the Lion, the Old Man and the MAGIC BULLET

A 75 year partially deaf old man with COPD (a respiratory disease) kept on insisting  that I prescribe the particular dissoluble powder that when drunk (mixed with water) used to relieve his breathing problems. I scanned his documents...found nothing fruitful. To be frank I was ignorant of such a powder! So at last I asked him to bring the magic powder.


After an hour he reaches my room. He gave me a wrapped up sachet.
I haven't unwrapped Snickers with such haste...

The magic drug was nothing else but O.R.S.

It took five minutes explaining to him what O.R.S was. Felt bad, most of his older prescription had orders for O.R.S. The patient denied of suffering diarrhoea (yeah yeah Everybody Lies!).

He left. Sigh! I had shattered his belief, the placebo wouldn't work any more. The disappointment that shadowed his face when he learnt that the magic drug was only meant for dehydration...was...frankly (yeah yeah slap me)...funny!

(Now before I'm branded 'SADIST', I leave...)

update: Officially a Doctor (I prefer the Half Doc.status) at last. Currently doing the 'compelled' rural service at Primary Health Center at PERUMON, Kollam, Kerala.