MAC GORDON: Drastic times call for drastic measures

The Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates said it first and said it best: “For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable.”

In other words, drastic times call for drastic measures. We’ve all heard that phrase.

Some people are perplexed over other people’s hoarding of toilet paper. You’ve seen the lines at the big markets and even the small dollar stores showing shopping buggies full of the white rolls of gold.

They’re doing it because drastic times call for drastic measures.

I’m pretty sure at least one toilet paper maker in my home state of Mississippi, Sofidel America Corp. of Hattiesburg, has its machines ramped up and working overtime to meet the incredible demand.

Why are many of the nation’s secondary schools delaying their academic year for at least two weeks? Because drastic times call for drastic measures. Their decision for a “virus holiday” came after great debate among school officials and state government leaders.

In Georgia, Gov. Bryan Kemp recommended all churches close doors and offer worship services online. Many denominations took the governor’s suggestion and did just that – and many did not. My church in Blakely met, but the pastor announced to heartfelt gasps that it would be two weeks before the next service and that all church-related activities were suspended until that time.

It is likely many ministers had to edit their planned sermons and spoke only of the realm of the coronavirus. The worldwide United Methodist Church was urged to postpone its most controversial General Conference ever, one that was to deal with same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy members.

Hospitals were taking no chances either. Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital of Albany, one of the largest health care facilities in the state, announced on Sunday that it would temporarily suspend visitation.

“We know family support is vital … but these are extraordinary times that call for extraordinary measures,” Phoebe CEO Scott Steiner told The Albany Herald, paraphrasing Hippocrates.

Numerous other of America’s institutions made the tough decision to either postpone or outright cancel plans for this year, notably myriad sports leagues.

No team in any sport took it on the chin worse than “my team,” the Ole Miss baseball team, which was off to a terrific start. The Rebels had compiled a 16-1 record when the Southeastern and other conferences decided to cancel the rest of the season.

There will not be a collegiate Final Four basketball tournament or a Masters golf tournament, perhaps the most profound decisions of all in the wide world of sports. The ESPN television network was reduced to showing contests from their archives to help quench the athletic thirst of fans.

The nation’s main Capitol building announced a no-visitors policy for the coming weeks. Many state capitols and museums followed suit, as did local civic and service clubs across the fruited plain.

Americans were taken aback at these momentous decisions. A large portion of the citizenry accepted the mandates from authorities, knowing or at least feeling like they were doing their part to rid the country of this scourge.

The U.S. Congress reached agreement on a huge emergency package to help soothe the financial hit surely to be taken by the work force. It includes free coronavirus testing and increased medical leave for the infected. Some politicians disagreed with the legislation, claiming it too costly.

All this points directly back to our friend Hippocrates, c. 460-370 BC, sometimes known by the sobriquet the “Father of Medicine” and whose “First do no harm” edict is still followed in the medical world.

Some states have already postponed primary elections. There is some talk of delaying this year’s national elections. I’m not sure Hippocrates considered that extreme measure.