People's attitude toward drugs varies from person to
/ \! p! G; i% j8 ^# H/ P: q person. Some regard it as miraculous; others think of __1__ m: C w8 V6 r
them as dangerous. Then what is the sensible attitude$ s4 h* M5 {5 u; i
toward drugs? I think the first thing to think is the __2__
( r$ @5 B! B/ u, [0 j1 i1 I6 _ difference between drugs and wonder drugs. The' I; h7 d" }: H4 {) X
antibiotics can really treat certain bacterial diseases. __3__( Z0 _3 @( `& }8 O1 [; Z( j- j
On the other hand, the major diseases threatening0 l. r1 A T7 o
Americans today are cancer, stroke, high blood+ P8 u* A3 m7 l1 _0 C( K
pressure, coronary disease, etc. Against them, the# m- p4 ]. s$ [4 F7 f* H
doctor's bag of tricks is limited. He has wonder __4__
5 I( x8 O9 ]8 U) `5 j drugs. So the first important lesson is not to expect3 \3 D: Y8 n" L
too many from drugs. If you can accept the fact __5__
. X, R) C" g) O& f6 C that the war against many of our most devastating0 i/ R) T( X; U" r
diseases is, at best, a holding operation more than __6__: k+ o3 U/ r$ M
an inevitable triumph, they will do a great deal to __7__
$ ^, o+ `. G+ _* J& } ease your own life as well as that of your doctor.* j% W( J, `/ x5 O! X) s
Too many patients exert great pressure on doctors, ^% w6 W4 {: L' J9 W0 {2 m
to describe for every symptom, even when such __8__5 A' _6 t, f$ x1 G/ K% K% L
treatment is unwarranted or dangerous.
1 {; @' S( u. r! l; i Unfortunately, the medical profession is guilty of- n; Q& ~5 V5 z6 U6 l% T" [
taking part, to a certain extent, in the wrongful
1 Q/ W, i" S# o9 j# s, w action. The patient who demands a short of penicillin
2 ?4 w4 f. o2 F" c& q" h% \ for every sniffle and sneeze may be given an injection __9__+ o6 t3 D3 K$ _+ b y7 Q
by a reluctant physician because he is certain that
7 `7 R6 m4 v8 J if he does not , the patient will not search until he find __10__3 n9 Q/ x: W# Z) U0 o6 u& l7 V [
a doctor who will. |