But the patient lived
BY HARRY WARNER, JR.
When helping people to die is required
medical ethics——what can an unethical
doctor who cures them do?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, December 1956.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The receptionist ushered the patient into Dr. Walter Needzak's office.She punched her glasses higher onto the bridge of her nose, patted thebun of hair at the back of her head, and said:
"This is Mr. Stallings, doctor."
Dr. Needzak motioned the patient to a chair. Stallings sat down, slowlybut limberly. He still held his hat, and placed it in the precisecenter of his lap. The receptionist handed a form to Dr. Needzak andreturned to the waiting room, after looking once over her shoulder.
"You're only 125, Mr. Stallings?" Dr. Needzak asked. The patient noddedsadly. "Well, you should be hale and hearty for another 50 years,judging by the report on your preliminary exam. Are you sure that it'sany use for you to consult me?"
"I wouldn't bother you," Stallings said, age showing only in the highpitch of his voice, "except for the funny feeling in my chest the otherday. I had to visit an office on the twelfth story. The elevator wasn'trunning, so I walked up. Just as an experiment, I went as fast as Icould. The way my chest felt got me so interested and excited that Iforgot what I wanted at the office, once I was there. So I thought thatthat was a hopeful enough sign for me to come around and see you."
Dr. Needzak, a young man at 50 and who looked even younger, hoistedthe stethoscope amplifier onto his desk, turned it on, and signalledfor Stallings to unbutton his shirt. He placed the stethoscope againstthe bony chest. The bumping of the heart filled the room, drew a wildpattern on the unfolding strip of paper in the visual section of theamplifier, and created magnetic patterns on the tape.
Dr. Needzak listened for two minutes, then thumbed through a referencelisting of visual heart patterns. Finally he switched off theamplifier, and said:
"You have no history of heart trouble."
"I'm afraid not."
"Well, I don't want to raise false hopes. The only thing that I cansuggest is more physical exertion. Really vigorous exertion, the kindthat makes you pant and tremble and get a bit dizzy. Try that everyday for a month and come back to see me. There's just a trace of aflutter now, and we might be able to speed up its development."
The old man smiled for the first time, at something that his eyes sawbehind the white plaster of the far wall. Finally, Stallings rose toleave. Buttoning himself up, he said: "You'll send the bill?"
Dr. Needzak laughed genially. "I can see that you aren't accustomed tovisiting doctors, young man. The better the doctor, the more risky itis to send the bill. My policy is to request full payment before thepatient leaves the office, just in case I've given the right sort ofadvice. In cases where I prescribe medicine, of course, you may pay forthe prescription and the consultation fee simultaneously. Before takingthe medicine, you understand." Again he laughed.
"I understand. I should have guessed. I work in a bank myself. I hatethe work. I'm tired of everything, in fact. But I know how important itis to pay promptly."
The doctor had just filed away Stallings' physical record when thereceptionist ushered in an extremely elderly woman. Dr. Needzak smiledb