Treatment 8242

The old man was looking out the window, gazing at the dirty and run-down buildings in the inner city around the hospital. He sighed and turned to the young doctor. "And I still say that treatment 8242 is perfectly ethical. Nothing can cure these people, and in many cases this treatment is the only way to prevent the disease from spreading. I've worked in this hospital for many years, and I've seen many things I don't want to think about. I wish there was a better way, but there simply isn't."

The young doctor was agitated and angry, in contrast to the stately calm of the old man. "I can't believe that I am hearing this. I simply cannot believe that you could even think of such a thing. Have you forgotten what the Hippocratic Oath says? Have you lost your soul?"

"No, I have not. This treatment is what is best for the community as a whole. Before you condemn me, perhaps you should spend some time working in Hall 17, so you can see what I have seen. Then we can reconsider this matter."

"I respect you, and I know that you think this is the only way. That is the only reason why I have not already reported you and this horrible treatment to the police. I will work in Hall 17 and I will find a better way to solve this problem. I may be inexperienced, but you are blind. I don't want to think about what drove you to this madness."

A small, knowing smile grew on the face of the old man. "You will soon find out."

Several days later, a talk with a patient caused the young doctor as much shock and anger as the conversation with the old man. But this time, professional composure required that the anger be buried and hidden. Despite an overpowering urge to beat the patient with the clipboard, the young doctor calmly asked the patient to reconsider.

"You must understand the risks. You could cause your friends and many other people to die of AIDS. If you don't stop or at least adjust your high-risk activities, you could be the reason for dozens of people to get this horrible disease."

The patient indicated, in vulgar and crude language, that such things were not any concern at all.

"I understand that this discovery could make you quite upset at the world. You have a right to be angry at the person who caused you to contract this disease. But don't you understand that you could be the cause of someone else going through the pain you are? We have counselors that can help..."

The patient interrupted with an obscenity and indicated that any kind of counseling would be completely unacceptable.

The young doctor nodded slowly. "Well, I guess that's it then. We have one more medicine to administer, and then you will be discharged."

As the patient got up to leave, the doctor called in a nurse and picked up the clipboard with the charts. Without a trace of regret or remorse, the young doctor wrote "Treatment 8242" on the chart and handed it to the nurse.

The unsuspecting orderly dutifully administered the treatment that was identified only by the four-digit code. Such things were not uncommon in an era of double blind placebo controlled medical tests.

Two days later, the body of the patient was taken to the city morgue. The cause of death was identified as a heroin overdose.