BMJ  2007;335:941 (3 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.39384.467928.94

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Medical Classics

The Doctor, his Patient and the Illness

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This book arose out of a series of seminars that the author, a psychotherapist, conducted with general practitioners at the Tavistock Clinic in London in the 1950s. At these seminars the GPs presented case reports to discuss aspects of the doctor-patient relationship. What became of interest was those patients who presented repeatedly to GPs with psychological or physical complaints but whose investigation findings were often normal and who were difficult to treat satisfactorily. About such patients Balint came to the conclusion that "some of the people, who for some reason or other, find it difficult to cope with the problems of their lives resort to becoming ill."

The Doctor, his Patient and the Illness documents the case histories of several of these patients in detail, including their GPs' attempts at treatment, and the subsequent group discussions. Balint discusses several themes arising from the seminars, such as the idea of the . . . [Full text of this article]

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