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November 8, 2006

Alternative medicine

by Feòrag

England: A family planning doctor faces disciplinary action after she advised a patient that she needed an exorcism. The aptly named Dr. Joyce Pratt told her patient that she was under a black magic spell and had something awful inside her stomach.

She then allegedly offered to use her special powers to help the woman and told her to visit a priest at Westminster Cathedral, believing the patient was possessed by an evil spirit.

The three-day GMC fitness to practise hearing in Manchester will also investigate accusations that the GP told the patient her mother was a witch, and that the patient's husband and mother were trying to kill her.

Doctor who prescribed exorcism faces disciplinary action—The Guardian, 8th November 2006.

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Posted in Superstition and Other Silliness at 15:39. Last modified on November 08 2006 at 15:47.
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Comments

1: Posted by: Red Wolf | November 9, 2006 6:24 AM

She faked her credentials, slept through class or has been sampling the pharmaceutical company freebies?

2: Posted by: Feòrag | November 9, 2006 8:27 AM

There are developments today. Pratt did not turn up for the hearing yesterday:

Heather Norton, for the GMC, said: "It was made clear to Dr Pratt by Mrs K that she had concerns about the size of her stomach and about bleeding and pain she had previously experienced." Dr Pratt's response was to tell her to take holy water and see some priests.

Dr Pratt allegedly gave the patient crosses and stones that she said would protect her from black magic. "She told her her mother was a witch and that she and her husband were planning to kill her," Ms Norton said. Mrs K was left very shaken and intimidated, she said.

Dr Pratt then spoke to a clinic nurse who was present at the consultation. "She spoke to her about the fact that she was a visionary and that her special powers were recognised from an early age.

She claims she's not at the hearing because she never got the letters, but you'd think such a visionary wouldn't need them!

Doctor prescribed crosses to beat black magic, tribunal told—The Guardian, 9th November 2006.

Wax lyrical

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