The recent remake of the television series “All Creatures Great and Small,” made by the BBC and broadcast on PBS, has rekindled in me an interest in the books of James Herriot, veterinary surgeon.
First, about the series: One of the most clean, uplifting, and positive series I have seen on PBS, “All Creatures Great and Small” features the veterinarian James Herriot, his wife, Helen (a farmer’s daughter), and his veterinary colleagues Siegfried Farnon and Tristan Farnon.
But what has struck me recently has been the following: In Herriot’s many accounts of vet-assisted animal recoveries, there are surprising lessons for us humans about self-care.
The recent TV series was preceded by a 1978 series, which was preceded by Herriot’s books. And his books, in turn, were written based on his accounts and records of his decades of veterinary practice. The vet’s real name was Alf Wight, and James Herriot was his pen name.
The books provide therapeutic humor and the company of colorful, mostly good-natured characters, but are, of course, mainly about treating animals. (Although that might sound dull, give the books, or series, a try, and see why they have been loved by so many.)
Given that the stories are set in the mid-1930s, much of what veterinarians have at their disposal today—such as antibiotics—are as yet out of reach. So Herriot and his colleagues used earlier forms of treatment on the animals, as well as a lot of creativity.
The Sheep in Pain
In one story, James Herriot visits a farm to attend to a cow, but while there, he notices a pitiable sheep trembling in the corner of a barn. The farmer informs him that she had had a rough time lambing the previous day and that this has left her a bit injured. James, after taking a look, thinks that the sheep is bound to die, given the shape she is in.James thinks that something should be done, as she is in so much pain, but the farmer says to just leave her alone and not bother. But before leaving for the day, James finds a way to surreptitiously inject the poor creature with a large dose of anesthetic to, at least, reduce her suffering for her presumed last few hours of life.
A couple of days later, James returns to the farm to find that the ewe has recovered! He is shocked by this positive turn of events but, as a self-reflective vet, thinks about what he can learn from this unusual occurrence.
The Incurable Little Dog and Ourselves
On another occasion, James is treating a little dog (note that the TV series adaptation of the following is slightly different from the book “All Things Bright and Beautiful”).The dog has terrible diarrhea, and James tries everything he possibly can to help. Over the course of weeks, he visits the dog regularly and administers various treatments but painfully observes that the dog continues to lose weight to the point that he expects it to die. He wracks his brain for anything he might not have thought of but simply can’t find a solution.
This saddens him not only for the dog’s sake, but also because the dog is owned by a lovely couple who would do anything to save it. Finally, things reach the point at which the couple says they can’t bear to see their little dog suffer any further and would like James to put it down.
James considers the request but then asks them whether they would permit him to try just one more thing. He says it’s a long shot and that it’s possible the dog won’t wake up from it. But they agree.
He uses the same approach he used on the sheep. Yes, he administers a large dose of anesthetic to the dog and prays that this will allow the little creature to heal on its own.
Incredibly, it works. After a long period of treatment that proves ineffective, simply allowing the dog to rest and removing the stress allows it to heal!
Ever since hearing these stories, I have been reflecting on how these lessons might apply to ourselves. How many of our health woes, which appear medical in nature, simply stem from a lack of rest and an excess of pain or stress?
Although we, of course, often hear or read about the need for rest and lower stress, somehow these little animal stories drove home the point for me more than any nagging would.
The little dog’s GI symptoms were simply incurable. A qualified professional, trying all he could, was wholly incapable of solving the problem. He couldn’t pinpoint any real issue in the end, and he couldn’t fix the animal.
(And although some readers in our day might think that the cure was about pain medication, that is not how the vet saw it, and nor is that what I’m advocating, to be sure! Rather, per the author of the stories, it was about a period of rest, and a period without stress—think extended spa treatment or a stint at a beach resort.)
The even more encouraging thing is that the little dog in the story regained all his energy and was a playful, happy pet for many, many years after that. He never had another diarrhea problem again.In the modern day, it’s all go, go, go. We run to different activities and events, struggle to keep up with our email, social media feeds, and other obligations. We develop GI problems, sleep problems, inflammation problems, and the list goes on.
I can’t help but wonder how many of us simply need to slow down, sleep more, quietly reflect more, pray or meditate more, spend time away from technology, and not try to keep up with the Joneses on every front—just keep up with ourselves and the needs of our bodies. And remember that human beings are precious, made in the image of God, and are to be cherished. Including ourselves.
Maybe we will find, if we can remember this, that nature will do the healing. We are divinely created, and our capacities are astounding.
