We went to the hospital; it was full. The doctor told me that two hundred had died the day before. I asked the cause of death; he shrugged and said, 'Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Murrow describes a hospital overwhelmed by death from tuberculosis, starvation, and fatigue, noting that some patients had lost the will to live.
- In plain terms
- Many people died in the hospital from disease and lack of resources, and some simply gave up.
- What can you take from it?
- Crises can strip away hope as well as life.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does extreme scarcity affect the human will to survive?
- What responsibilities do societies have to the most vulnerable?
Another view
The quote reflects a specific historical moment and may not generalize to all healthcare settings.
More from Edward R. Murrow
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