The discovery of aspirin: a reappraisal

because it was operative; the physician-accoucheurs claimed that obstetrics and gynaecology belonged together.As we know, the surgeons won the argument.By the 20th century the obstetrician-gynaecologist (who often, but not necessarily, possessed the FRCS) became another kind of doctor who was always addressed as Mr. And this is more or less the position today; but is the persistence of this tradition sensible?Fifty years ago it was relatively simple.Physicians treated medical diseases and surgeons operated.Today, the treatment of surgical disorders is often undertaken by teams of doctors any of whom may "intervene" in a technical or surgical manner (the interventional radiologists are an example), whether they are titled Dr or Mr, Miss, Mrs, or Ms. Thus patients with cancer who happen to be sticklers for addressing people correctly may well be puzzled when they are referred by Dr A, their general practitioner, to Dr B, an oncologist, and Dr C, a radiologist, before seeing Mr or Ms D, a surgeon.An operation is performed under an anaesthetic administered by Dr E after which the patient is referred to Dr F for radiotherapy and back to Dr B for chemotherapy depending, perhaps, on the findings of a pathologist, Dr G. Further, the patient may enter a controlled trial run by a medical statistician, Dr H, who is not medically qualified but has a PhD.That is eight "Drs" to one "Mr (or Miss or Mrs or Ms)."Note that any of these doctors, including Mr B, might possess an MD or a DM, which often puzzles American doctors who are not always aware that in the United Kingdom these are postgraduate degrees.