2000 BC – Here, eat this root.
1000 AD – That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 – That prayer is superstitious. Here, drink this potion.
1920 – That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1945 – That pill is ineffective. Here, take this penicillin.
1955 – Ooops. Bugs mutated. Here, take this tetracycline.
1960-1999 – 39 more “Ooops”. Here, take this more powerful drug.
2000 – The bugs have won. Here, eat this root.
Source: British Medical Journal (author unknown)
The Ethical Nag 
Love this! Thanks!
Well, this explains a lot in a nutshell.
I am printing this off to post at our Clinic – our patients will get a kick out of this.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love this. Wonderful and CONCISE history!
Thank you for this and for all the fine work you do on this wonderful and always intriguing site. I’m a new subscriber and look forward to each new essay.
You just never know what is going to come up next here!
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I just love this – simplistic but likely true.
Thanks for this “history”. Isn’t this the truth?