An apple a day keeps the prescriber away?

Photo courtesy of Normanrockwell.com

We were having a conversation the other day in regards to a baby that was brought to the doctor recently.  It was family and as their first born, thy succumbed after continuous crying and discomfort that only parents could recognize in an 8 mo old.  Upon diagnosis, which naturally took 5 minutes, an antibiotic was prescribed for an ear infection.  Apparently the father was a bit peeved at the overly quick time they had with the doctor (knowing a large bill would still come their way I'm sure) but more importantly, the frustration was that there was no other alternative given.  You go to an expert for information.  What is it? What causes it?  Can I treat it cheaply at home?  Should I let the kid try to fight it?  Is it deadly?  

Doctors are no longer doctors.  This came to me when a member of the conversation said you don't bring a baby to a doctor and then get mad when they diagnose and abruptly prescribe a conventional treatment.  He was exactly right.  Doctors are prescribers.  The generations before us have turned them into this with the help of sales reps.  Give me the quick fix!  I saw the commercial on tv doc, just give me the little paper to go to the pharmacy with.  I commend my brother in law for questioning the prescriber.  However, it is clear now what to expect.  In my opinion, look it up online.  If you're going through it, trust me, someone else has to ( and they've blogged about it).  

I see it in my sister as well who is en route to be an MD.  Much kudos to her for doing this, however, she's quick to pop a pill.   More so than I ever remember.  I suppose they're taught it's a simple manipulation of this chemical v that chemical and just blocking this enzyme or whatever.  It's sad.  What happened to "the kids sick, give him 2 days, rest, water, and chicken soup."  Oh right, Campbell's condensed is just as harmful so that would backfire.

I try to remember as I'm bombarded daily with medical headlines, new diets, the evils of alcohol, and the benefits of coffee that doctors are not masters of human science, they're masters of the LATEST human science.  After all, it was a doctor who advised my grandma that smoking while pregnant was fine and naturally she had a cigarette in her mouth during labor with both of her children.