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Without a doubt the 20th century will be remembered for the birth of cinema and television. They played an important role in shaping our lives and cultures ----I[b y Justin Camilleri due to their growing popularity and now easy accessibility forever instilling in us a passion for screen entertainment.

avant garde for the time in which it was released, as it explores a doctor's internal conflicts between choosing to help patients or career status rewards.

Despite Arrowsmith being a story on a lone doctor's pursuit against a death plague, it is a social commentary on the state and prospects of medicine in tlle United States in the 1920s depression era.

Based on the Novel by Scottish author Archibald Joseph Cronin and directed by .King Vidor The Citadel takes place in England where a young, idealistic Dr. Manson (Robert Donat) becomes disillusioned after practicing in a Welsh mining town. Manson is then influenced by a friend to make a lucrative practice from rich hypochondriacs, where he finally realises what the truth of being a doctor really is.

Show me the Money!!! hold equal importance in the real medical profession and rightly so. Both Arrowsmith and The Citadel portrayals of doctor's onscreen are a fine Over the years cinematic portrayals of example of humanity and compassion doctors have been mixed; a positive and that bring out the best in doctors. One negative presentation of medics onscreen may beg to differ, according to Glenn has appeared in every decade. For every Flores' research paper Doctors in the Movies: fictitious Mad doctor (The Cabinet of Dr "Materialism and a love of money have Caligari) or scientist (Dr Frankenstein) the pervaded cinematic portrayals of doctors 1930's gave us very positive insights in the dating back to the 1920s and continue to medical profession, with the classic be prominent in recent movies." 1 memorable Arrowsmith (1932) and The Citadel (1938). This maybe shocking to many, but Flore~ substantiates his claim of cinematic doctor's Arrowsrnith is based on the Pulitzer Prize materialistic approaches, by citing various winning novel written by American author film anecdotes, that funnily enough all Sinclair Lewis. Nominated for four give common reference to Harley Street Academy Awards and directed by the in London, which is synonymous with influential John Ford (The Searchers), the private medical care in the United film is set during the 1920s depression Kingdom. For example in Doctor at Sea era. It chronicles the life of Dr. Martin (1956), Dr Simon Sparrow played by Dirk Arrowsrnith (Ronald Cobnan) as he makes Bogarde states: "A Roll Royce is the his way through medical school, marries ambition of almost every newly qualified and considers tlle lW'e of high-paying doctor and preferably a I Iadey Street industrial research taking a post within a Address to go with it." 1 In Carry on Again research institute. The young medical Doctor (1969), Dr Jim Nookey (Kenneth researcher's job takes him to a Caribbean Williarns) confides to a colleague. island, where he must prevent a plague "Specialise, that's what I'd like to do! The while prioritising who has the right to whole Harley Street bit with bags of lovely take the vaccine. This fIlm was considered filthy rich women patients."1 LOG Y

Another example is in Doctor at Large In fact, it is said that so many students (1957), where the doctor in charge of a wanted to become doctors in order to Harley Street practice gives advice to a emulate Chamberlain. While young fellow colleague: "You know, it's a male doctors wanted to mimic chastening thought, but good clothes are Chamberlain and female medics were more important to a GP than a good being wooed by his charms, out of stethoscope. "1 nowhere came in British slapstick comedy, that proved it was ok to laugh Flores in his debate goes to the point to a little at the seriousness of doctor's even mention cinematic American slang prescriptions. anecdotes taken from Not as a Stranger (1955), where 1950's American Medical One of the faces of British slapstick Students discuss their career options: comedy namely, Peter Sellers humorously gave us the realities of medical "Personally, I'm for surgery. Ijust got multiculturalism, in The Millionaires and a look at Dr Dietrich's car. You know exposed how doctors can also have what he drives? A Bentley. $17,000 tantrums in Whats new Pussycat? bucks." "That guy doesn't take out a splinter The Millionaires introduced us to the for less than £1,000." first cinematic Asian medic, in the form "I'll still take ear, nose, and throat. The of Indian doctor Dr. Ahmed el Kabir common cold is still the doctor's best played by Sellers. Co - Starring Sophia friend." Loren the plot centres on the world's "Call it a virus. You make more dough richest woman who falls in love with a that way." humble, Indian physician. Despite her "Look, if you kid dies are all through, advances he ignores her flirtations, leading your old man here will really wise you to hilarious consequences for both. up. It's not what you practice, its where." "What do you mean?" Despite the fact that nowadays The "I've done a little research on this Millionaires may be criticised for not problem. The average doctor's income is being "politically correct", the message 11 Gs. In the Southwest, west and behind Sellers comical one-liner: more .. .. " "Goodness Gracious Me" is relevant till "Pebble Beach, Colorado Springs, this day that despite the post WWII setup Beverly Hills, that's where the rich are of a multicultural Britain, there is still a cracking up fast." 1 lot to be done. Sellers followed his Indian medic persona The Swinging Sixties with another comical take on the medical profession in Whats New Pussycat? This The 60's were catalyst to bringing time, an engaged womaniser (Peter doctors to the masses through the medium O'Toole) seeks aid of a psychiatrist who of television. Viewers were introduced to has extra - marital problems of his own. the charming, benevolent, morale Dr Kildare (1961) played by Richard Satire was the order of the day, with Chamberlain. This was the pioneering the "Carry On!" series injecting sardonic medical television drama that started it farce, parody and humour in the medical all!! Kildare told the story of a young profeSSion. Even by today's standards intern, Dr. lames Kildare (Chamberlain), the Carry On! scripts found in Carry working in a fictional large metropolitan On Doctor, Carry On Again Doctor and hospital (Blair General), who dealt with Carry On Matron are still considered patient's problems, and wins the respect a healthy dose of laughing medicine for of his mentor, Dr. Leonard Gillespie audiences. Without a doubt they (Raymond Massey). ingeniously managed to bring to the fore countless real-life hospital problems The series became part of popular in the British National Health Service, culture including Malta and was largely that were never discussed or regarded responsible for making Chamberlain, simply as taboo. who beat out 35 other actors for the role, a teen poster boy idol of the 1960s. Many thought that the hospital A DV E RT FEAT RE NSAIDs and cardiovascular events frequently asked questions continued ~rom page ID

