Crusher Out of Control in "The Enemy"

[Clark Terrell]

True, but if a patient refuses treatment....

Precisely. Physicians are obligated to honor their patients' wishes above all else. What I see Crusher doing is spending all of her time twisting Worf's arm when she should also have been trying to understand the Romulan's point-of-view. It's convenient that she leaves Worf alone with him when he says he'd rather die than accept Worf's help. Was she doing that to be respectful of their privacy, or was she deliberately avoiding overhearing something that would fly in the face of her view of the situation?

I repeat: if the Romulan had asked for Worf's help, I'd probably share Crusher's feelings and be angry at Worf for letting a personal vendetta get in the way of his doing the right thing. But the Romulan spat in Worf's face and made his own feelings clear. How or why Crusher didn't take that into account is beyond me.

 

[doubleohfive]

I don't deny that that's a pretty gaping oversight on the part of the writers. However, the intent of the storyline is clear (as referenced in my post above) so, while I agree as humans we would want to help. But what's the problem here?

If the problem is that Crusher was forcing the issue regardless of Patahk's wishes, then yes, that's an oversight by the writers.

If the problem is that Worf let the Romulan die, well then so what? That was the whole point of the arc in the episode.

 

[Trekker4747]

The problem seems to be more than she was pushing the issue regardless of *Worf's* wishes. Once he said he wasn't going to be a donor that should have ended it but she continued to harass him on the issue and even tried to guilt him into it by having him talk to the Romulan directly.

That's out of line.

Though, I would say that once the Romlulan said he would "rather die than have Klingon filth in his body", Worf should have spited him and been a donor. I mean it seems that providing what the guy needs to live would be a bigger insult than death at that point.

But, then, the guy likely would have refused treatment and died anyway.

 

[T'Girl]

True, but if a patient refuses treatment....

took a life saving course years ago. part of it was the legal aspects of helping someone. if it is a child and they refuse treatment you go ahead and treat them. if it is an adult and they refuse you basically just stop.

however if it is a member of the military and you know it. you treat them even if they refuse. because legally you are in the clear if you help them.

they can not say no.

the romulan was military.

 

[HaplessCrewman]

As a Starfleet officer, Worf is expected to accept and, more importantly, help others regardless of his personal views. His bigotry is what should be questioned, granted he has a personal grievance about the Romulans (their attack on Khitomer that killed most of his family), but if that was the case either he should have requested another officer take his place or Picard should've insisted on it.

If this is true, Picard could have ordered Worf to do it and he would have complied - but Picard made it a point that he did not want to make it an order.

It's telling that despite Galorndon Core being a politically explosive situation, Picard still decided not to order Worf to comply despite Crusher haranguing him.

 

[Trekker4747]

The Romulan may have been military but he wasn't Starfleet meaning Crusher's orders had nothing over him. Further we're shown and told, in this very episode infact, that Starfleet isn't one to force medical procedures on people. It's naturally hard to really know or say what protocol is in Starfleet in a situation like this and it's even unlikely that Starfleet has protocol for this type of situation. But here we have a patient who'll likely refuse treatment and we have a donor refusing to donate.

Seems like Crusher's choices have been made for her.

It's telling that despite Galorndon Core being a politically explosive situation, Picard still decided not to order Worf to comply despite Crusher haranguing him.

I kind-of find it odd that in this episode a "special circumstance" couldn't be made to allow the Romulan ship to come to the planet. I mean apply restrictions like them not being allowed to cloak, take a direct path, all of that and then they'll be escorted back to TNZ. But it seems like this is a case where both sides could have worked together to find an equal solution.

But, then again, that was the point of the episode. While Picard was fighting with Tomalok (SP?) in space over procedures and how to do things, Geordi and the Romulan planetside after some initial struggles learned to work together and save themselves. Especially given that the planet's effects had disabled Geordi's VISOR and was messing with the Romulan's nervous system. It's that kind of thing that made me really like this episode.

But Picard in this episode almost seems uncharacteristically irrational given the situation everyone was in. You'd think, being a diplomat, he'd see that it'd be better to allow the Romulans restricted, controlled, access tot he planet to save their citizen, rather than letting the guy die under his care because he wouldn't let him get the help he needed.

The first option is an unfavorable one but it's one that could have prevented a mess. The second option could have led to war or at the very least increased tensions between the Romulans and The Federation.

And while it's "the point of the episode" for Worf to be the perspective donor I find it hard to believe there's no Vulcans on the ship who would have been a potential, and closer, match for the transfusion the Romulan needed given that Romulans and Vulcans have a vastly closer genetic relationship than the one between Romulans and Klingons.

