Rant 251 7/9/12 Subject: Pills and Potions

Rant number 251

Since the first caveman got clonked on the head by an angry mammoth, we've looked for ways to make our pain go away. In those days, people used 'magic' berries, roots and barks to stop the pain.

hundreds of years following this, medicine was the province of shamans, witches and wizards, healers men & the like - all people who came up with ways of relieving pain and 'curing' illness.

Over the years, this evolved -as did our understanding. We removed the magic and replaced it with science.

Now, one thing has been in common since money existed and since people needed healing. Prophet.

Why do anything for free, when you can sell it?

Which is where modern medicine often falls.

If you want to get well these days, you don't need to go and find a healer. You can go to any shop or pharmacist and buy a pill or powder or cream to improve your symptoms.

Which is really great in some ways.

The thing is though, that where money is involved, competition follows, which is the only reason I can think for all these new expensive variants.

Asprin is made from the bark of the willow tree. You can intact, relieve your symptoms by chewing upon this (although I'd probably just buy some aspirin) and works as a basic pain reliever. Then there is paracetamol, ibuprofen and various opiates such as codeine.

These need to be sold in a specific quantity and using specific concentrations, so there isn't much of a way to compete with someone else with these as standard.

But that doesn't stop brands trying. Paracetamol can cost you 45p for 16 tablets in the supermarket, or about £3.50 for a name brand. As for the difference? The tablets are printed with the brands logo.

Then there are 'liquid capsules' for 'faster action' and all that rubbish. It just strikes me as a good way to buy an expensive version for no reason!

Always read the label and find out what wool they are trying to pull over your eyes.

Rant over.

Rant 29 - 29/1/12 Subject: Man-Flu

Rant number 29


This week, my poor wife has got a really bad cold. She nearly lost her voice in-fact.

Being of a chivalrous bent, I - like any good husband, stood up to the plate, put her to bed, brought her hot chocolate and did my best to make her better.

Was I ever punished for it though!

I've got bloody man flu!

Man flu is a pain in the ass, simple as.

So what is man-flu? I hear you ladies cry

Well - its a bit like the common cold, but 100 times worse (but only for those with a Y chromosome)

Anyway


I should probably be a little bit more specific, so I will talk about the common cold.

Getting a cold is a pain in the ass and can turn even the most masculine gentleman (or lady) into a dribbling, seeping snotty mess.

We are a species that have been evolving for - well either millions or years or a bit less, depending on your theological bent. In this time, you would have thought that we would have managed to come up with a way to be more resistant and resilient to a couple of micro-organisms

We aren't any good however, we are rubbish.

We have doctors and scientists who can resolve many issues and illnesses. For colds however - all we can manage is something to slightly relieve the symptoms (but only just) in lozenge or sweet form.

The worse thing of all however, is that - to prevent us getting really poorly from something like a cold, your body goes to some pretty extreme measures.

Ever had a really soar throat with a cold? Yeah me too.

This is your body - killing off the cells in your throat to prevent infection!

Ever sneeze uncontrollably for what seems like hours!? - this is your body ejecting unwanted organisms.

Ever drown in head goo? This is your body trying to stop the bad stuff from getting around your body.

Its all very necessary, but pretty bloody awful.

I currently feel like my eyes are too big for their sockets, snotty and achy. Its pretty bloody horrid.

As such - I am contemplating a way of hermetically sealing myself from the rest of the germy bloody world (quite possibly a plastic bubble.)

Urgh!

Rant over.