The Use of Force

-          William Carlos Williams (1883-1963)

 ‘The Use of Force’ presents conflict between a doctor and his patient, a sick child. The conflict gives us a chance to think upon a problem: whether use of force for benevolent purposes is justifiable or not.

      The doctor is called by the mother of the sick child, Mathilda. She has been suffering from diphtheria for three days. She has shown the symptoms like rapid breathing, high fever, throat pain, and flushed face.

      When the doctor reaches the house of his patient, he finds her waiting for him in the kitchen. She, along with her parents, seems very nervous. She stares at him with blank expression in her eyes. She is very attractive.

      The caring parents of the child don’t know about her actual problem. They have already tried other home medicines, but none of them did any good to the illness. The doctor is, on the other hand, well aware about a number of cases of diphtheria in the school where the child studies.

      At first, the doctor tries to persuade the child to open her mouth so that he can check her throat. But the obstinate child knocks his glasses down to the ground. The child is quite unwilling to allow the doctor to check her throat. Both the parents of the child want to treat her, but they are afraid of forcing her to show her throat. So, the doctor hates them.

      The doctor finally gets the wooden spatula into the child’s mouth, but she breaks it into many pieces with her teeth.  Then, the doctor takes a spoon and thrusts it into the child’s mouth. Though the child shrieks hysterically and uses all her might to avoid the doctor, she has to accept defeat at last. The doctor finally finds her both tonsils covered with membrane.

      On her defeat, the child is furious. So, she gets off her father’s lap and tries to attack the doctor for the last time.