Back to health—or back to work

The recent announcement from the United States of a new and remarkable cure for rheumatoid arthritis has caused widespread interest, particularly to those unfortunately afflicted with this painful disease. A substance called cortisone is the agent used to effect the cure and its results are reported to be extremely successful. The new discovery has been subjected to the most rigorous tests and investigations which, in the opinion of the medical experts, have established it beyond doubt as one of the most important steps forward made in this field for some years. The more enthusiastic have already been comparing it with the discovery of insulin in the treatment of diabetes.

Whilst on the subject, we cannot resist giving everybody the opportunitiy to join with us in admiration for the warmth and humanity displayed towards it by that pillar of the capitalist system, the Economist. Referring to the discovery in its issue of the 30th July, 1949, it dug right to the bottom of its great big heart to produce this fine humanitarian comment:—

“For once it is a case where the expense can be demonstrably justified by the restoration of useless cripples as working members of the community.”

Not a word about the sufferings of these “useless cripples”; not a word on the possibilities of their being relieved of years of pain if this discovery lives up to the claims for it. The main thing that commends itself to this noble periodical is the prospect of getting more able-bodied bodies on to the labour market, and linked with this, of course, a nice, large cut in the numbers of “unemployables,” and, even nicer, such a big saving to the national Exchequer.
S. H.