A salutary lesson: Be kind to your patients

doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7327.1459

BMJ 2001;323:1459 ( 22-29 December )

Filler

A salutary lesson

Be kind to your patients

It was the week before Christmas. I was a singlehanded general practitioner with a list of 2800 and I was short of sleep,having been called out in the night. I looked at my appointmentsat the beginning of evening surgery $---$ fully booked and with a fewextras put in. Also, I was late starting. My first patient wasa real heart sink. I groaned and invited her into the consultingroom.

"Do sit down, Elsie. Now let me see $---$ I saw you in January twice with backache. In February it was headache and constipation.The March winds did blow and caused you to feel queer all over.During April you had waterworks trouble and no appetite." I warmedto my task and chronicled the various ailments and specimens broughtto me throughout the year, finishing up with "and here we arein December. What have you come to see me about this time?" Sheproduced a crumpled brown paper bag and placed it on the deskbefore me. "I have brought you your Christmas present, doctor,and I wish you Happy Christmas." I spent the next 10 minutes beingkind to her and feeling much humbled. My surgery finished laterthanever.