Physicians healed.

Cleta Hartman, editor, Physicians healed, Dayton, OH, published by One More Soul, 616 Five Oaks Ave., 45406, ph. 800-307-7685,1998, 144 pages, $10 (US)

This inspiring book tells the story of fifteen American physicians, men and women, who stopped prescribing contraceptives and instead began to teach Natural Family Planning to their patients. All of them had been involved in prescribing contraceptives or performing sterilizations and sometimes even in performing, or referring for, abortions. Most of them are Catholics; some of them practised their faith at first, some didn't. When we speak of doctors or medical students here, we mean gynecologists and obstetricians.

A number of constant factors can be found in their stories.

1. The teaching they received did not give the truth concerning contraception and gave no correct information concerning Natural Family Planning, so that when graduating they knew very little about Natural Family Planning or about the abortifacient nature of most contraceptives.

2. They were under pressure to prescribe contraceptives, even in one Catholic medical school, and to commit abortions.

3. All of them escaped from their early practice only through their religious faith.

4. Often they fought against the suspicion that they were doing something wrong.

5. Many were misled by priests in the confessional, being told that they could make up their own mind about contraception. Many, however, were helped by priests outside the confessional, and by other doctors who had already opted for Natural Family Planning.

6. Withdrawal from early practice usually proceeded by stages, a great effort (and no doubt also great grace) being required for the final step.

7. There were fears about what their colleagues would say, what their patients would say, and what might happen to them financially. On the whole, these fears proved to have been to a great extent imaginary. It took great courage to make the final step, and no doubt also to take the other steps along the way. But these doctors became very happy with their decision, as their spouses did as well. They were now living with God, and also helping their patients rather than simply letting them harm themselves.

Throughout the book one can find a long list of the advantages of practising Natural Family Planning, in addition to the chief advantage: doing the will of God.