To the editor: Privilege to know Dr. Peter White
MCO leader’s knowledge was more than matched by his humanity.
Mon, 02 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT
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Two recent pieces in The Blade stirred many thoughts for me. The first (“The beat goes on for stethoscopes,” Nov. 21) was about the possible obsolescence of the stethoscope as a diagnostic tool. I recalled a conversation several years ago with a physician at the University of Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio, who was teaching first-year medical students to use a stethoscope.
He thought it an essential skill and was uncharacteristically exasperated when one student, who could not hear a murmur, indicated that in her future practice she would likely order a test rather than rely on a stethoscope.
The second was the obituary of Dr. Peter White (“Physician was early leader and teacher at MCO,” Nov. 21), the physician noted above. I cannot imagine that he ever put on his white coat without having a stethoscope in his hand.
I am among the hundreds of people in northwest Ohio who are saddened by the death of Dr. White and feel privileged to have known him.
While many have been his patient, nursing staff, teacher, academic leader, or physician colleague, I knew him as my boss, and I regarded him as my mentor. He never regarded me as other than a colleague.
We worked together for years in the Area Health Education Center program at MCO, and spent countless hours driving around to Bryan, Sandusky, and Lima and to Columbus doing AHEC work. During those drives we strategized and planned our work, and talked about politics, hockey, and family.
He always had my back and gave me opportunities to build my career.
Dr. White’s knowledge and skill was more than matched by his humanity and his dry sense of humor.
More than he talked, Dr. White listened, with and without a stethoscope.
KATHY VASQUEZ
South Toledo
Save good UAW
I became a member of the United Auto Workers in 1978. I have seen the labor movement hit some hard times.
The UAW has improved the lives of tens of millions of people. The UAW has donated millions of dollars to help disaster victims and assisted by allowing members the time to donate millions of units of blood.
The UAW has raised the standard of living for all workers and helped pull people out of poverty.
The UAW is going through a dark time. Federal investigators are plucking the bad ones out.
I am sure there is a ways to go to complete the cleansing. However, let’s not throw away 80 years of good over a few years of greed and stupidity by some.
Our union will rebound from this storm and again be a force for the members to admire just as I have over the years.
We will rebuild.
MARK BUFORD
West Toledo
War crime shame
President Trump has once again shown that he lacks the moral compass to lead this country.
His decision to excuse the war crimes of three servicemen, two convicted, and one set to go to a court martial, is without a doubt the biggest abuse of his authority ever.
Mr. Trump’s action diminishes the standing of the United States among all law-abiding nations.
Each of these criminals was reported by servicemen with integrity and with guts. It is no small thing to report and testify against your brothers in arms.
Mr. Trump has obstructed military justice and forever put a cloud over it.
The explanation is politics. President Trump thinks embracing war criminals will appeal to his ultra-right supporters.
I have never been been more ashamed of an American president.
MIKE HARRINGTON
West Toledo