One doctors fight against disease

             One Doctor's fight against disease
             In "The Use of Force" by William Carlos Williams, the doctor has little choice but to physically overpower a small child named Matilda in order to determine if the child has been infected with diphtheria. Diphtheria may not be much of a threat to people by today's standards only 2-3 cases are reported each year, but back when doctors only charged three dollars for a house call this would have been a life threatening thing to everyone in contact with the child. The Doctor in "The Use of Force" not only has to fight the child and the parents, but also disease and a society unable to defend itself from the dangers the world has to offer.
             The doctors Patient in the story is a young child named Matilda, who has been sick for several days. After questioning the parents and determining that the child may be suffering from diphtheria he decides that an examination of the child's throat is in order. The doctor begins in his best professional manner saying "Aw, come on, just open your mouth wide and let me take a look, I haven't anything in my hands. Just open up and let me see." It is at this point that the doctor is attacked by Matilda who attempts to claw at his eyes, knocking off his glasses in the process. Now the doctor is starting to get upset and informs the child that she may possibly have a fatal disease and he is going to look into her throat one way or another. Normally with this information, the patient would open their mouth and allow the doctor to look, but not our dear Matilda, oh no to Matilda the battle had just begun. Numerous times the doctor and the girl's father tried to hold the girl down in order to examine the girl's throat, but each time Matilda was able to wriggle from their grasp at just right time to stop them. Clenched teeth, Screaming, and violent twists and convulsions were all used to keep her secret safe. Time aft...

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One doctors fight against disease. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 11:23, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/25918.html