Great Construction

Medical Science Fragments Twenty-two “Untitled”

     Nowadays when there is talk about “narcotics,” everyone thinks of quite a very frightening substance, but I state that in fact everything which bears the name “medicine” is a narcotic. We all know that in the beginning stages, use of narcotics makes for a lucid head and a pleasant feeling but gradually becomes a habit, which is what addiction is. Actually, though, all medicines work the same way, and the only point that differs about narcotics is that they are felt instantly while “medicines” do not act so as quickly. That is, that medicines are meant to last longer is the only difference between the two. Whether medicines for a cold, tuberculosis, stomach ailments, or heart diseases, the principle is the same. In that sense, it could be said that as almost everyone today is somehow even slightly addicted to something, all fall ill easily.
     One noteworthy remark that I frequently hear these days is that such-and-such medicine used to be quite effective, but that nowadays the medicine does not work which causes all sorts of problems. Such phenomena come about because the number of individuals addicted to medicines is increasing and that the persons who make such statements do not perceive this tragedy. Otherwise, as human beings should have physical bodies that differ in no way from those of previous times, that there should be such an occurrence well demonstrates a blind spot of medical science.

Eikô, Issue 174, September 17, 1952
 translated by cynndd