A Short History of Medicine

I have an earache...

2000 BC - Here, eat this root.
1000 AD - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 AD - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 AD - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1985 AD - That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2000 AD - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.

(Reprinted from Input/Output, newsletter of the Arizona Commodore Users Group, 9/97 via The
Commodore Information Center web site (http://home.att.net/~rmestel/commodore.html)
)