If
a prescription gave you diarrhea or made you vomit, you might complain. But
until well into the twentieth century, the average American looked on a good
“purge” as a way to expel disease. Physicians took pride in their cathartics,
and when patients discussed a doctor’s skill, they gave high marks for the
violence of his purges.
Nowadays
Americans frown upon purging, but we seem to expect a medicine. It should be
one only a doctor can prescribe; over-the-counter drugs don’t count. Pills are
good, but an injection is better. Of course, modern drugs often work, but this
is a minor matter compared to the deep human desire that a doctor do something.
I apologize if this sounds mildly insulting; I suspect
most of you will deny expecting a drug. You want whatever will help. If nothing
will help, you want to know.
Such sensible patients do appear, but no day passes when
I don’t see disappointment in a patient’s eyes when he or she realizes I don’t
plan to “give them something.”
Doctors genuinely want to
help you, and we feel bad when we can’t. We also feel bad when we do our best,
and it’s obvious a patient doesn’t feel “helped.” So many of us add a
prescription to convince you that we’re doing what a proper doctor should do.
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