Forty-two years ago, when I had finally finished the seven revisions of my first novel, The House of God, my editor said, “Why don’t you add a glossary and a list of The Laws of the House of God.” Writing the Laws, I hardly needed to refer to the text; they just flowed out. The Laws became common parlance, not only tacked up in on-call rooms but even, recently, listed on a T-shirt for sale. Medicine has changed drastically, but the House Laws are still here.
The Laws of The House of God (1978)
I. Gomers don’t die.
II. Gomers go to the ground.