sexta-feira, março 18

O Poder da Aspirina


1. - Agora que insistentemente se tem falado do perigo da venda das Aspirinas nos Super e nos postos de gasolina, aqui temos uma história sobre o poder do ácido acetilsalicilico na cura de inoportunas e graves maleitas.
2. - Trouble at sea
I once worked as a locum for the regular ship's doctor of a large transatlantic passenger liner. Two days out from port a tall good looking 67 year old man came to the surgery. The diagnosis soon became apparent from his unhappy history of the previous 48 hours. He and his 28 year old wife were on their honeymoon, having got married just three days earlier. The daunting spectre of his impotence had become a depressing reality, and the survival of the marriage was already in the balance. "Maybe you can help me, doc," was his cri de coeur.
Treating impotence in a man in his 60s had a poor prognosis before the advent of sildenafil, yet something had to be done quickly. But what? I advised the patient to return to his cabin and that some powerful male sex hormone tablets would shortly be delivered to him. These would have a dramatic effect, I said, and would cure his problem within 24 hours.
Unfortunately, an intensive search in the ship's dispensary failed to elicit anything remotely suitable for improving his condition. On the point of giving up, I noticed a small dust covered bottle at the back of a drawer which had a few bright purple tablets in it. Looking at the label on it more out of curiosity than expectation, I read, "Tab Aspirin." I put all seven tablets in an envelope with directions to take one at bedtime and one early morning with a warning on no account to exceed the prescribed dose. They were delivered to his cabin forthwith.
During the next two days of the voyage neither he nor his wife was anywhere to be seen in the public rooms of the ship, and a "Do not disturb" notice was constantly on their cabin door. The awful thought that he might have jumped overboard occurred to me, so I was relieved when, shortly before we arrived at our destination, he came to the surgery again.
He was a changed man, confident and exuberant. "Fantastic tablets, doc—worked like a miracle. Will you give me a prescription for some more in case I need them when I get home again?" It was with considerable diffidence that I gave him a prescription for "Tab acetyl salicylic acid (purple)," hoping that no one would reveal the proprietary name before both of us had left the ship.
BMJ 2005;330:670 (19 March)
Nota: O Viagra não será mais do que uma nova apresentação do ácido acetilsalicílico!