(June 24, 1964)
China’s health care work was learned from the Soviet Union. I cannot completely listen to the health care doctors. I have a gentleman’s agreement with my doctor: I call on you when I have a fever, I do not seek you out when I have no fever, and you do not seek me out either. I said, if I do not seek him out for a year, that counts as a great merit for him; if I seek him out every month, that proves his work has not been done well. I only half listen to the doctor’s words, and want him to half listen to me. If you completely listen to the doctor’s words, illnesses will multiply and you will not be well. In the past we did not hear of so much high blood pressure or hepatitis; now there is a lot, probably found by the doctors. If a person does not move about, only eats well, dresses well, lives well, goes out riding in a car without walking, then he will fall ill more often. Receiving overly good care in clothing, food, housing, and transportation are the four causes of illness among high-ranking cadres. Our health care work learned from the Soviet Union, turning specialized doctors into unspecialized ones, not seeing a wide variety of illnesses, is not good and must be improved.