Cato the Elder is said to have concluded every speech he made in the Roman Senate, regardless of the topic, with “Delenda est Carthago”—Carthage must be destroyed. In answering the […]
Columnists
William Cayley: Systems wisdom
In a recent BMJ blog Steve Ruffenach made some excellent points on the importance of balancing “accept” and “except” in approaching “Tech” in medicine. However, as we continue to feel the pressure […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Lecturing
A lecture of the type that I am used to giving is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as “a discourse given before an audience upon a given subject, usually […]
Neville Goodman’s Metaphor Watch: From cast iron to concrete
In the last blog, I looked at cast iron as a metaphor for strong. You could say that concrete was analogous as a metaphor for real: we want concrete evidence, […]
Richard Smith: Mental health—has the tide finally turned?
When I spoke to this group four years ago about mental health services all was doom and gloom, but now I feel optimistic. This is how Paul Farmer, chief executive […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Mind your temper
According to Galen, whose views influenced the practice of medicine for hundreds of years, each of the four fluid humours of the body, αἷμα, blood, φλέγμα, phlegm, χολή, [yellow] bile, […]
Richard Smith: The “micro-macro problem” and the difficulty of using evidence to make policy
Doctors commonly complain that they consider evidence before they treat a patient, but politicians and policy makers don’t use the same rigour when making changes to health services. Indeed, Margaret […]
Martin McKee: Brexit—the confusion continues
It is now over two months since the British electorate voted narrowly to leave the European Union. The UK has a new prime minister and cabinet, including two new government […]
Richard Smith: How humans might divide into a superclass and a useless class
Many people think Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari the single most important book they have read, and a nonagenarian friend said it made him see […]
Billy Boland: Can inspiration deliver better healthcare?
Two different people told me I inspired them last week. How cool is that? I wasn’t even fishing for compliments (it has been known). They were actual, spontaneous, genuine acts […]