SACREDNESS OF PROFESSIONAL CONFIDENCE.

Abstract

The Playfair violation of professional confidence met with practically unanimous condemnation by the medical profession, which therein but reiterated ethics it had taught for more than twenty centuries. Nearly seven decades ago, the American medical profession viewed with equal severity a similar breach of confidence byDelpech, although there were much greater extenuating circumstances and although he was assassinated therefor. The<i>Medical Magazine</i>(March, 1833, published at Boston) remarked anent the assassination ofDelpech: "This tragical event while it cost the profession a most distinguished member, has also left an impressive admonition on a point which can not be too strongly addressed to the awakened attention of medical advisers. M.Delpechwas a victim to an atrocious act of professional infidelity and without attempting to justify the deed in the agent of it we are free to declare our opinion that, as a retribution on the offender it is most