McCue, Daniel J.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 34 | Number 3 Article 9August 1967Health Care of the Religious in the Buffalo DioceseDaniel J. McCueFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationMcCue, Daniel J. (1967) "Health Care of the Religious in the Buffalo Diocese," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 34 : No. 3 , Article 9.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol34/iss3/9We have no divine revelation on the time of animation, . nor any of-ficial pronouncement of the Church. But scientists and theologians are in the vast majority convinced that it happens at the very instant the ovum is fertilized. In any case it must be pointed out with Basil and Pius XII that embrvonic development is one of proxim;te continuity. No humart foetus can ever be confused with that of any other species. The human foetus cannot develop into a cow, rabbit, or pig; it can only become a man. Nor do those, who might still doubt whether the foetus in its early de-velopment is human, have the righ_t to move against the life of that foetus. In response to proposed changes in Maryland's abortion laws, Cardinal Shehan recently de-clared that it was the hallmark of our civilization that when there was a doubt as to the presence of human life, the benefit of doubt should be given to its presence rather than its absence. One might add this illus-tration: Doctors do not send patients to autopsy rooms if there is the slight-est doubt they might still be alive. Can the Church in the light oi pluralism withdraw from the lists? Must we concede to the defenders of abortion the right to perform them according to the dictates of their own conscience? If we now make room for the conscience of others on birth 220 control and divorce legislati , on what possible ground can w< 1raw the line at abortion? The problem with this 1 · " of thought is that it neglects to otice that the foetus is also a party ) the debate (though it cannot spt " ~ for itself). Neither birth contr1 nor divorce present comparable :tua-tions, for no existent life is a ·~· take. But the foetus has the person [ right to live. The Church is keenly av. ·e of the pain and disease and dea tl often resultant from illegal abortion Her heart goes out in tender comr ·ssion to these victim mothers. But _.ath-olics must not get backed · to a corner on the emotional issue~ They must not find themselves in th awk-ward situation of being h f rtless legalists who prefer a metap, ysical principle to a "merciful" res\ ution of an agonizing predicament. ather must Catholics stand staunch .y for the child as true champions 0 • per-sonal rights, protectors of h "lpless human beings whose very exh tence . is jeopardized by those who r re re-luctant to admit that the unbc:-n are human. FATHER DAILEY, a native of N w Yo.rk, spent a year in parish work in Puer:_o R1co after ordination in 1953. Returnmg to Buffalo, he served in two more . arishes. After higher studies in Rome, he e:1 rn~d a Doctorate in Sacred Theology and smce 1961 has been teaching Moral Theology at St. John Vianney Seminary, E. Aurora, N.Y. LINACRE QuARTERLY Health Care of the Religious in the · Buffalo Diocese DANIEL J. McCuE, M.D. "The Church in America today needs as riever before, a great army of Religious women who · are spirit-ually, intellectually and profession-ally superior. One of the best measures of their productivity is their physical health. The aim of the Health Program for ·Religious is to provide the means to attain physical strength to rna tch their dedication and stamina for their apostolate. Physical, mental and spiritual health are a Trinity vital for personality de-velopment. To help secure health for these Ladies of the Church is our primary interest-a labor of love." Thus was this goal so aptly stated in the Manual, Health to Match her Dedication by James T. Nix,· M.D. and Con J. Fecher, Ph.D. Many physicians treating the Religious have · become aware that frequently when first seen, serious illness has become well advanced. Many nuns have not had any type of medical care for years. When symptoms and signs of disease per-sist, they are seen for the first time. It is disheartening to find advanced disease, especially of a malignant type, knowing that there is little hope for cure or improvement. In recent years the health care of Religious, or the lack of it, has prompted physicians to advocate and develop programs for routine annual comprehensive physical examinations of the various religious orders. Dr. James Nix, who is quoted above, was one of these outstanding and dedi-AucusT~ 1967 cated physicians who stressed these needs, and pioneered this type of work. Several years ago a Pilot