Michael Freebern Gavin; a biography: . years before Dr. Gavins death, a fellow practitionerhad almost abandoned hope of a patients recovery,and had practically decided upon a critical opera-tion, when the family asked that he summon in consultation. The Doctor, although in poorhealth himself, examined the invalid, and then withcharacteristic mildness dissented from the opinionof the other surgeon. I hardly think, he observed, that we should operate. In fact, I shall be con-siderably surprised if by to-night the patient is notfeeling appreciably better. I will call again thisevening. A
Michael Freebern Gavin; a biography: . years before Dr. Gavins death, a fellow practitionerhad almost abandoned hope of a patients recovery,and had practically decided upon a critical opera-tion, when the family asked that he summon in consultation. The Doctor, although in poorhealth himself, examined the invalid, and then withcharacteristic mildness dissented from the opinionof the other surgeon. I hardly think, he observed, that we should operate. In fact, I shall be con-siderably surprised if by to-night the patient is notfeeling appreciably better. I will call again thisevening. After Dr. Gavins departure, however,the younger man expressed doubts as to the cor-rectness of his colleagues advice, suggesting thatthe condition of his health at that time might insome degree impair his judgment, and stronglyurging an operation, as being immediately neces-sary that day, if the life of the patient was to beconsidered. But the family had called on Dr. Gavin in theirtroubles for many years, his advice had always been 42. DR. GAVIN AT THE TIME OF HISMARRIAGE IN 1876 MICHAEL FREEBERN GAVIN scrupulously followed, and there had been noregrets; and so, after most serious considerationby the whole family, the attending surgeon wasinformed that it had been decided unanimouslythat Dr. Gavins advice should be followed, evenin his old age and ill health, and that no operationwas to be performed. And when Dr. Gavin made hissecond visit that evening, the patient gave his ownproof of the correctness of the diagnosis, and per-haps surprised even Dr. Gavin himself, by open-ing the door to welcome him. And the recoverywas as permanent as it was speedy. Consultation took a prominent place in Dr. Gav-ins professional work, especially in his later demand for his services in this particular branchof work, can be accounted for, first, by his establishedfame as a diagnostician, and then, by the courtesyand thoughtfulness which he invariably displayedtoward fellow practitione
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectphysicians, bookyear1
