As long as men are liable to die and are desirous to live, a physician will be made fun of, but he will be well paid.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
Is it not also true that no physician, in so far as he is a physician, considers or enjoins what is for the physician’s interest, but that all seek the good of their patients? For we have agreed that a physician strictly so called, is a ruler of bodies, and not a maker of money, have we not?
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
There are worse occupations in this world than feeling a woman’s pulse.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
The more ignorant, reckless and thoughtless a doctor is, the higher his reputation soars even amongst powerful princes.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Every doctor will allow a colleague to decimate a whole countryside sooner than violate the bond of professional etiquette by giving him away.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Some people think that doctors and nurses can put scrambled eggs back into the shell.
—Dorothy Canfield Fisher (1879–1958) American Author, Social Activist
Deceive not thy physician, confessor, nor lawyer.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
The first duties of the physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine.
—William Osler (1849–1919) Canadian Physician
There are more old drunkards than old physicians.
—Francois Rabelais (1494–1553) French Humanist, Satirist
The doctor learns that if he gets ahead of the superstitions of his patients he is a ruined man; and the result is that he instinctively takes care not to get ahead of them.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
If the doctor cures, the sun sees it; if he kills, the earth hides it.
—Scottish Proverb
No one becomes a good doctor before he fills a churchyard
—Swedish Proverb
A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war.
—Samuel Butler
Instead of wishing to see more doctors made by women joining what there are, I wish to see as few doctors, either male or female, as possible. For, mark you, the women have made no improvement—they have only tried to be “men” and they have only succeeded in being third-rate men.
—Florence Nightingale (1820–1910) English Nurse
The best doctor is the veterinarian. He can’t ask his patients what is the matter- he’s got to just know.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Cured yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my physician.
—Matthew Prior (1664–1721) English Poet, Diplomat
I know of nothing more laughable than a doctor who does not die of old age.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
The mistakes made by doctors are innumerable. They err habitually on the side of optimism as to treatment, of pessimism as to the outcome.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
It is the duty of a doctor to prolong life and it is not his duty to prolong the act of dying.
—Thomas Horder, 1st Baron Horder (1871–1955) British Physician
The superior doctor prevents sickness; The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness; The inferior doctor treats actual sickness;
—Chinese Proverb
Nature is better than a middling doctor.
—Common Proverb
I observe the physician with the same diligence as the disease.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
The best doctor is the one you run to and can’t find.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
The doctor is to be feared more than the disease
—Latin Proverb
I have noticed that doctors who fail in the practice of medicine have a tendency to seek one another’s company and aid in consultation. A doctor who cannot take out your appendix properly will recommend you to a doctor who will be unable to remove your tonsils with success.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
Doctors don’t know everything really. They understand matter, not spirit. And you and I live in spirit.
—William Saroyan (1908–81) American Playwright, Novelist
The great secret of doctors, known only to their wives, but still hidden from the public, is that most things get better by themselves; most things, in fact, are better in the morning
—Lewis Thomas
Tidy fees are the most effective remedy, both for the doctor and the patient.
—Dario Fo (1926–2016) Italian Playwright, Actor
The doctor found, when she was dead, her last disorder mortal.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
I tended to faint when I saw accident victims in the emergency ward, during surgery, or while drawing blood. On why he gave up medicine.
—Michael Crichton (1942–2008) American Novelist, Director, Producer, Screenwriter
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