Program was planned and instituted by the Catholic Physicians' Guild -in Buf-falo, New York. The Outpatient Departments of the Catholic hos-pitals were utilized to examine a large group of nuns from the Buffalo area. These examinations were done on a Saturday afternoon when the Out-patient Department Clinics were not in use for the public. For a two-week period prior to the actual examinations, in order to avoid overloading the Laboratory and X-ray Departments of these hospitals~ the following screening tests were done: CBC, Routine Urine, two-hour post digestive Blood Sugar, and Chest X-ray. Pap smears were done on the day of the physical examina-tion. Each nun was provided with a Cornell-like type of Questionnaire prior to the examination. Complete past history, current symptoms, etc. , were recorded. These forms ac-companied the nun on the day of the examination. Physicians representing the various specialties participated in our pro-gram. The nuns would move from one diagnostic station to the next in an orderly fashion, and a check list was completed. Registered nurses and volunteers from the various hos-pital Guilds greatly facilitated. our · work. More than 600 nuns were examined in the above fashion. 221 In reviewing our findings, it be-came apparent that the yield of ab-normalities was quite high. As was expected, most of the pathology was found in the older age gro1:1p of nuns. In the initial study of a group of 120 nuns examined, a 10 percent evi-dence of anemia was found, par-ticularly of the iron deficiency type. The majority of these nuns were in the younger age group with active menstrual cycles. In the same group of 120, six abnormal postprandial blood sugars were detected. Two of these proved to be known diabetics; the remaining four were unknown diabetics. Two primary carcinomas of the breast were found, and one of these two nuns also had a primary car-cinoma of the vulva. One Pap smear was reported as positive; however, further follow-up ruled out cervical malignancy. One routine chest x-ray revealed bilateral hilar adeno-pathy suggestive of a lymphoma. Two unknown cases of mitral valve disease were diagnosed for the first time. The incidence of hypertension was quite high, especially in the older obese nuns. Numerous other diagnoses were made, including endometriosis, cervi-cal erosion, cystic mastitis, various arthritides, including gout_:. At the conclusion of the examina-tion, each nun was interviewed and the findings were discuss·ed and ex-plained. Those with any pathology were advised to see their own phy-sicians. Those without personal phy-sicians were advised to obtain one. In certain instances, x-ray screening of the GI tract was advised. Prob-lems of follow-up have become quite apparent. 222 The completed charts· wif diag-nosis, laboratory reports, as ~n as the x-ray films, were sent ) the Motherhouse of each nun . '. hese permanent records will be a· ilable to their personal physicians) ·.nd if they are transferred, these : ;cords will accompany them. The cooperation of this g: up of nuns was excellent, and the r: jority of the nuns were most eag · that these examinations be contir ~d on a one- or two-year basis. The increase in the aging ~ -pula-tion is quite apparent in me ': con-vents. Many nuns are well ai ·anced in years, and the increase in :.egen-erative diseases is rising, as '1ntici-pated. The serious shortage < ~ nuns makes it imperative that di J.se be detected early and adequately ~ reated to preserve this essential g:r m p of Religious. It is obvious that assuming ' here-sponsibility of the health can: of our nuns has become one of our rr )St im-portant and successful under' ::-tkings. Let us hope that these exami:1a tions will not only continue, but 7ill ex-pand and include all the Religious in each community. BIBLIOGRAPHY Health to Match her Dedication- a Manual on Medical Care: James T. Nix, M ., Con J. Fecher, Ph.D., St. Martin's Press, New Orleans, La. DR. McCUE, a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine is Attending in Medicine at the Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, where he is chief of EKG and on the staff of Veterans Admin istration Hospital. LINACRE Q U ARTERLY The Moral and Pastoral Problems . of the Terminally Ill Patient REVEREND C. HARVEY LoRD I am grateful for the opportunity to address myself to a company of medical men. My father and three brothers all elected your branch of the professions. When we enter family conversations, I soon find the discussion centering on their in-terests. I am not unused to the company of doctors, but I seldom get the floor! Doctors and clergymen have a great deal to say to one another, but we rarely find occasion to express