The trouble with doctors : fashions, motives and mistakes

Do motives matter? Yes of course they do, but perhaps not as might appear at first sight and not as much.

No one would wish to be treated by a doctor with murderous motives, but this, after all, is rare - and even Harold Shipman had many satisfied and even adoring patients.

But what about a doctor whose motive is to enhance his success, impress his superiors, increase his knowledge, get through the clinic of patients waiting for treatment as quickly as possible, make money or simply to hurry off home? And what about a doctor with sexual intent or sadistic tendencies, who actually enjoys seducing patients, inflicting pain or creating anxiety.

At first it might seem that these, too, are unfitted for the job, but this is not always so.

Most people would rather have a difficult and delicate operation done by a highly skilled surgeon, even if he cares nothing for the patient as a person and is simply trying to boost his ego, show off his skill or improve his 'figures', than be operated on by a surgeon who 'cares' desperately about the patient but is incompetent at surgery. In The Trouble With Doctors Ann Dally looks at the motives of doctors throughout history, noting how their motives affect how they practise, as well as influencing medical progress and determining the nature of modern medicine.