Joseph Bell Case
Lab Text Questions
1. Who was Joseph Bell? What was unique or different about his approach to patients from what is common today?
Joseph Bell, born December 2nd, 1837 and died on October 4th, 1911, was a Scottish lecturer at the medical school of the University of Edinburgh in the 19th century (1801-1900) as well as an inspiration for the literary character Sherlock Holmes. His approach to patients emphasized the importance of close observation in making a diagnosis; to do so, he would pick out a stranger, observe them, and deduce the occupation and recent activity of the stranger. Because of this approach, Joseph Bell is considered to be a pioneer in forensic science at a time when science wasn’t used in criminal investigations.
2. What …show more content…
4. In what time does the average physician interrupt his or her patient? Why is this a problem?
The average American physician interrupts their patient in 14 seconds; this is a problem because, if a patient is interrupted before getting to any details that they feel are important or are truly vital, they could be misdiagnosed as having a condition different than what they actually have or as having no condition at all, which could have potentially dangerous and/or deadly consequences.
5. What are the advantages of physical exams according to Verghese?
Annual physical exams provide physicians with the opportunity to record and observe the health of a patient over a period of time; this can provide the physician and other healthcare professional with a baseline of the patients health, which allows deviations that may be the sign of a problem to easily seen. In addition, regular physicals can help identify health issues and diseases while they are still in their early, treatable stages; earlier diagnosis of a disease or condition allows for more treatment options and a better chance of maintaining good
1. Who was Joseph Bell? What was unique or different about his approach to patients from what is common today?
Joseph Bell, born December 2nd, 1837 and died on October 4th, 1911, was a Scottish lecturer at the medical school of the University of Edinburgh in the 19th century (1801-1900) as well as an inspiration for the literary character Sherlock Holmes. His approach to patients emphasized the importance of close observation in making a diagnosis; to do so, he would pick out a stranger, observe them, and deduce the occupation and recent activity of the stranger. Because of this approach, Joseph Bell is considered to be a pioneer in forensic science at a time when science wasn’t used in criminal investigations.
2. What …show more content…
4. In what time does the average physician interrupt his or her patient? Why is this a problem?
The average American physician interrupts their patient in 14 seconds; this is a problem because, if a patient is interrupted before getting to any details that they feel are important or are truly vital, they could be misdiagnosed as having a condition different than what they actually have or as having no condition at all, which could have potentially dangerous and/or deadly consequences.
5. What are the advantages of physical exams according to Verghese?
Annual physical exams provide physicians with the opportunity to record and observe the health of a patient over a period of time; this can provide the physician and other healthcare professional with a baseline of the patients health, which allows deviations that may be the sign of a problem to easily seen. In addition, regular physicals can help identify health issues and diseases while they are still in their early, treatable stages; earlier diagnosis of a disease or condition allows for more treatment options and a better chance of maintaining good