Law IV: The patient is the one with the disease

I agree whole heartedly with this law.
To me, it serves as a reminder:
- it reminds the hypochondriac who lives in a corner of every medic's mind, where the real illness lies (just because your head hurts does not mean you have a subdural/meningitis/tumour)
- it should also serve as a reminder that the treatment should be tailored to suit the patient: this includes doing nothing.
Unfortunately I have no anecdotes to illustrate this.

But on a completely different note, I need to voice a new bug-bear: pilfering.
A colleague of mine told me how another friend had helped himself to a packet of an expensive (but very effective) anti-emetic, for use on a lad's holiday (ie for the endless hangover). The said anti-emetic is quite freely available on his ward as it houses the majority of oncology patients, hence his ease of pocketing a packet. Not that it was behind anyone's back - the nurses gave it to him.
This is wrong on several levels.
It is unprofessional. Anti-emetics one day - who knows where this will lead to next: opiates? Nursing staff are responsible for managing ward stock - they are putting their credibility on the line by giving out drugs willy-nilly to doctors.
If one turns up to work feeling under the weather, and takes something to help them through the working day, that is acceptable. If one turns up at work hung over, and pops an anti-emetic from ward stock, it is wrong: self-inflicted illness (especially when its simply because one has had a big night out; rather than alcoholism) should not be treated from the drugs cupboard; but at least the work gets done (to some degree).
But he is on HOLIDAY. And is sick because he is DRUNK.
That is no excuse.
And no, it is not a perk of the job.

I'm done. Bug-bear voiced, but not exorcised.