第28課 病人與醫(yī)生
First listen and then answer the following question.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
What are patients looking for when they visit the doctor?
當(dāng)病人見醫(yī)生時他們在尋求什么？
This is a sceptical age,
這是一個懷疑一切的時代，
but although our faith in many of the things in which our forefathers fervently believed has weakened,
可是雖然我們對我們祖先篤信的許多事物已不太相信，
our confidence in the curative properties of the bottle of medicine remains the same as theirs.
我們對瓶裝藥品療效的信心仍與祖輩一樣堅定。
This modern faith in medicines is proved by the fact
衛(wèi)生部門的處度藥費上升到了天文數(shù)字，
that the annual drug bill of the Health Services is mounting to astronomical figures.
并且目前尚無停止上升的跡象，
and shows no signs at present of ceasing to rise.
這個事實證實了現(xiàn)代人對藥物的依賴。
The majority of the patients attending the medical out-patients departments of our hospitals feel that
在醫(yī)院門診部看病的大多數(shù)人覺得，
they have not received adequate treatment unless they are able to carry home with them
如果不能帶回一些看得見、摸得著的藥物，
some tangible remedy in the shape of a bottle of medicine,
如一瓶藥水，一盒藥丸、一小瓶藥膏回家的話，
a box of pills, or a small jar of ointment,
就沒算得到了充分的治療。
and the doctor in charge of the department is only too ready to provide them with these requirements.
負(fù)責(zé)門診的醫(yī)生也非常樂意為前來看病的人提供他們想要得到的藥物，
There is no quicker method of disposing of patients than by giving them what they are asking for,
病人要什么就給什么，沒有比這樣處理病人更快的方法了。
and since most medical men in the Health Services are overworked
因為衛(wèi)生部門的大多數(shù)醫(yī)生超負(fù)荷工作，
and have little time for offering time-consuming and little-appreciated advice on such subjects as diet,
所以沒有多少時間提出一些既費時而又不受人歡迎的忠告，如注意飲食、
right living, and the need for abandoning bad habits etc.,
生活有規(guī)律，需要克服壞習(xí)慣等等，
the bottle, the box, and the jar are almost always granted them.
結(jié)果就是把瓶藥、盒藥、罐藥開給看病的人而完事大吉。
Nor is it only the ignorant and ill-educated person who has such faith in the bottle of medicine.
并不只是那些無知和沒受過良好教育的人才迷信藥瓶子
It is recounted of Thomas Carlyle that when he heard of the illness of his friend, Henry Taylor,
據(jù)說托馬斯.卡萊爾有過這么一件事：他聽說朋友亨利.泰勒病了，
he went off immediately to visit him,
就立刻跑去看他，
carrying with him in his pocket what remained a bottle of medicine formerly prescribed for an indisposition of Mrs. Carlyle's.
衣袋里裝上了他妻子不舒服時吃剩下的一瓶藥。
Carlyle was entirely ignorant of what the bottle in his pocket contained,
卡萊爾不知道藥瓶子里裝的是什么藥，
of the nature of the illness from which his friend was suffering,
不知道他的朋友得的是什么病，
and of what had previously been wrong with his wife,
也不知道妻子以前得的是什么病，
but a medicine that had worked so well in one form of illness would surely be of equal benefit in another,
只知道一種藥對一種病有好處，肯定對另一種病也會有好處。
and comforted by the thought of the help he was bringing to his friend,
想到能對朋友有所幫助，他感到很欣慰，
he hastened to Henry Taylor's house.
于是急急忙忙來到了亨利.泰勒的家里，
History does not relate whether his friend accepted his medical help, but in all probability he did.
他的朋友是否接受了他的藥物治療，歷史沒有記載，但很可能接受了。
The great advantage of taking medicine is that it makes no demands on the taker
服藥的大優(yōu)點是：除了暫時忍受一下令人作嘔的味道外，
beyond that of putting up for a moment with a disgusting taste,
對服藥人別無其他要求。
and that is what all patients demand of their doctors--to be cured at no inconvenience to themselves.
這也正是病人對醫(yī)生的要求 -- 病要治好，但不要太麻煩。
