"To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always," which, as best I can figure, was first said by Dr. Edward Trudeau (founder of a tuberculosis sanatorium) in the 1800's.
I came across sort of a 2012 version, recently, by Dr. George Ferenczi (Physicians Practice, April 2012, 19-20).
"People bring me their health problems, some of which are curable, many of which are treatable, all of which need to be made endurable. It is with the chronic and the incurable that we physicians face our greatest challenge. It is then that we must help our patients develop a new narrative about life and its meaning. We can teach how to refocus on the things that are still possible rather than on what has been irretrievably lost-if not curing, then relieving pain, easy suffering, offering compassion."
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