 

[HaplessCrewman]

^^Agree. If I were Worf, I would have reported the CMO's inappropriate behavior to Captain Picard. lol

 

[Vandervecken]

True, but if a patient refuses treatment....

took a life saving course years ago. part of it was the legal aspects of helping someone. if it is a child and they refuse treatment you go ahead and treat them. if it is an adult and they refuse you basically just stop.

however if it is a member of the military and you know it. you treat them even if they refuse. because legally you are in the clear if you help them.

they can not say no.

the romulan was military.

I think that applies to someone in your own service, which the Romulan wasn't. To Crusher, he's no different from a civilian. A captured Cardassian Gul would also be no different from a civilian, etc.

Anyway, trying to persuade someone isn't a violation of any medical ethics I've ever heard of. You can talk your head off if you're a doctor, you just can't do without permission.

Klingons and Romulans are bitter enemies in a way that not too many humans really comprehend, although O'Brien and Captain Maxwell could probably understand, and I'm sure others who fought in the war with the Cardassians could as well. I don't see this episode as pointing up Worf's alienness especially, just that sometimes hatred is stronger than any other emotion. Not an especially deep point.

Ask Picard not too many episodes later, after he was Locutus, and he might have expressed a different opinion of Worf's decision. He spared Hugh, but went pretty berserk in First Contact.

 

[Shon T'Hara]

Indeed. Worf has supposedly sworn an oath to serve in Starfleet, and that requires him to do as told.

Even in the military there are limits, and ordering someone to go against their cultural beliefs pretty clearly crosses the line in Star Trek. It's the same as Riker getting on Ro's case about her earring.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Well, in that case, Ro was clearly insubordinate as a matter of habit (indeed, in the past, that had cost lives), and Riker naturally assumed that she needed to be reminded of her place, as it were. If it had been anyone other than Ro, Riker wouldn't have said a word about the earring. Who knows, if Ro hadn't smarted off to Riker from the get-go and had spoken to him in the proper tone, Riker may have gone easy on her.

And besides, Ro herself clearly didn't particularly care about Bajoran traditions, so why should Riker have?

As for Worf: I'm also glad they went the route they did. I don't think any of us, the viewers, wanted the Romulan to die, but as has been pointed out - Worf's morals ARE NOT OURS. They took a chance by doing that. (I did find it amusing that the Romulan's name, Patahk, is also a Klingon curse word. )

 

[Clark Terrell]

As for Worf: I'm also glad they went the route they did. I don't think any of us, the viewers, wanted the Romulan to die, but as has been pointed out - Worf's morals ARE NOT OURS. They took a chance by doing that.

Precisely correct! Picard and Crusher wanted Worf to behave as a human would under the same circumstances, but they failed to realize that his Klingon heritage would have meant exposure to a different value system and culture and therefore different behavior than his Earth counterparts.

This issue comes up again when Worf suffers a spinal cord injury in "Ethics." Crusher again lambasts Worf, this time for wanting to die, and doesn't take into consideration that Klingons don't view severe disability in the way that humans do. For his part, Riker tries to understand Worf's point of view but can't bring himself to end another person's life. I felt sorry for him because of the dilemma he was facing but admire him for what he tried to do for his friend. Worf was fortunate to have someone with Riker's character on his side.

 

[Mojochi]

however if it is a member of the military and you know it. you treat them even if they refuse. because legally you are in the clear if you help them.

they can not say no.

the romulan was military.

This.^ Crusher as a doctor, Picard as a commander & to an extent, Worf as an officer have an obligation forego personal concerns & disregard the one Romulan's choice to refuse treatment, as his choice is superseded by that of his military organization, who clearly wanted him returned alive. Subcommander bigotface has no say

The discussion of Worf being ordered to do it came up, which leads me to believe it is a legal option for them. However, I suspect that Picard knew Worf expected it to come to that, (Worf said as much) which is why he wouldn't order it, a very risky choice on Picard's part, considering how he must have believed Worf would come around, and was sorely disappointed when he didn't

Ultimately, Picard chose to risk military conflict by not ordering Worf to do it, & I have to believe it was because he was sending a message to Worf about the liberty they have in Starfleet & also the responsibility he has in his duties. Picard's decision became moot by the death of the Romulan, only seconds after he made it, but not Worf's

But back to the OP & Crusher being out of control... not this time, but that's not to say she hasn't been at other times, namely, I Borg & The Higher Ground. When the captain orders you away, you obey. The only time the doc has leverage over the captain is when he himself is medically compromised, period. So though I'd like very much to side with the OP, you picked to wrong episode to make the point

 

[Timo]

To change the situation if this had been around the time of World War 2 and trade the Starship Enterprise for the Carrier Enterprise who had rescued a badly injured German do you think it would be appropriate for a Jewish officer/crewman to be pressured into 'doing the right thing' if he felt so strongly against it?

