O\u27Donoghue, Robert F.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 36 | Number 3 Article 22August 1969Letter from Ireland, 1963Robert F. O'DonoghueFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationO'Donoghue, Robert F. (1969) "Letter from Ireland, 1963," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 36 : No. 3 , Article 22.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol36/iss3/22Letters Dear Sir: Re: PSYCHIATRIC INDICATIONS FOR -THE USE OF CONTRACEPTIVES -John R. Cavanagh, M. D. Linacre, May 1969 All uses of contraceptives are based on the medical fact that the patient and/or her · husband develop anxieties about the hazard of pregnancy. Are we really to believe that the psychiatrist can rationalize the use of contraceptive in his patient whose anxiety may be greater than that of other patients. If the principle is sound, can we not use them to prevent the psychosos? It is a matter of degree. Small cancers we must ignore. Treat only the big ones. Dr. Cavanagh has repeatedly written about what he thinks of the bad psychological effects of the rhythm of the sexual desires. Some have felt that his data are not con-clusive. It would seem to be a relatively simply study to show that on a per capita basis, there are more crazy Catholics than crazy Protestants. Perhaps a better study would be to pit the crazy Catholic rhythm uses against the crazy Catholic contraceptive users. Dear Sir: Respectfully submitted, G. C. Tom Nabors, M.D. Dallas, Texas Re: THE PRACTICE OF RHYTHM FOR WOMEN WITH IRREGULAR CYCLES by William F. Colliton, Jr. M. D. (May 1969) What Dr. Colliton has rationalized himself to is that if a woman has not ovulated before the 16th day of her cycle, he proceeds to inhibit her ovulation, or perhaps abort her (whichever way the pill works for that particular cycle). It is probable that his regime does not ALWAYS render the woman sterile. Neither does the 2(}day 202 regular contraceptive regime 1 sterilize a woman. The argument hE therefore fails to distinguish bet' moral problem of the woman who pills and the woman who takes onl~ One of the basic natural law-bas1 medical principles is: if two or mor( tions accomplish the same medical one is sterilizing and the other doctor has the obligation to use sterilizing medication. Regular blet be incredibly controlled by gi' progesterone-like drug from 3-5 da. the last week of the cycle. These not sterilizing. Certainly, before the Linacre recommend the use of this competent theological opinion sh obtained on this matter. The tht. must be given full facts. Even tho, theology would not agree with "Humanae Vitae", would be fc admit that the moral principle is t When will the American Catholic e' to stop trying to sneak in the back l a dog with his tail tucked between legs when it comes to moral princi; are inconvenient? ,WAYS ·resents en the tkes 20 0. moral nedica-;ed and ot, the e non· ng can g any during .1gs are should egime, .tld be !ogians whose tat of ;ed to ~ same. r learn · rlike IS hind es that Respectfully submitt 1 G. C. Tom Nabors, !\· D. Dallas, Texas Linacre QuarterlY etter From Ireland, 1969 In this country we like to think that we a little behind the times, and indeed use as part of our tourist attraction. While may be true in some respects of the country', we have not escaped some of comforting attitudes of the post-war This year we have had our ration of unrest, strikes, 'sit-ins' and demon-of various kinds with demands for voice in management. No serious DtelrrulDti•::ms of work have, as yet, occurred of good Management and of a ~zatiion by the students that their studies State subsidised. Small groups of lltitudlemts can be very vociferous but perhaps dissemination of Maoist writings may us up to date with world thinking in ·country. merger of the two Universities al University of Ireland and Trinity Dublin), whilst logical on paper, has progressed beyond the discussion t is no doubt inevitable that Dublin have one large University, and that and Galway Colleges should prepare automony. This of course brought demands from Limerick (third ty) for a University also. The latter ll~leman<ls may well be met by the proposed of Technology. Our population can support another University, but l !i tiCIU4~ation is more lacking at the Vocational and much time and money is being spent on improving this latter. Ireland no less than any other country much heart searching following the publication of the Papal Encyclical "de Humanae Vitae". Contraceptives had never on sale in this country, but the 'anovulants' were being prescribed fairly st, 1969 freely by doctors in anticipation of a relaxa-tion of the traditional laws of the Church on family planning. However, the statement of the Irish Archbishops was directly in line with the Papal pronouncement, and vias given to us as a Lenten Pastoral. Whilst medical men may have had some problems in dealing with hardcases, the solution came in a way which was predictable for this country. The . patient either accepted the Encyclical and did not ask for the pill, or because the side effects were so well dis-cussed in the Press refused the treatment. We await the Synod of Bishops in the Autumn of this year, in the hope that some consideration will be given to the fact that the ideals of the Encyclical are very hard to live up to, even by those in good conscience. One cannot close without mentioning the latest situation in the Health Services. Re-cently the Ministry of Health has offered an annual capitation fee to all practitioners for patient attendahce. This is to replace the mixed private practice and State dispensary system. Neither the Medical Association nor the Medical Union accept this plan, but press for a fee per item of service. How agreement will come is not yet evident, but what is very plain to see is that we are hard put to pay for the services as they are, and a great increase in the cost will be almost too much for us. We have a Voluntary Health Insurance, rather like the Blue Cross, and this does help considerably for the mid<lle income group. Robert F. O'Donoghue Master-General Irish Guild of St. Luke, SS. Cosmas &Damian Cork May 1969 203 ( •. , . ~ ·1·: . - .... t'. ' . 1 • .-· ~ . • ' .. .. · ..:•s'• ... . . • : · ',~ I 4 •' • . ·. .... ·, , ... ,.:. •t·•, ' "! •. • ' ... . ' .: ".• . . ~· ; . .. , ; · ' . · .. ,. I .' • ,-J. ·· . ., . .. 

Letter from Ireland, 1963

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Letter from Ireland, 1963

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