Law & Medicine & Intellectuals (was Re: geels)

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

>Yoshie,
>
> >On general principles, I agree with Kelley, in that we don't have
> >time to keep up with every innovation in every science & technology.
> >There are some exceptions, though.  Earlier, you mentioned Talcott
> >Parson's idea of "the sick role" in the course of discussion on
> >anti-depressants.  One thing that I was going to say (but didn't get
> >around to saying it) is that Parsons' study of "the sick role" does
> >not fit chronic illnesses (such as clinical depression) very well.
> >Those who have chronic illnesses and permanent disabilities tend to
> >become more knowledgeable about their own illnesses & disabilities
> >and often about the practice of medicine in general also, sometimes
> >their knowledge surpassing run-of-the-mill medical practitioners
> >(e.g., Carrol, Marta Russell).
>
>You remind me of the fact that Freud wrote that it it is characteristic of
>the "melancholic" to be extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of
>his/her dis-ease: its catalysts, symptoms and results.  There wasn't a
>whole lot to know about medical treatment at the time, I suppose.  Come to
>think of it, though, the depressive that I am in closest contact with can
>reel off a list an arm long of all the medications he's taken, and their
>effects.
>
>cheers,
>Jo

Now, unlike during the times of Freud, we have much more knowledge 
(which has made Freud himself obsolete except in the humanities) 
about many illnesses & effective treatments.

Yoshie