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Originally Posted by China study when Dr John McDougall finished his formal medical education , he set up a practice on the hawaiian island of Oahu. He began writting books about nutrition and health and established a national reputation . In the mid-1980 John was contacted by St helena hospital in Napa valley cal, and asked if he would accept a position running its health center . The hospital was a seventh day adventist hospital; If you recall fro chapter seven ,. The seventh day adventists encourage followers to eat a vegetarian diet . It was an opportunity too good to pass up , and John left hawaii and headed for carlifornia.
John had a good home at St helena for number of years . He taught nutition and used nutrition to treat sick patients, which he did with fantastic success . He treated over 2000 very sick patients and over the course
of sixteen years . he has never been sued or even had a letter of complaint . Perhaps more importantly, John saw these patients get well . Throughout this time, He continued his publishing activity, maintaining a national reputation . But as time passed, he realized that thing werent quite the same as when the first arrived . His discontent was growing of those later years he says , " I just didnt think i was going anyplace, the program had150 or 170 people a year and that was it . Never grew . wasnt getting any support from hospital and we had gone through a alot of administrators"
He had small clashes with other doctors at the hospital. At one point , the heart department objected to what john was doing with heart patient. John told them ," i'll tell you what , i will send every one of my heart patients to you for a second opinion if you send'll yours to me" it was quite an offer, but they didnt accept it . On another occasion John had referred a patient to a cardiologist and the cardiologist incorrectly told the patient that he
needed to have bypass surgery. after a couple of these incidents, John had reached the limit of his patience . Finally, after the cardiologist recommended surgery for another one of John patients , John called him and said, "I want to talk with youand the patient about this .
I would like to discuss the scientific literature that causes you to make this recommendation"
The cardiologist said that he wouldnt do that , to which John responded ." why not? you just recommended that this guy have his heart opened!" and you are going to charge him 50000 and 100000 bucks for it . Why dont we discuss it? Dont you think it's unfair to the patient?" The cardiologist declined,
saying that it would confuse the patient . That was the last time he recommended heart surgery for one of John's patient .
Meanwhile , none of the other physicians in the hospitalhad ever reffered a patient to John. Not once .Ohter physicians would send their Own wives and children to see him but they would never refer a patient. The reason , according John :"
They would worried their patients would come to see me , and it happened all the time when patient would come on their own. they'd come to me with heart disease orhigh blood pressure or diabetes. I'd put them on the diet and they'd go back off all their pills and soon their numbers would be normal . THey 'd go to their doctor and say : "why the hell didnt you tell me about this before? Why did you let me suffer , spend all this money, almost die, when all i had to do was eat oatmeal?" The doctor didnt want to hear this ........ |