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From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Norman Cousins (TIME)
Message-ID: <1790@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 01:42:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: aecom.1790
Posted: Thu Jul 11 01:42:26 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Jul-85 16:26:57 EDT
Distribution: na
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 34


	Saw this letter to the editor in TIME. It concerns a story in the
June 24 issue concerning a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that
concluded in Cancer, the basic biology of disease determines the course,
independent of patient attitude. The article contained some discussion of
Norman Cousins, as well as some quotes and a photo.

	TIME says I cured myself of spinal arthritis by "adopting a healthy
mental attitude, laughing a lot and taking Vitamin C." Incomplete.
								   TIME
should have added that I give primary credit to my physician. He encouraged
me to believe that I was a respected partner in the program of recovery, and
he recognized the importance of the patient's own psychological resources.

Nothing was done that did not have his full support. I agree that attitudes
are no substitute for competent medical attention, but confidence in oneself
and in the doctor can create an environment in which medical science can do
its best. 
	  I doubt that there is a physician in the country who minimizes
the importance of the will to live in patients being treated for life-
threatening illness. Serious disease requires a full mobilization of resources,
including those that medical science offers and those of the patient's own
healing system.

			signed:		Norman Cousins
					School of Medicine, UCLA
					Los Angeles.

[I know that I couldn't have said it any better myself]

-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		"The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"