Dr Rita Charon finds a model physician in the pages of Henry James: someone who though on the sidelines of a person's life remains a loyal advocate.
This is part two of The Essay's five-part series, Narrative Medicine - a term coined to describe the capacity to recognize, absorb, metabolize, interpret, and be moved by stories of illness. Simply, it's medicine practised by someone who knows what to do with stories. Part of the BBC's NHS at 70 season.
Warning: this episode deals with serious medical issues and trauma.