Dr. Liddle’s Casebook

I got an email from the Fibromyalgia Society this week, urging me to write something about this distressing disease. I did a modicum of research and discovered that it is another one of those imaginary afflictions claimed by malingering mentals. I may be wrong about this, I’m simply reading between the lines of the various studies into the condition.

As a gift to medical science I thought we should compile a list of things – a compendium, if you like – which are definitely illnesses or diseases and things which aren’t, so as to help the doctors. Let me begin – but please join in:

Things Which Definitely Are Illnesses or Diseases

Throat cancer
Scabies
Measles
Heart attacks and related stuff
Strokes
Diabetes
Most other sorts of cancer
Emphysema
Tubercolosis – the Great Leveller!
Scrotrot
Hepatitis contracted when administering law and order in a colony
Yellow Fever
Gout
The shits
Being blind

Things Which Definitely Are Not Illnesses or Diseases

Fibromyalgia
Addiction to alcohol
Addiction to drugs
Obesity
Being a bit odd
M.E.
Hepatitis contracted when behaving in an inappropriate manner
Stress
Wearing spectacles
Addiction to sex