DOCTOR'S PRSCRIPTION

DOCTOR’S PRESCRIPTION

An experienced senior Doctor was taking a new resident Doctor in his rounds, to show him the tricks of the trade. They approached the first patient, a man. The older Doctor just looked at the patient then went to the toilet. After using the toilet the older Doctor returned to the firs patient and scribbled a prescription, instructing the patient to take a certain pill three times a day, and told the patient to stop smoking.

They proceeded to the second patient, another man. The older Doctor just looked at the patient for several seconds and scribbled a prescription, giving the same pill he gave to the first patient, with instruction to take the pill three times a day, and ordered the third patient to stop drinking alcoholic drinks.

They proceeded to the third patient, this time a woman. The older Doctor looked at the woman for several seconds, and was about to scribble a prescription when his pen slipped from his hand and fell on the floor. The Doctor bent to pick up his pen, and continued writing the same prescription he gave to the other two patients. He told the woman to take the pills three times a day, and instructed her to give up all her church work.

The younger Doctor was amazed, how, his senior Doctor was able to diagnose the patients, so fast, without administering tests, so he asked how he did it.

The older Doctor said, "There's really nothing to it. All you have to do is keep your eyes open, and observe."

The older Doctor explained: "The first patient was easy his fingers were stained with nicotine, and I saw the toilet's trash bin was full of cigarette butts. The second patient was also easy, his hands were shaking, symptoms of hard drinking, and I saw the toilet's garbage can filled with empty bottles of whiskey. I prescribed them with mild tranquilizers intended to have a psychological effect."

The young Doctor replied, "Yes Doc, I understand all that, but I am puzzled with the third patient. Why did you instruct her to give up all her church work?

"Well," the senior Doctor said, "the third patient was a little difficult but I had a bit of luck. You may have noticed that I dropped my pen. When I bent down to pick it up, I saw the Bishop under the bed."

-Geddes and Grosset