An anonymous essay has provided appalling details of what happened to two women when they were asleep in operating rooms. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine this week, it revealed that one doctor said while making a woman ready for a vaginal hysterectomy, “I bet she's enjoying this”.

An obstetrician, on the other hand, performed an obscene dance after saving the life of a woman who was bleeding out after having a baby. The article published in the journal, which was established in 1927 by the American College of Physicians, is unusual one, given it is meant to publish technical articles about disease management and medical research.

The editorial team was confused over whether to publish the details of a letter accompanying the essay. They said that everyone was of the belief that the piece was "disgusting and scandalous" and was the perfect recipe for tarnishing the reputation of the profession. But some said the implications of publishing the letter is a good enough reason to not publish it, while the other said the same requires publishing it.

Editor-in-chief Christine Laine and her deputies wrote in a letter accompanying the essay that opinions varied such an extent that they needed a time-out.

They ultimately decided to go ahead with publishing it and expose the dark world of medicine. “It is our hope that the essay will gnaw on the consciences of readers who may recall any instance of their own repugnant behavior. The story is an opportunity to see what this behavior looks like to others and starkly shows that it is anything but funny”, they wrote.