it. In the last twenty-five years I have visited a patient a day-yet I have had less than one discussion a year with a patient's physician. Our ministries are complementary, but we do not discuss the relationship. When we cohfer so seldom, our harmonious joint ministries require a great deal of mutual trust, and some understanding of the particularity of service and viewpoint. The physician whom I do not see is my esteemed fellow laborer. He commands the re-sources of the tremendous advances in scientific knowledge. He is de-pen~able and properly prepared. If he Is not, his own profession works to eliminate or reform him. He has knowledge and diagnostic powers which I make no attempt to equal, ~or even to second guess. If his pa-~ent complains against him, I would listen sympathetically, but I would ~rdinarily be inclined to wait pa-tiently until I discovered the legiti-Dlate motive for the doctor's action. AucusT, I 967 The rabbi, priest, and pastor, covet in turn your support and understand-ing. · Our work is not as clearly de-fined as at least a portion of yours seems to be. If one distinguish the practice of science from the expres-sion of an art, we must lean more heavily toward the artistic side. I call a science that field of knowledge which is so regular in its recurrence, that it can be drawn or described in a classroom, and afterwards recog-nized in life. You look at a patient and say, "Aha! I recognize those symptoms." Art, by comparison, deals with seldom-if -ever repeated configura-tions. The infinitely varied human personality with its spiritual needs calls for a substantial measure of art in that person who works to heal it. I find myself hesitating to describe any type of problem or type of min-istry for the terminally ill, because after I have outlined my categories, none of the particular cases I recall exactly fit them! TO KNOW THE TRUTH A central problem deals with knowing the truth. How clearly should the terminally ill patient be informed of his condition? Some-times this has been phrased: "Should we lie, or tell him the truth"? I think it is fairer to ask, "How much of the truth should be told"? We are both confronted with such questions. I consider that the pri-mary responsibility of telling falls 223 

Health Care of the Religious in the Buffalo Diocese

The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 34 | Number 3 Article 32August 1967Health Care of the Religious in the Buffalo DioceseDaniel J. McCueFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationMcCue, Daniel J. (1967) "Health Care of the Religious in the Buffalo Diocese," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 34 : No. 3 , Article 32.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol34/iss3/32We have no divine revelation on the time of animation, . nor any of-ficial pronouncement of the Church. But scientists and theologians are in the vast majority convinced that it happens at the very instant the ovum is fertilized. In any case it must be pointed out with Basil and Pius XII that embrvonic development is one of proxim;te continuity. No humart foetus can ever be confused with that of any other species. The human foetus cannot develop into a cow, rabbit, or pig; it can only become a man. Nor do those, who might still doubt whether the foetus in its early de-velopment is human, have the righ_t to move against the life of that foetus. In response to proposed changes in Maryland's abortion laws, Cardinal Shehan recently de-clared that it was the hallmark of our civilization that when there was a doubt as to the presence of human life, the benefit of doubt should be given to its presence rather than its absence. One might add this illus-tration: Doctors do not send patients to autopsy rooms if there is the slight-est doubt they might still be alive. Can the Church in the light oi pluralism withdraw from the lists? Must we concede to the defenders of abortion the right to perform them according to the dictates of their own conscience? If we now make room for the conscience of others on birth 220 control and divorce legislati , on what possible ground can w< 1raw the line at abortion? The problem with this 1 · " of thought is that it neglects to otice that the foetus is also a party ) the debate (though it cannot spt " ~ for itself). Neither birth contr1 nor divorce present comparable :tua-tions, for no existent life is a ·~· take. But the foetus has the person [ right to live. The Church is keenly av. ·e of the pain and disease and dea tl often resultant from illegal abortion Her heart goes out in tender comr ·ssion to these victim mothers. But _.ath-olics must not get backed · to a corner on the emotional issue~ They must not find themselves