On the Other Hand---The Best Acts of Military Physicians

A story from Associated Press on Jan. 5 2005: "A military doctor whose Web site chronicled the bloody aftermath of the suicide bombing of a mess tent in Iraq has shut down the site after being told his postings violated Army regulations.

In an e-mail from Iraq on Tuesday, Maj. Michael Cohen, a doctor with the 67th Combat Support Hospital unit, said he received a written warning but was not told which Army regulations were being violated.

A short notice replaced the account on Cohen's site, www.67cshdocs.com.

'Levels above me have ordered, yes ORDERED, me to shut down this website. They cite that the information contained in these pages violates several Army Regulations. I certainly disagree with this,' it said."

We have been discussing here the ethical conflicts of military physicians and the possible failures of medical professionalism which might ensue. But there is another side to the story of the military physician. You MUST, MUST read Dr. Cohen's blog describing his experience with regard to the Mosul catastrophe. It is very enlightening regarding the very best actions of the military physicians and all the other caregivers.. Apparently, it was this description which caused the military to order that his website shut down! ..Maurice.