Well, obviously. And if he refused, his CO would do well to order him shot, in the head, so that his kidneys would still be usable. Assuming, of course, that the dying German will take the secrets of the newly activated Nazi nuclear arsenal with him, and a new kidney is the only thing that will preserve him for further interrogation.

Somehow, people seem to think that when the military sits in an office with time to spare, the wars it fights become cuddly and subject to wishwash. If this were a battlefield situation, with shrapnel flying, people wouldn't object so much. But it does not matter that Crusher's operating room was shrapnel-free: the Federation is still fighting an interstellar cold war here, and more than just two puny lives are at stake.

Hurting Worf's feelings is a non-issue: he's a Klingon. When he acts stubborn, he expects to be hit in the head with the sharp end of the bat'leth, gaining a new honorable scar in the process. Crusher is hurting his feelings by being polite; Picard is practically defecating on him by pleading. But never mind the racist attitudes of the humans towards this officer. It's their dereliction of duty we should worry about, when they fail to act in protection of the Federation in face of enough Romulan firepower to level a planet.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I actually find it likely that if Patahk had actually received the treatment, clearly against his own wishes, he would have committed suicide at the earliest opportunity. He wouldn't be able to live with the dishonor and shame of it. And the results would have been the same as what we actually saw - possibly even worse, as Tomalak may have considered it an extreme violation of Patahk's rights, to force treatment on him that he didn't want.

And Worf would have come as close to gloating about it to the Captain ("See? Those Romulan pigs are clearly without honor.") as is possible for him.

 

[Armored Saint]

Speaking strictly as a fan, I think the OP's perspective is ridiculous. If I were in a situation similar to the Romulan, I would want that level of advocacy from my doctor. If I were the Romulan, I also hope I would accept any source of salvation without the bias.

That mean you would be a dissident as Romulan. As we seen in this episode, the dominant mentality on Romulus includes eliminating blind babies and disdain of "weak" races.

 

[Mojochi]

I actually find it likely that if Patahk had actually received the treatment, clearly against his own wishes, he would have committed suicide at the earliest opportunity. He wouldn't be able to live with the dishonor and shame of it.

That's why when he refuses, it would be explained to him that his commander has asked for his safe return, & this procedure is the only way for that to happen, & then you place the uncooperative bastard under security watch

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I actually find it likely that if Patahk had actually received the treatment, clearly against his own wishes, he would have committed suicide at the earliest opportunity. He wouldn't be able to live with the dishonor and shame of it.

That's why when he refuses, it would be explained to him that his commander has asked for his safe return, & this procedure is the only way for that to happen

Worf clearly didn't care about Picard's wish to treat Patahk, so I don't think Patahk would have cared about Tomalak's wish that he be brought back alive. Assuming he even knew about it - for all we know, Patahk assumed that his commander had already written him off as a war casualty.

And if Patahk had been treated and then killed himself, Tomalak would have accepted that as an honorable suicide.

 

[Mojochi]

I actually find it likely that if Patahk had actually received the treatment, clearly against his own wishes, he would have committed suicide at the earliest opportunity. He wouldn't be able to live with the dishonor and shame of it.

That's why when he refuses, it would be explained to him that his commander has asked for his safe return, & this procedure is the only way for that to happen

Worf clearly didn't care about Picard's wish to treat Patahk, so I don't think Patahk would have cared about Tomalak's wish that he be brought back alive. Assuming he even knew about it - for all we know, Patahk assumed that his commander had already written him off as a war casualty.

And if Patahk had been treated and then killed himself, Tomalak would have accepted that as an honorable suicide.

I wouldn't say that. You might be thinking of how Klingons view honor. A living officer returned is more valuable than a dead officer & some explanation of the events surrounding his death could ever be, regardless of the circumstances.

Diplomatically, you are in a better position saying "Your officer was dying & we saved him despite his lack of cooperation" vs "Your officer was dying & refused our treatment, so we let him die" The second one just sounds like a BS story to cover your butt. The same goes for "We treated him & he killed himself"

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Crusher was, at worst, a little pushy. How do you jump that up to being something heinous and awful? Crusher has trouble disconnecting her personal feelings from her professional feelings, and for a doctor that should be considered a vice. However, she didn't come anywhere close to crossing the line. If Geordi hadn't made it back to the ship Worf's refusal to give a transfusion would have started a war. Her reaction was restrained. Respecting somebody's beliefs doesn't mean you don't call them out when somebody does something irrational and outright destructive based on those beliefs.

 

[Cyke101]

Regardless of one's feelings about Worf, Crusher, Picard or the Romulan, I'm just really surprised that Crusher waited for the captain to call her before telling him that the very-important-Romulan-that-everyone's-talking-about had died.