TY  - JOUR
T1  - REason, hope, and brain injury
AU  - Riggs JE
Y1  - 1997/02/01
N1  - 10.1001/archneur.1997.00550140007002
JO  - Archives of Neurology
SP  - 119
EP  - 119
VL  - 54
IS  - 2
N2  - The chances for a meaningful recovery are nil." How often do we, as neurologists, find ourselves uttering this or a similar phrase to family members of a patient who has sustained a serious brain injury? Our training, our experience, our reason allows us to say little else. However, how often do we consider the hope-crushing impact of our statements?"Hope springs eternal." The power of hope is reflected in our cultural sayings. Some physicians have long recognized the importance of not extinguishing the last glimmer of hope. Charles Darwin,1 in his autobiography, relates an insightful incident concerning his country physician father, Robert Darwin. Dr Darwin and another physician were consulted on the same case. The other physician correctly predicted the fatal outcome of the patient's illness. Dr Darwin assumed that he would never again be consulted by the patient's family. Much to his amazement, however, it was the other
SN  - 0003-9942
M3  - doi: 10.1001/archneur.1997.00550140007002
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1997.00550140007002
ER  -