BMJ  2006;333:1281-1282 (23 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.39051.662130.80

Editorials

What stays constant at the heart of medicine

There is no one division of medicine by which we know and another by which we act

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The expression "the science and art of medicine" is much misunderstood. Too often the parts of medicine termed as its "art" seem to amount to no more than good communication skills or to what was once called a good bedside manner. No doubt patients feel better, and perhaps even do better, when they think their doctor cares about them. But stories also abound of well dressed doctors with smooth manners but little knowledge who have gained—and sometimes abused—the trust of their patients.

While the historical record is replete with such examples, and almost every practitioner will be able to call others to mind, it is the fictional creations of writers such as Molière, Shaw, and Cronin that have most amused and scandalised us. To provide a counterweight to such social frauds, all kinds of programmes and regulations have been introduced to make competence and knowledge more important to professional advancement . . . [Full text of this article]

Harold J Cook, professor and director

1 Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL, London NW1 2BE

h.cook@ucl.ac.uk


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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Clinical judgment is not enough
Stephen M. Taylor
bmj.com, 24 Dec 2006 [Full text]
Context
Stephen J Redmond
bmj.com, 3 Jan 2007 [Full text]
beside science and art
Andre Crismer
bmj.com, 23 Jan 2007 [Full text]
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