Editorial

Abstract

Despite the many exciting discoveries in scientific medicine which fill the medical journals at present, one senses that patients are growing disillusioned with their doctors ability to help them. The staggering increase in litigation cases against doctors and the slowly advancing growth of "alternative medicine" are symptoms of a growing rejection by some of the public of the standard type of medical care they are presently offered. Interestingly, these alternatives are invariably less scientific than the medicine we practice; if we are to recover the trust of our patients and restore a healthy relationship with them we must relearn to value our patients as people and not as objects for our scientific appraisal.

It is hoped that this second issue of “Res Medica" will stimulate its readers to think harder on medical issues, and encourage a more balanced practice of medicine. Hamish Maclaren opens with his criticism of the new Edinburgh medical curriculum and makes observations on medical education generally. Dr. Jack Cormack gives his views on the role of obstetrics in general practice, and to conclude the "Comments and Reflections" section of the magazine Dr. Edward Duvall (Olim Praeses) contributes a fascinating account of the control of infectious diseases.