How does Polly Shine's approach to medical treatment differ from the white doctors? In your experience, how important is the personal connection between doctor and patient?

How does Polly Shine's approach to medical treatment differ from that of the white doctors who previously treated the Satterfield slaves? What does she mean when she says, "The magic weren't in the food. It was in the seeing"? Does the way a doctor sees his or her patients determine the prescribed treatment? In your experience, how important is the personal connection between doctor and patient?

Polly Shine believed in treating the whole person, not just their symptoms or disease. Being a former slave herself, she could empathize with them, and they trusted her. In contrast, many of the white doctors treated the slaves as less than human, and as "property" belonging to the master.

Polly' strong character reminded me of another strong woman who was also a doctor. In Abraham Verghese's book, "Cutting for Stone," Hema is an Indian ob/gyn who takes a backseat to no one, especially male doctors. Verghese, a physician himself, wrote the book because he feels that American medicine is losing its personal touch, the vital interaction and relationship between doctor and patient.

Polly was what we now call a naturopath or holistic doctor. She used natural remedies that she made into mixes or used singularly to treat illnesses. She was very knowledgeable about what she used to treat people with. Her remedies, for the time, were better than the traditional doctors.

Connections between doctors and their patients are extremely important. My son is in medical school and I always stress to him that you can have the best book learning and do well on all of your tests but if you can't see your patient as a human being and be willing to listen carefully, in my mind, you won't be a great doctor

Polly Shine was a healer as opposed to the white doctor's approach to the slaves as something to fix much like a piece of machinery. She saw a person not a white man's tool. Her use of of herbal type's of medicine was probably as effective as most of the elixers and potions the doctor was using and were certainly administerd with a great deal more care and concern. Polly also knew that the mental state of her patients was important to curing their physical ills which medically trained doctors of today have fimally come to realize though the doctor in the book would never have given thought to any such thing as far as slaves.

It is clear that the Master recognized Polly Shine's knowledge and value when he paid the exorbitant price for a "slave". She came from a tradition of root and herb gatherers that was handed down from generation to generation through history. Modern medicine has its "roots" in Polly Shine's concoctions. I think that the so-called "modern" doctors had to poo-poo the herbal remedies (and midwives) in order to validate their own positions in the community.

Polly attempted to get at the underlying cause of the illness as opposed to just focusing on the symptoms. Her approach required an attention to the individual, and appreciation for the healing power of tending to a person's emotional and spiritual needs as well as the physical.

I think that the dr-patient connection is a critical one, and can make a big difference in a patient's recovery.

So much of the relationship between doctor and patient is about trust. If a patient doesn't trust his or her doctor, then he/she is unlikely to believe the diagnosis or follow the prescription. That kind of medicine won't work no matter how right it is. Polly Shine recognized this dynamic, and she respected her patients and treated them like the human beings they were.

Polly works from experience and wisdom. Medical doctors of the time were little more than blood-leters. Polly 'saw' the whole person and treated more than just their ailments. She knew foods that were necessary for good health as well as herbs for healing. She also worked on thier minds with subtlety and strength and respect, treating them as human beings - unlike the medical doctors available to the plantation.

As most have already explained in the above comments, Polly Shine was a healer extraordinaire for the times. She used the combination of natural herbal medicines and her ability to gain trust from those who were her "family". She knew what was inside the heads of her patients better than any doctor and used that to help them heal.

Polly Shine believed in treating the whole person - mentally and physically - instead of just treating the body. She was able to create a strong level of trust because of her abilities.