Strength of our sameness will pull us through

I've closed his cuts, listened to his story, given him medicine, tried to help his depression, examined the road rash from his wrecks, opened his chest, felt his blood, pronounced him dead, remembered him and written about him. Sometimes he was a scoundrel; mostly he was a good guy having a tough time.

I know that man because I know so many men and women. And there are some reasonable generalities, since every human being shares features. Medical school is largely about identifying those commonalities, so that the unique differences of disease and injury can be recognized. We share the same sorts of hearts, pumping similar sorts of blood to assorted analogous organs, all requiring oxygen, carbohydrates and protein.

Our arms and legs are usually arranged in a manner similar to one another and our heads perch solidly on top of our torsos as they should.

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