No harm

I cannot remember who said this prinicple of medical practice: first, do no harm. (Was it William Osler, Dr. Loeb, or somebody else ?) A good number of patients certainly die of this doctrine.

Why, a patient has chronic - say for example - heart problem and is treated with a number of medications. Some time later, he has jaundice and is referred to a hepatologist - who notes (quite rightly) that one of the heart medicine may cause the liver problem. How would you regard this infra-diaphragmatic physician if his response is not stopping the culprit - because he does not want to embarrass the colleague who takes care of the organ above the triangular ligaments (oh, an inferiority complex) or bare the responsibility in case the patient develops a heart attack the next day ? He sees the prescription sheet, considers for a while, and decides to do no harm - and do nothing. Oh, my god.

As the old proverb says, there is a (clear) fine line between an idiot standing by the side of shore and fishing.