Pesticide-like Poisoning from a Prescription Drug
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have long been known for their use as pesticides. Since the 1990s, acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting pharmaceuticals (donepezil, tacrine, galantamine, and rivastigmine) have been used to treat Alzheimer's disease; they are currently being investigated as a treatment for dementia associated with Parkinson's disease in adults1 and with Tourette's syndrome and autistic and attention deficit–hyperactivity disorders in children.2,3 Wider use of this class of medications for a broader variety of disorders increases the possibility of pesticide-like poisoning from a prescribed medication. We report a case of such poisoning.
A healthy 11-month-old girl (weight, 7.5 kg)

Medical Errors and Medical Narcissism
By John D. Banja. 229 pp. Sudbury, Mass., Jones and Bartlett, 2005. $49.95. ISBN 0-7637-8361-7.
Why do physicians have such a difficult time talking to their patients about errors made in the course of patient care? This is the main question posed in John Banja's carefully written and useful book. The answer, the author suggests, is primarily "medical narcissism," a muted version of the narcissistic personality that, in many ways, also helps physicians do their difficult work.
Banja suggests that medical narcissists may find the disclosure of an error to be too much of a challenge to their self-image of competence, control, and "treatment-oriented focus." Hence, they have a tendency to rationalize error .

that seems to be unanimous

Yes, I think that may well be true. Not only for medical practitioners. It is a human trait to interpret what obserations we make inthe context of what we expect to observe.

Hans

__________________
<i>You have a right to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.</i>

Do we suffer from an inability to learn?

A big big "YES"