The Emperor's New Treatments

Treatments are sometimes less about the chemical and its effect and more about the manner in which it is given.

I’ve run into issues with oxygen. Patients come in saying they’re having a lot of coughing, some chest tightness, especially at night. The dust in the camp is extremely fine seems to seep into your pores. Not coincidentally, asthma is very common. So inhalers are prescribed frequently (when the pharmacy has them – they didn’t today). But one patient got angry because we didn't provide her with oxygen when she wasn’t short of breath (and had an o2 sat of 99%) or complaining of any current asthma symptoms. She didn’t buy or didn’t understand my explanation that oxygen will only help while she is breathing it, but its effect wears off immediately. She looked at us with incredulity, then stormed out.

A colleague saw a patient complaining about the care he got at the Moroccan Hospital. There he received only diclofenac pills (an NSAID like aspirin). “Stupid doctor,” he said, “I need an injection for my pain.” So my colleague gave him an injection of diclofenac. “Alhumdillah!” he yelled – Thanks be to God! – then praised the King of Saudi Arabia.