0:02

That's a very grave charge, son. Are you aware that it's unlawful to practice medicine without a medical license ? Yes, sir, l am.

0:11

Are you aware that running a medical clinic without the proper licensing... can place both you and the public... in a great deal of danger ?

0:19

ls a home a clinic, sir ? lf you are admitting patients and treating them... physical location is irrelevant.

0:27

Sir, will you define treatment for me ? Yes. Treatment would be defined as the care of a patient seeking medical attention.

0:37

Have you been treating patients, Mr. Adams ? l live with several people. They come and go as they please. l offer them whatever help l can.

0:45

Mr. Adams... have you or have you not been treating patients at your ranch ? Everyone who comes to the ranch is a patient, yes.

0:57

[ Murmuring ] And every person who comes to the ranch is also a doctor. l'm sorry ? Every person who comes to the ranch is in need...

1:10

of some form of physical or mental help. They're patients. But also every person who comes to the ranch is in charge of taking care of someone else--

1:20

whether it's cooking for them, cleaning them... or even as simple a task as listening. That makes them doctors.

1:27

l use that term broadly, but is not a doctor someone who helps someone else ? When did the term ''doctor'' get treated with such reverence, as, ''Right this way, Doctor Smith''...

1:37

or, ''Excuse me, Dr. Scholl what wonderful footpads''... or, ''Pardon me, Dr. Patterson, but your flatulence has no odor'' ?

1:44

[ Laughing, Murmuring ] At what point in history did a doctor become more... than a trusted and learned friend who visited and treated the ill ?

1:54

Now, you ask me if l've been practicing medicine. Well, if this means opening your door to those in need-- those in pain-- caring for them, listening to them, applying a cold cloth until a fever breaks--

2:09

if this is practicing medicine, if this is treating a patient... then l am guilty as charged, sir. Did you consider the ramifications of your actions ?

2:17

What if one of your patients had died ? What's wrong with death, sir ? What are we so mortally afraid of ?

2:25

Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity and decency... and, God forbid, maybe even humor ?

2:31

Death is not the enemy, gentlemen. lf we're gonna fight a disease, Iet's fight one of the most terrible diseases of all--

2:36

indifference. Now, l've sat in your schools and heard people lecture on transference... and professional distance.

2:44

Transference is inevitable, sir. Every human being has an impact on another. Why don't we want that in a patientldoctor relationship ?

2:53

That's why l've listened to your teachings, and l believe they're wrong. A doctor's mission should be not just to prevent death...

3:01

but also to improve the quality of life. That's why you treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, l guarantee you, you win, no matter what the outcome.

Patch Adams - Compassion in Medicine

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