This is for you Thomas M. My father Arthur Z. Epstein was an Israeli surgeon during the 1956 Sinai campaign. When he returned home, I asked him the following questions :
"What would you do if you had to treat two wounded soldiers, one Israeli and one Egyptian, who will you start with ?"
"It has happened. We always start with the most wounded one."
"But it is unfair. In this case there is no point fighting a war. Your soldier may die,the enemy will survive and will kill other people in a next war. It's even insane."
"We doctors do not look at the uniform, but at the state of the wounded inside."
"Fine,and what happens if both are in a bad shape, both will die and you only have time to save one ?"
"Still the same, kid. We'll save the one that has the best chances of survival first, no matter who he is."
I kept asking those question about every five years, looking for a change that never came. Of course I was inquisitorial enough to wait for grave moments, like when horrible terrorists attacks had occured and his will might have been weak. It didn't.
Draw you own conclusions. |
