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Healthful Living
they sense the responsibility laid upon them. Many do not love the
taxing, burden-bearing part. They will deal with the sick, but never lift
the load. They take every thing very easily. The sick may approach
the last crisis that wrings the heart of the older physician with intense
pain because a life is going out and he can devise no means of saving
it, and another physician connected with him will not sense the danger
or devote time to close thought and severe mental effort. He works
as a machine. He is as calm as a summer’s evening, when he should
be pressed as a cart beneath the sheaves. Had he more intensity of
feeling, he would not throw off the burden for an instant, but by close
thinking, by earnest prayer, would study to devise ways and means
yet untried, and would perhaps be able to save not only the life, but,
through Christ, the soul of the patient.—
Counsels to Physicians and
Medical Students, 11-13
.
1091. Students should be willing to work under those of experi-
ence, to heed their suggestions, to follow their advice, and to go as far
[260]
as possible in thought, training, and intelligent enterprise, but never
to infringe upon a rule, never to disregard one principle that has been
interwoven in the upbuilding of the institution. The dropping down
is easy enough; the disregard of regulations is natural to the heart
inclined to selfish ease and gratification. It is so much easier to tear
down than to build up. One man with careless ideas may do more
in this work of letting down the standard than ten men with all their
efforts can do to counteract and stay the demoralizing influence....
There are many who are in such haste to climb to distinction that
they skip some of the rounds of the ladder, and have, in so doing,
lost essential experience, which they should have in order to become
intelligent workers. In their zeal the knowledge of many things looks
unimportant to them. They skim over the surface, and do not go deep
and thorough, climbing round after round of the ladder of progress by a
slow and painful process, thus gaining an experience which will enable
them to help others to ascend. We want men and women who are
more thorough, and who feel it their duty to improve every talent lent
them, that they may finally double their intrusted capital.—
Counsels
to Physicians and Medical Students, 15
.
1092. A responsibility to spread the knowledge of hygienic princi-
ples rests upon all who have enjoyed the benefits of health reform....
There must be a revival in regard to this matter; for God purposes to ac-