in th awk-ward situation of being h f rtless legalists who prefer a metap, ysical principle to a "merciful" res\ ution of an agonizing predicament. ather must Catholics stand staunch .y for the child as true champions 0 • per-sonal rights, protectors of h "lpless human beings whose very exh tence . is jeopardized by those who r re re-luctant to admit that the unbc:-n are human. FATHER DAILEY, a native of N w Yo.rk, spent a year in parish work in Puer:_o R1co after ordination in 1953. Returnmg to Buffalo, he served in two more . arishes. After higher studies in Rome, he e:1 rn~d a Doctorate in Sacred Theology and smce 1961 has been teaching Moral Theology at St. John Vianney Seminary, E. Aurora, N.Y. LINACRE QuARTERLY Health Care of the Religious in the · Buffalo Diocese DANIEL J. McCuE, M.D. "The Church in America today needs as riever before, a great army of Religious women who · are spirit-ually, intellectually and profession-ally superior. One of the best measures of their productivity is their physical health. The aim of the Health Program for ·Religious is to provide the means to attain physical strength to rna tch their dedication and stamina for their apostolate. Physical, mental and spiritual health are a Trinity vital for personality de-velopment. To help secure health for these Ladies of the Church is our primary interest-a labor of love." Thus was this goal so aptly stated in the Manual, Health to Match her Dedication by James T. Nix,· M.D. and Con J. Fecher, Ph.D. Many physicians treating the Religious have · become aware that frequently when first seen, serious illness has become well advanced. Many nuns have not had any type of medical care for years. When symptoms and signs of disease per-sist, they are seen for the first time. It is disheartening to find advanced disease, especially of a malignant type, knowing that there is little hope for cure or improvement. In recent years the health care of Religious, or the lack of it, has prompted physicians to advocate and develop programs for routine annual comprehensive physical examinations of the various religious orders. Dr. James Nix, who is quoted above, was one of these outstanding and dedi-AucusT~ 1967 cated physicians who stressed these needs, and pioneered this type of work. Several years ago a Pilot Program was planned and instituted by the Catholic Physicians' Guild -in Buf-falo, New York. The Outpatient Departments of the Catholic hos-pitals were utilized to examine a large group of nuns from the Buffalo area. These examinations were done on a Saturday afternoon when the Out-patient Department Clinics were not in use for the public. For a two-week period prior to the actual examinations, in order to avoid overloading the Laboratory and X-ray Departments of these hospitals~ the following screening tests were done: CBC, Routine Urine, two-hour post digestive Blood Sugar, and Chest X-ray. Pap smears were done on the day of the physical examina-tion. Each nun was provided with a Cornell-like type of Questionnaire prior to the examination. Complete past history, current symptoms, etc. , were recorded. These forms ac-companied the nun on the day of the examination. Physicians representing the various specialties participated in our pro-gram. The nuns would move from one diagnostic station to the next in an orderly fashion, and a check list was completed. Registered nurses and volunteers from the various hos-pital Guilds greatly facilitated. our · work. More than 600 nuns were examined in the above fashion. 221 In reviewing our findings, it be-came apparent that the yield of ab-normalities was quite high. As was expected, most of the pathology was found in the older age gro1:1p of nuns. In the initial study of a group of 120 nuns examined, a 10 percent evi-dence of anemia was found, par-ticularly of the iron deficiency type. The majority of these nuns were in the younger age group with active menstrual cycles. In the same group of 120, six abnormal postprandial blood sugars were detected. Two of these proved to be known diabetics; the remaining four were unknown diabetics. Two primary carcinomas of the breast were found, and one of these two nuns also had a primary car-cinoma of the vulva. One Pap smear was reported as positive; however, further follow-up ruled out cervical malignancy. One routine chest x-ray revealed bilateral hilar adeno-pathy suggestive of a lymphoma. Two unknown cases of mitral valve disease were diagnosed for the first time. The incidence of hypertension was quite high, especially in the older obese nuns. Numerous other diagnoses were made, including endometriosis, cervi-cal erosion, cystic mastitis, various arthritides, including gout_:. At the conclusion of the examina-tion, each nun was interviewed and the findings were discuss·ed and ex-plained. Those with any pathology were advised to see their own phy-sicians. Those without personal phy-sicians were advised to obtain one. In certain instances, x-ray screening of the GI tract was advised. Prob-lems of follow-up have become quite apparent. 