dissertation on the merits.
* Cristina Rolando is a lawyer and teacher. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal "for Justice", published by Casa Editrice Giuffre, and is Professor of Institutions of Private Law at the School of Bioethics of the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical of Rome.
illustration: Hippocrates and Galen. Crypt in the Cathedral of Anagni (the Sistine Chapel. XII sec.).
In this fresco the two most famous doctors in the world during a debate unlikely to encounter: from Hippocrates and Galen were about 300 years apart.
In this fresco the two most famous doctors in the world during a debate unlikely to encounter: from Hippocrates and Galen were about 300 years apart.
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