"Prescription: A physician's guess at what will best prolong the situation with least harm to the patient"
- Ambrose Bierce
About this Quote
This quote by Ambrose Bierce is a commentary on the practice of medication. It suggests that a doctor's prescription is an educated guess at what will best assist the patient, while lessening any prospective damage. Bierce indicates that a doctor's prescription is not a specific science, but rather a computed threat. He indicates that a physician needs to weigh the potential advantages of a treatment against the prospective risks, and make an informed decision based upon the patient's private needs. This quote likewise recommends that a doctor's prescription is not a warranty of success, but rather a finest guess at what will help the patient. Eventually, Bierce is recommending that a physician's prescription is a calculated threat, and that the physician must make an informed decision based on the patient's private needs.
"Don't lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality"
"The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom"
