Hi!

Once I was walking in the street. There was a young tramp, who looked like he was dying. He had beer bottles, and his arm looked like it has been stung by drugs injections etc (I dont think he was jewish)

I was too scared to touch him, (to check pulse etc) I called the ambalance. I waited for the ambulance, and they came and they put a debrillor on him....and took him off the street onto the ambulance -i dont know if he is dead or alive. Most probably dead.

Did I kill a person because I was scared to take his pulse etc?

Will I be punished? What can I do to make amends?

Thanks alot!

B"H
Dear Mr. Anonymous,,
You did the right thing to call for an ambulance, and you have nothing to fear or worry about at not taking his pulse. If the young man was going to die, even if you had taken his pulse, it would not have changed a thing!
Sincerely,
David

According to the Universal Precautions, which states that each individual needs to decide for themself if the area around them is safe. Also, you need to decide for yourself if it is safe for you to handle the patient yourself. And since you decided that it wasn't safe, I also think that you did the right thing in calling the ambulance, since they are the professionals.

What about someone who needs CPR or mouth to mouth and one is scared to do it because the person is sick or might have some disease (outside of family members or friends that you know) and you don't want to put yourself in danger at the same time?

quote:

What about someone who needs CPR or mouth to mouth and one is scared to do it because the person is sick or might have some disease (outside of family members or friends that you know) and you don't want to put yourself in danger at the same time?

Chayeicha kodem - your life comes first.

quote:

Originally posted by Anonymous Member:
Hi!

I was too scared to touch him, (to check pulse etc) I called the ambalance. I waited for the ambulance, and they came and they put a debrillor on him....and took him off the street onto the ambulance -i dont know if he is dead or alive. Most probably dead.

Did I kill a person because I was scared to take his pulse etc?

And what would you have done had you found no pulse. Are you qualified in CPR? If not, then you may have hastened his death by your wrong actions rather than by any inaction.

Don't worry; you have nothing to atone for.

quote:

Originally posted by Gila:

quote:

What about someone who needs CPR or mouth to mouth and one is scared to do it because the person is sick or might have some disease (outside of family members or friends that you know) and you don't want to put yourself in danger at the same time?

Chayeicha kodem - your life comes first.

100% I was being rhetorical concerning the Anonymous question.

Most societies have some sort of "Good Samaritan" law that "exonerates" a mistake made in good faith while trying to save a life. However, if you ever attempt such a thing, make sure you are poor and you don't have malpractice insurance. Because, sure enough, the relatives of the "victim" will be convinced by some lawyer that you botched up. People have been sued and lost in US courts for trying to save a life, in good faith.

A person once broke someone's back trying to perform a Heimlich maneuvre on a choking person. The person survived but became wheelchair bound. So to echo Gila's words, you need to save yourself first....that means legally too. Even as a doctor, I don't have a moral obligation under such circumstances.

quote:

Once I was walking in the street. There was a young tramp, who looked like he was dying. He had beer bottles, and his arm looked like it has been stung by drugs injections etc (I dont think he was jewish)

Your question (and all the answers given which I agree with) stands only if this young tramp was Jewish. If he wasn't, you don't even a question to start with as it is said: "אל תעמוד על דם רעך" - this obligation does not apply to a non-Jew.

quote:

Originally posted by sheva:
this obligation does not apply to a non-Jew.

But a Kiddush Hashem vs. Chillul Hashem would apply.

Mr. Anonymous, since you don't know if the tramp was dead or alive, the question of whether or not you killed him by your calling the ambulance is moot. You did the right thing.