I finished the book,
God's Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Journey to the Heart of Medicine, by Victoria Sweet, just in time to be surprised and delighted to hear that soon
Hildegarde of Bingen will become an official saint and a doctor of the Church. In her book, an account of Laguna Honda, the USA's last "almshouse" for the poor and destitute in San Francisco, Dr. Sweet, who was one of the medical staff at Laguna Honda, talks about her study of the benefits of "slow medicine" as practiced by medieval healers, such as Hildegarde. She even relates how she used a method of treatment she learned by reading about Hildegarde to heal a woman whose decades of drug abuse had resulted in a complicated health crisis that defeated other doctors.
Slow medicine counts on the use of "Dr. Quiet, Dr. Diet, and Dr. Merryman" - treatment that stresses peace, nutritious and delicious food, comfort and joy - all this over pharmaceuticals, surgeries, and quick release from hospitalization. Health care is moving away from slow medicine, and we will be the poorer and sicker for it.
Hildegarde of Bingen has long been one of my heroes. I love to quote her, " All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all shall be exceedingly well."
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What a delightful piece of news! I've just been to the library but now I have my next book already picked out!
ReplyDeleteExcellent! It's a great topic AND a great read.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good. I am increasingly disappointed with our simple lack of time to treat illness, even a common cold! I'm ordering this from the library tonight. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJust finished it. She's a terrific writer and I admire how Zen she appears to be. As an added bonus, I enjoyed her interludes on a pilgrimage thru France and Spain to Finnestera. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! It warms my ex-librarian heart to be able to point someone to a good book. Glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteOur library didn't have it - not in the entire county. I am going to have to BUY it. I checked out a biography of Hildegard of Bingen just to tide me over. :-)
ReplyDelete