--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Medicine, as we are practising it, is a…" description: "\"Medicine, as we are practising it, is a luxury trade. We are selling bread at the price of jewels... Let us take the profit, the private economic profi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/norman-bethune-71209_bread_medicine-as-we-are-practising-it-is-a-lu_1187895.jpg" --- # Medicine, as we are practising it, is a luxury trade. We… ![“Medicine, as we are practising it, is a luxury trade. We are selling bread at the price of jewels... Let us take the profit, the private economic profit, out of medicine, and purify our profession of rapacious individualism... Let us say to the people not 'How much have you got?' but 'How best can…” quote by Norman Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/norman-bethune-71209_bread_medicine-as-we-are-practising-it-is-a-lu_1187895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/norman-bethune-71209_bread_medicine-as-we-are-practising-it-is-a-lu_1187895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/norman-bethune-71209_bread_medicine-as-we-are-practising-it-is-a-lu_1187895.jpg) > “Medicine, as we are practising it, is a luxury trade. We are selling bread at the price of jewels... Let us take the profit, the private economic profit, out of medicine, and purify our profession of rapacious individualism... Let us say to the people not 'How much have you got?' but 'How best can we serve you?” [Norman Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-bethune/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Medicine should serve humanity, not profit; prioritize patient care over financial gain. **In simple terms:** Doctors should help people, not make money. Key Takeaway Focus on patient welfare above profit. Themes ethics healthcare social justice Mood compassionate critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - hospital policy - doctor‑patient interactions - healthcare funding Key Concepts altruism professionalism economic inequality Questions to Reflect On - How can doctors balance ethics with financial realities? - What reforms could reduce profit‑driven care? A Different Perspective Profit motives can conflict with care quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bread/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Jewels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewels/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Medicine Practising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine-practising-3512698/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Private Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-economic-3512699/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Profit Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit-medicine-3512697/) [Profit Private](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit-private-2909899/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) ## Related quotes > [In actual fact, it is the State, i.e., the taxpayer who has become responsible to private enterprise. 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It's really all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/i-love-vintage-cowboy-boots-and-some-days-i-m-into-platform-stilettos/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [The total number of Dirichlet's publications is not large: jewels are not weighed on a grocery scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/the-total-number-of-dirichlet-s-publications-is-not-large-jewels-are/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/your-eyes-are-like-two-jewels-in-the-sky/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/since-i-don-t-smoke-i-decided-to-grow-a-mustache-it-is-better-for-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [Historically, art has always had a market. When one medieval fiefdom defeated another they would drag back its jewels, gold, tapestries and art objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/historically-art-has-always-had-a-market-when-one-medieval-fiefdom/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [There are many kinds of open. . . Love is a word, another kind of open. . . Take my word for jewel in your open light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-are-many-kinds-of-open-love-is-a-word-another-kind-of-open-take/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## More by Norman Bethune > [The function of the artist is to disturb. 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