Cleaning Quote by Denis Parsons Burkitt
“Western doctors are like poor plumbers. They treat a splashing tub by cleaning up the water. These plumbers are extremely apt at drying up the water, constantly inventing new, expensive, and refined methods of drying up water. Somebody should teach them how to close the tap.”
About This Quote
Critiques medical over‑intervention, suggesting doctors focus on treating symptoms rather than preventing underlying causes.
In simple terms: Doctors fix symptoms, not causes.
Key Takeaway
Preventive care is neglected.
Themes
medical overuse
preventive health
systemic inefficiency
patient empowerment
cost escalation
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
aphorism
social commentary
When to use this quote
- chronic disease management
- routine check‑ups
- health screenings
- patient education
Key Concepts
symptom management
preventive medicine
healthcare economics
Practical Applications
- Designing preventive health programs
- Educating clinicians on root‑cause analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How could clinicians balance symptom relief with preventive strategies?
- What systemic changes would reduce the reliance on costly interventions?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that symptom‑focused care is necessary when preventive measures are impractical or unavailable.
![“I don't know that Brandy [Burre] would ever categorize herself as being trapped, but I felt like I saw her being trapped. When she's cleaning the room and she puts the labels on the toys, that was something that my wife, who's also friends with Brandy, was very adamant that we try to capture. My…” quote by Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/222/robert-greene-498_adamant_i-don-t-know-that-brandy-burre-would-eve_70659.jpg)
![“Any small business owner wears many hats. We [New View Window Cleaning] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you aren't organized and willing to do all these things (at least in the beginning) you are better off working for someone.” quote by Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afd/tony-evans-1635_better-off_any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats_78297.jpg)
