Toenails: Story of a Doctor - Essay Example

Toenails Toenails can aptly be regarded as an autobiographical story of a doctor who sketches the episodes of his leisure time. It is interesting for one to read the narration of the doctor as he thinks and acts opposite to what is generally accepted or perceived. The attitude of the doctor to his profession may be criticized as opposing to the medical ethics. But an evaluation of his actions can be interpreted in various levels. The story begins with the narration of the doctor about the general habit of doctors who withdraw from ‘the practice of medicine every Wednesday afternoon (Toenails 64).’ The doctor is also aware of the reality that this may be regarded as less responsibility, even then he finds much time to ‘grooming and watering his sprit.’ The doctor is of the opinion that restless work will tire his mental and physical spirit and as such he made a vow that he ‘would never again delve away the month of July in the depths of the human body’ (Toenails 64). The doctor prefers to spend his Wednesdays in a library where he makes new acquaintances. He is a shrewd observer of the people and he does not find fault with his activity of cutting the nails of the visitors of the library. One can definitely support the doctor’s activity of cutting nails because; it is the ethical obligation of a doctor to treat a diseased, even if the patient is affected with a minor disease and he should, certainly, help the man to cut off his nails, if the man complains that he cannot remove his long nails and he is walking on them. Prior to analyzing the doctor’s obligation to the people whose nail he cuts, it would be better for one to understand the behavior of the doctor. Regarding the character of the doctor it is observable that he is a man who is ardent in keeping the professional ethics. He does not forget to assure the service of a friend to attend his patients, when he is enjoying a vacation. He is also a man who wishes to make his leisure fruitful and effective. It is because of that he likes to spend his Wednesdays in a library when others prefer golf or fishing. He put aside the month of July for his own leisure by telling that ‘There is a danger in becoming too absorbed in Anatomy’ (Toenails 64). The doctor rightly judges the reason when saying that “At the end of eleven months of dissection, you stand in fair risk of suffering a kind of rapture of the deep, wherein you drift, tumbling among the coils of intestine in a state of helpless enchantment” (Toenails 64-65). This view of the doctor throws light to the doctor’s behavior and anyone can see that his judgment is so accurate and praiseworthy. Another reason for supporting the action of the doctor is his minute observation of the community, especially his observations on doctors. He is of the opinion that majority of the doctors are submerged in study and practice of Medicine and they do not have sufficient time for praying. He also comments that the medical students should never be priests because priests are disregard their souls by preserving the souls of the parishioners. He proves himself as standing aloof from other doctors when he says, “I go to the library where I join that subculture of elderly men and women who gather in the Main Reading Room to read or sleep beneath the worlds newspapers, and thumb through magazines and periodicals, educating themselves in any number of esoteric ways, or just keeping up”(Toenails 65). One is bewitched at the words of the doctor when he narrates the visitors of the library and naming them— Old Stovepipe, Mrs. Fringes, Neckerchief, Galoshes— with their physical traits. His observation on the library building is interesting. He finds something valuable in a library. His words are quite noteworthy when he says that the public library, as a building, is equal to a neighborhood saloon— “All of which attributes a public library shares with a neighborhood saloon, the only difference being the beer of one and the books of the other” (Toenails 65). While he is observing the members of the library, he also observes their physical deficiencies with the mind of a doctor. These observations of the doctor lead us to the inference that the doctor could keep up ethical obligation even in a library. It is quite evident that the doctor is following the morality and ethics of his profession when he recollects the words of Sir William Osler who instructed his students to "listen to the patient. He is trying to tell you what is the matter with him" (Toenails 67). As a doctor, he had kept a tender heart to his patients and others who are appearing before him. The doctor is sympathetic too. He is sympathetic to Neckerchief whose long nail he cuts to save him from the severe pain when it touches on the ground. The doctor is so simple in his personality and devoted in his profession that he never cares other people who consider his cutting of nails as an indecent job. Even Neckerchief himself feels it as a mean job. But the doctor’s reply is remarkable when he said: “Never mind…I bet this isnt the strangest thing thats happened down here" (Toenails 69). He is willing to repeat cutting nails regardless of his position in the society. To conclude, one can infer that the actions of the doctor as suiting to ethical morality. If somebody feels the actions of the doctor are absurd, one can see that his actions are really appreciating. When the study concludes one can definitely support the doctor’s activity of cutting nails because; it is the ethical obligation of a doctor to treat a diseased, even if the patient is affected with a minor disease and he should, certainly, help the man to cut off his nails, if the man complains that he cannot remove his long nails and he is walking on them. Here the doctor helps his patient, disregarding all the criticisms. The story also reveals the doctor as a shrewd observer of humanity who could easily find out the weaknesses of people. As a doctor he is quite different from other doctors and he always thinks and acts differently. He is so strict in keeping the professional ethics that he thinks relaxation or leisure is mandatory to keep the doctors refreshed and performing their duties perfectly. The story can also be read in a symbolical level where the cutting of nails can be an attempt to reduce religious conflicts. The doctor’s cutting of nails without partiality can aptly be compared to one’s actions to give equal status to all religion. By offering his service to the older people of the library, he does a great job. The study also unveils that the doctor is religious even if he feels that the priests elapse their souls for the parishioners. He stands aloof from other doctors by selecting library as the place for celebrating his vacation. The doctor wishes to be jovial and that is why he likes the company of Neckerchief too much. The doctor observes that the daily visitors of the library are not wearing fashionable dress and they were the same things every day. This observation also enables one to identify the character of the doctor as a simple, keen observing, and loyal person who is eager to keep his ethical obligations. Work cited: Toenails (Provided by customer) Read More