leagla rights of elderly parent and std testing

My 87 year old mother is in the hospital where they have just diagnosed her with syphlis. They did a spinal tap on her, after extensie blood work that had already shown the disease. My 88 year old father was bullied by the Dr into having ther test done on her and it was incredibly painfull. Now the same Dr is telling my father that he must have the same spinal test, not even having offered the usual blood test, and that if he refueses to have the spinal tap done that he will be arrested and sent to jail. My mother and father have been married for 67 years, my mother was in a nursing home when she began to have revurrent seizures and was taken to the emergency room. Does my fathr have the legal right to refuse the spinal tap? He is willing to undergo any blood work and wants to cooperate but I do not want him to have the spinal test. can the Dr make him have that test when other reliable methods and less painfull are available? Please let me know something soon as my dad is very confused and does not know what to do. he is in very poor health and I am afraid such a test will kill him. We live in Texas

[randalljd]

The doctor can only suggest, he cannot force it.