MovieChat Forums > Dark Victory (1939) Discussion > Was Judith right to avoid treatment?

Was Judith right to avoid treatment?


Judith is getting headaches and blurred vision, etc. A doctor operates on her and then finds out she'll die anyway. Ann said "you shouldn't have touched her". Is she right?
I happen to be a medical skeptic because there is too much evidence that the "cure" is often worse than the disease. Even the doctor said he was leaving brain surgery because as he asked "do you know the mortality rate of brain surgery patients"?
I personally would never get brain surgery or most other extreme medical procedures because I know the risks.
In Judith's case I would have prescribed her to stop smoking and drinking, have a holistic diet, and take herbs and vitamins instead of surgery. Maybe she would die anyway, but maybe she would get better without being harmed by surgery.
The hippocratic oath says "first do no harm". Unfortunately most doctors do more harm than good...except to their finances.

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