Iranian Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine

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Saadati A, Mohamadi M. Investigating Medical Ethics in the Medicine-Based Tales of Mathnawi. IJMEHM 2020; 13 :31-46
URL: http://ijme.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6207-en.html

In human communication, the relationship between the patient and the physician is one of the most challenging issues. This relationship is of critical importance in the medical ethics and forms the base of medical measures. Relationship between the physician and the patient brings about mutual trust between them to the extent that it overshadows physician’s skills. A physician needs to have the art of communication with the patients as well as his information in medical sciences. Damaging this communication leads to lack of efficiency, trust and satisfaction in the treatment of the patient. The authors of this article seek to analyze the major issues of medical ethics in the medical texts based on Mathnawi. Rumi has also made special mention of physicians' responsibilities and ethical duties in the stories of pulmonology, physiology, herbal therapy, routine treatment, and etc. In The story of “King and Handmaiden”, Confidentiality, Compassion, Kindness, and the expertise of saint against Handmaiden are issues that they are discussing in medical ethics. At the end of the story, audiences unbelievably are evaluating the performance of saint as opposed to the spirit of Hippocratic oath. In the story of “the old man and the physician”; deficiency of the communication between physician and patient is very definite. Not building trust and emotional communication in the relationship between the physician and the patient, specifically at the very first time which has happened without semiology has provided the context in which the patient distrust his physician and is not pleased with the treatment process. In the story of “Man who was desperately ill”, the physician has hidden the secret and also he has not given a clear and enough explanation for the prescription, therefore the patient's life is endangered.
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