ABSTRACT
Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world. Archimedes
The ambition of political doctors must be, in some small way, to move the world. The impression I had when picking up Widgery's work for the first time was, 'Ah, he's cracked it. He discovered the medico-politico equiva lent to Archimedes and his lever.' Once you believe something exists, you have the confidence to look again. It became quickly apparent that there were many 'political' doctors. Admittedly this is a rather vague and broad term. Is it possible to define them? There will be many permutations as to what constitutes one. Can they, for example, be recognised by the news paper they read at lunch time? Or perhaps, less placidly, are they doctors speaking out in the community? Perhaps they simply hold strong ideals about what the world should be like. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some with overlapping features, others with stand alone attributes. And no, they certainly will not all agree.
