LETTER from R. SCOTT DUNCAN

If Dogs, Why Not

Cuddly Rabbits?

To the Editor:

Bassett Medical Center adds dogs to its security patrol.

You can’t be serious? Safety of patients? Dogs carry many diseases as well as ticks. Some people are allergic to dogs and dog hairs. Yet another disease in the hospital environment to be wary of.

So now when we go into the hospital, we will see attack dogs patrolling the hallways with armed officers, and this is supposed to be a secure healing environment?

I go into a hospital for compassion and to be in a caring environment, to seek guidance, not to feel like I am in police state. Putting K-9 unit in hospitals is just one more step closer to living in a police state. It only exacerbates a violent mentality by using power games.

A real healing center would know how to handle disruption with compassion and other methods. There is a reason people get unreasonable in a medical settings. Medicine is not doing a very good job. Look at the statistics. We have a right to be hostile and angry.

There is a difference between controlling society and educating and empowering individuals to feel part of society and safe. Armed units only polarize people by intimidation. That will only make the irritated more irritated and more violent. What we have here is just power game, it has nothing to do about security of the sick person.

It is sad to see where medicine is heading: Some are so busy trying to protect their empire they are missing out on their real job – healing the sick in mind and body. They have lost their way.

Hey, let’s add cats … to catch the mice…!! Oh, and rabbits to cuddle … a good cuddle is always healing, It’s hard to be angry when you are in a cuddle!!

R. SCOTT DUNCAN

Hartwick Forrest