Monday, December 31, 2012

Gender Considerations in Healthcare

“Among Christian physicians there should ever be a striving for the maintenance of the highest order of true refinement and delicacy, a preservation of those barriers of reserve that should exist between men and women.” Counsels on Health, p. 363

“The light given me of the Lord regarding this matter is that as far as possible lady physicians should care for lady patients, and gentlemen physicians have the care of gentlemen patients. Every physician should respect the delicacy of the patients. Any unnecessary exposure of ladies before male physicians is wrong. Its influence is detrimental.” Counsels on Health, p. 363

“Delicate treatments should not be given by male physicians to women in our institutions. Never should a lady patient be alone with a gentleman physician, either for special examination or for treatment. Let the physicians be faithful in preserving delicacy and modesty under all circumstances.” Counsels on Health, p. 364

“In our medical institutions there ought always to be women of mature age and good experience who have been trained to give treatments to the lady patients. Women should be educated and qualified just as thoroughly as possible to become practitioners in the delicate diseases which afflict women, that their secret parts should not be exposed to the notice of men. There should be a much larger number of lady physicians, educated not only to act as trained nurses, but also as physicians. It is a most horrible practice, this revealing the secret parts of women to men, or men being treated by women.” Counsels on Health, p. 364

“Women physicians should utterly refuse to look upon the secret parts of men. Women should be thoroughly educated to work for women, and men to work for men. Let men know that they must go to their own sex and not apply to lady physicians. It is an insult to women, and God looks upon these things of commonness with abhorrence.” Counsels on Health, p. 364

“While physicians are called upon to teach social purity, let them practice that delicacy which is a constant lesson in practical purity. Women may do a noble work as practicing physicians; but when men ask a lady physician to give them examinations and treatments which demand the exposure of private parts, let her refuse decidedly to do this work.” Counsels on Health, p. 364

“It is not in harmony with the instructions given at Sinai that gentlemen physicians should do the work of midwives. The Bible speaks of women at childbirth being attended by women, and thus it ought always to be. Women should be educated and trained to act skillfully as midwives and physicians to their sex. It is just as important that a line of study be given to educate women to deal with women’s diseases, as it is that there should be gentlemen thoroughly trained to act as physicians and surgeons. And the wages of the woman should be proportionate to her services. She should be as much appreciated in her work as the gentleman physician is appreciated in his work.” Counsels on Health, p. 365

“Let us educate ladies to become intelligent in the work of treating the diseases of their sex. They will sometimes need the counsel and assistance of experienced gentlemen physicians. When brought into trying places let all be led by supreme wisdom. Let all bear in mind that they need and may have the wisdom of the Great Physician in their work.” Counsels on Health, pp. 365, 366

“We ought to have a school where women can be educated by women physicians, to do the best possible work in treating the diseases of women.” Counsels on Health, p. 366

"It is the Lord's plan that men shall be trained to treat men, and the women trained to treat women. In the confinement of women, midwives should take the responsibility of the case. In the Bible times it was not considered a proper thing for men to act in this capacity; and it is not the will of God that men should do this work today. Very much evil has resulted from the practice of men treating women, and women treating men. It is a practice according to human devising, and not according to God's plan. Long has the evil been left to grow, but now we voice in protest against that which is displeasing to God." Loma Linda Messages, p. 574

"It is not in harmony with the instructions given at Sinai that gentlemen physicians should do the work of midwives. The Bible speaks of women at childbirth being attended by women, and thus it ought always to be. Women should be educated and trained to act skillfully as midwives and physicians to their sex. This is the Lord's plan. Let us educate ladies to become intelligent in the work of treating the diseases of their sex. We ought to have a school where women can be educated by women physicians to do the best possible work in treating the diseases of women." Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 176

"Our institutions should be especially thorough in giving to women a training that will fit them to act as midwives. There should be in our sanitariums lady physicians who understand well their profession, and who can attend women at the time of childbirth. Light has been given me that women instead of men should take the responsibility in such cases. I was directed to the Bible plan, in which at such times women acted the part of the physician. This plan should be carried out by us; for it is the Lord's plan." Medical Ministry, p. 61

"In the medical missionary work to be done, women should give treatment to women. . . . When women who are sick are treated and cared for by women, a door through which Satan tries to enter is closed against him." Medical Ministry, p. 140

"Subtle, dangerous temptations will come to the physician who believes the truth for these last days. That which would be condemned in a worker of another class is supposed to be admissible in him. Thus a multitude of sins are covered up, sins which are registered in the books of heaven as a departure from Bible principles." Medical Ministry, pp. 140, 141

"The time has come now when there are to be -- and there should have been long ago -- sensible changes. Men have their appointment to take care of the men, and women are to take care of the women. But when it comes to bringing the men and women together in private practices of childbirth and such cases -- to have them associated right together -- I say it is not right nor to be justified. Women had their appointed work in the Bible times and these women took charge of the women, and there was a special understanding that this was the way it should be. And that is the way it should be now in childbirth. Let the women be as thoroughly trained as the men, and let them take charge of these matters. I speak intelligently. I speak because I understand what I am speaking about, that there is too great a commonness." Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, p. 113

"I have had this before me time and time again. I have put it in writing for fear I might be taken away. But I want to say that we must step up onto a higher plane of action, and if we will do this, the Lord will let His blessing rest upon us. I have had so many letters from women and from men about their falling right under the temptations of the devil as they were brought in connection with the childbirth of women. I do not need to argue this because your own sense will tell you that we are in a world of temptation and trial. And we are to purify ourselves from every such thing. God help us. You have no need to have me dwell upon this any longer. The light given me is that we open the door to temptation and for transgression. Let us have just as much a duty to take the burden that rests upon the women for the women in childbirth as it is possible for us to do." Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, p. 116

"Midwives -- it was their practice, their work, to take charge of the women in childbirth. Now I lay it open before you, and tell you that we want to be prepared in thought, in word, in action, as you are about to work changes here and enlarge and have greater responsibilities come upon you. We want that you should every one feel the responsibility of searching the Scriptures that you may stand firmly upon the true foundation and not be drawn from it. It will be quite a work to do that. As you are now enlarging, give the women such education that they can come in and that they can deal with these cases." Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, p. 117

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