In his second book on medical ethics, philosopher Gorovitz
(Syracuse Univ.) reports on his seven weeks in 1985 as "Authorized
Snoop and Irritant-at-Large" at Boston's renowned Beth Israel
Hospital. As in Doctor's Dilemmas (1982), here Gorovitz tackles
some tough topics: abortion, "do-not-resuscitate" orders,
transplantations, and other issues circling around the question of
"where to draw the line." His judicious investigations will not
please hard-liners on either side. For instance, while supporting
most fetal-tissue research, he opposes interspecies transplants; he
restages the abortion debate on high moral ground, exploring
prevailing community standards and such vexing questions as what
happens when an aborted fetus survives the operation, in the
process forging a middle path between abortion-on-demand and
no-abortions-ever. Hospital advertisements, medical expenses,
surrogate motherhood, and doctor-patient relations are among other
issues explored with characteristic care. This all may sound dry,
but in fact it's captivating, thanks to Gorovitz's decision to
confront issues as they naturally arise in the course of day-to-day
hospital operations. This grounds his difficult, sometimes abstruse
themes in real-life, flesh-and-blood struggles, giving his
conclusions added authority. A small gem of medical philosophy.
(Kirkus Reviews)
In 1985, philosopher Samuel Gorovitz spent seven weeks at Boston's
Beth Israel, one of the nation's premier teaching hospitals, where
he was given free run as "Authorized Snoop and Irritant-at-Large."
In Drawing the Line, he provides an intense, disturbing, and
insightful account of his observations during those seven weeks.
Gorovitz guides us through an operating room and intensive care
units, and takes us to meetings where surgeons discuss the mishaps
of the preceding week, where internists map out their approaches to
troublesome cases, where the administration discusses competition
in the health care market. He follows as residents walk the ragged
edge of physical exhaustion, as experienced physicians wrestle with
the uncertainties of their demanding profession, as nurses struggle
to care for perpetually declining patients. Most important, he
examines the ethical questions that permeate their lives--deeply
troubling questions such as who should be making life and death
decisions--and how should they be made? How should scarce medical
resources be allocated? What rules should govern the use of fetal
tissue in research and treatment? Where should we draw the line,
and how?
When Samuel Gorovitz published Doctors' Dilemmas, a previous look
at medical ethics, it was hailed by Norman Cousins as "stimulating
and valuable...the product of a beautifully formed (and informed)
mind." Studs Terkel called it "quite remarkable...a very exciting
book indeed." In Drawing theLine, Gorovitz offers an unusual look
at contemporary health care, combining a moving, hard-hitting
glimpse of daily reality at a major hospital with the thoughtful,
provocative reflections of a highly respected philosopher.
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