222 The completed charts· wif diag-nosis, laboratory reports, as ~n as the x-ray films, were sent ) the Motherhouse of each nun . '. hese permanent records will be a· ilable to their personal physicians) ·.nd if they are transferred, these : ;cords will accompany them. The cooperation of this g: up of nuns was excellent, and the r: jority of the nuns were most eag · that these examinations be contir ~d on a one- or two-year basis. The increase in the aging ~ -pula-tion is quite apparent in me ': con-vents. Many nuns are well ai ·anced in years, and the increase in :.egen-erative diseases is rising, as '1ntici-pated. The serious shortage < ~ nuns makes it imperative that di J.se be detected early and adequately ~ reated to preserve this essential g:r m p of Religious. It is obvious that assuming ' here-sponsibility of the health can: of our nuns has become one of our rr )St im-portant and successful under' ::-tkings. Let us hope that these exami:1a tions will not only continue, but 7ill ex-pand and include all the Religious in each community. BIBLIOGRAPHY Health to Match her Dedication- a Manual on Medical Care: James T. Nix, M ., Con J. Fecher, Ph.D., St. Martin's Press, New Orleans, La. DR. McCUE, a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine is Attending in Medicine at the Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, where he is chief of EKG and on the staff of Veterans Admin istration Hospital. LINACRE Q U ARTERLY The Moral and Pastoral Problems . of the Terminally Ill Patient REVEREND C. HARVEY LoRD I am grateful for the opportunity to address myself to a company of medical men. My father and three brothers all elected your branch of the professions. When we enter family conversations, I soon find the discussion centering on their in-terests. I am not unused to the company of doctors, but I seldom get the floor! Doctors and clergymen have a great deal to say to one another, but we rarely find occasion to express it. In the last twenty-five years I have visited a patient a day-yet I have had less than one discussion a year with a patient's physician. Our ministries are complementary, but we do not discuss the relationship. When we cohfer so seldom, our harmonious joint ministries require a great deal of mutual trust, and some understanding of the particularity of service and viewpoint. The physician whom I do not see is my esteemed fellow laborer. He commands the re-sources of the tremendous advances in scientific knowledge. He is de-pen~able and properly prepared. If he Is not, his own profession works to eliminate or reform him. He has knowledge and diagnostic powers which I make no attempt to equal, ~or even to second guess. If his pa-~ent complains against him, I would listen sympathetically, but I would ~rdinarily be inclined to wait pa-tiently until I discovered the legiti-Dlate motive for the doctor's action. AucusT, I 967 The rabbi, priest, and pastor, covet in turn your support and understand-ing. · Our work is not as clearly de-fined as at least a portion of yours seems to be. If one distinguish the practice of science from the expres-sion of an art, we must lean more heavily toward the artistic side. I call a science that field of knowledge which is so regular in its recurrence, that it can be drawn or described in a classroom, and afterwards recog-nized in life. You look at a patient and say, "Aha! I recognize those symptoms." Art, by comparison, deals with seldom-if -ever repeated configura-tions. The infinitely varied human personality with its spiritual needs calls for a substantial measure of art in that person who works to heal it. I find myself hesitating to describe any type of problem or type of min-istry for the terminally ill, because after I have outlined my categories, none of the particular cases I recall exactly fit them! TO KNOW THE TRUTH A central problem deals with knowing the truth. How clearly should the terminally ill patient be informed of his condition? Some-times this has been phrased: "Should we lie, or tell him the truth"? I think it is fairer to ask, "How much of the truth should be told"? We are both confronted with such questions. I consider that the pri-mary responsibility of telling falls 223 

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Health Care of the Religious in the Buffalo Diocese

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