2. Juni P, Nartey L, Reichenbach S, Sterchi taking diuretics. Arch Intern Med R, Dieppe PA, Egger M. Risk of 1998; 158(10): 1108-12. cardiovascular events and rofecoxib: 10. Kearney PM, Baigent C, Godwin J, cumulative meta-analysis. Lancet Halls H, Emberson JR, Patrono C. Do 2004;364 (9450) :2021-9. selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors and 3. Solomon SD, McMurray JJ, Pfeffer MA, traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Wittes], Fowler R, Finn P, et al. drugs increase the risk of atherothrombosis? Cardiovascular risk associated with celecoxib Meta-analysis of randomised trials. BM] in a clinical trial for colorectal adenoma 2006;332:1302-1 308. prevention. N Engl ] Med 11. Gaziano JM, Gibson CM. Potential 2005;352(11):1071-80. for drug-drug interactions in patients taking 4. Hippisley-Cox]' Coupland C. Risk of analgesics for mild-to-moderate pain and myocardial infarction in patients taking low-dose aspirin for cardioprotection. Am cyc10-oxygenase-2 inhibitors or ] Cardio12006;97(9A):23-9. conventional non-steroidal anti­ 12. Whelton A. Clinical implications of inflammatory drugs: population based nonopioid analgesia for relief of rnild-to­ nested case-control analysis. BM] moderate pain in patients with or at risk 2005;330(7504): 1366. for cardiovascular disease. Am] Cardiol 5. Simmons DL, Botting RM, Hla T. 2006;97 (9A) :3-9. Cyclooxygenase isozyrnes: the biology 13. Pope JE, Anderson J], Felson DT. A of prostaglandin synthesis and meta-analysis of the effects of nonsteroidal inhibition. Pharmacol Rev anti-inflammatory drugs on blood pressure. 2004;56 (3) :387 -437. Arch Intern Med 1993;153(4):477-84. 6. Page], Henry D. Consumption of 14. Johnson AG, Simons LA, Simons J, NSAIDs and the development of congestive Friedlander Y, McCallurnJ. Non-steroidal heart failure in elderly patients: an anti-inflammatory drugs and hypertension underrecognized public health problem. in the elderly: a community-based cross­ Arch Intern Med 2000;160(6):777-84. sectional study. Br] Oin Pharmacal 7. Huerta C , Varas-Lorenzo C, CasteJJsague 1993;35 (5) :455-9. J, Garcia Rodriguez LA. Nonsteroidal anti­ 15. Kurth T, Glynn RJ, Walker AM, Chan inflammatory drugs and risk of first hospital KA, Buring JE, Hennekens CH, et al. admission for heart failure in the general Inhibition of clinical benefits of aspirin on population. Heart 2006. first myocardial infarction by nonsteroidal 8. Merlo J, Broms K, Lindblad U, Bjorck­ antiinflammatory drugs. Circulation Linne A, Liedholm H, Ostergren PO, et 2003;108(10):1191-5. al. AssOCiation of outpatient utilisation of 16. MacDonald TM, Wei L. Effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and ibuprofen on cardioprotective effect of hospitalised heart failure in the entire aspirin. Lancet 2003;361 (9357):573-4. Swedish population. Eur] Oin Pharmacal 17. Gaziano JM. Nonnarcotic Analgesics 2001;57(1):71-5. and Hypertension. Am] Cardiol 9. Heerdink ER, Leufkens HG, Herings 2006;97(9S1):1O-1 RM, Ottervanger JP, Stricker BH, Bakker 18. Hil1is WS. Areas of emerging interest A. NSAIDs associated with increased risk in analgesia: cardiovascular complications. of congestive heart failure in elderly patients Am] Ther 2002;9(3) :259-69. "Doctor, Doctor - Where are thou?" Medics in Movies and Television - Part I continued ~Tom page 17 Today we have scanning technologies such as ultrasounds, CAT 2. Arrowsmith (novel) by Sinclair Lewis. Available from: scans and PET scans that give out three dimensional images of http://en.wikipedia.org/wikilarrowsmith_%28book%29 bodily organs, to give a fully diagnostic picture. However according 3. The Citadel (film). Available from: to Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir we still don't have anythin~ like the http:// en. wikipedia.orWwikilthe_citadel-%28fllm %29 universal scanning device that allowed Dr "Bones" McCoy to 4. Trek Tech: Medical Technology is boldly going where Star Trek d@gnose practically anything in seconds.4 The medicine presented in Star Trek was so much ahead of its has gone before. Available from: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi­ time, that even though today's scanning technologies have improved binlarticle. cgi?file=1 chroniclel archive/2004/03 so much and so drastically, they still have a long way to go to 115/BUGLV5J6GT1.DTL&type=business emulate anything that is hailed as science fiction. 8] Justin Camilleri graduated with a Bachelor in Communications References in 2004 and has just completed a Masters in Magazine Joumalism 1. Doctors in the Movies the BMJ Journal Archives of Diseases do from the University of Central Lancashire. He regularly contributes in Childhood. Available from: http://adc.bmjjournals.comlcgi/ reprintl89112/1084 to local newspapers and international magazines. ..." ~ TheSynap6e