Medicine Throws Out Old Cure

The elixir of sassafras,

Native Americans knew well.

Magical, ambrosial balm --

Even Europe swore by its smell.

 

Among the New World’s first exports,

Sassafras still has devotees.

The FDA rails at its use.

Can cause cancer -- poison, they say.

 

Ague Tree, cure-all for and from,

Old fever shrub now wilts and pales

As FDA smears its proud name

With ban on salves, dosage, tea sales.

 

Its oil, aroma and tonic,

So efficacious this safrole.

What if it really could heal

Chest pain, eye strain, head lice so drole?

 

Actually curing arthritis,

Rashes -- even cancer itself,

Could mean lots of pharmacies

With hard-to-swallow empty shelf.

 

Without data, doctors say they

Know little of the balm, per se.

The cure could be more dangerous

Than the ills, like some meds today.

 

Its fans cherished the root beer taste,

Doctored themselves so many ways.

With fox in charge of the hen-house,

Good medical science betrays.

 

With no patent for country cure,

You can never make a fortune --

To pay FDA’s Pied Piper

Without calling it extortion.

Author's Note

We farm boys often laid aside our hoes and used an ax to dig up fever shrub taking root in our tilled fields. We would take it home to brew up sassafras tea.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Pharmaceuticals is big business. They don't like the threat of any competition. Our NHS has just won a case which will cost one pharmaceutical company dearly, A much cheaper drug which is just as effective and proven to be safe and will cost the UK taxpayer 500 million a year less. The big boys have had it their way for far too long. Your poem Doug tells it exactly as it is, and its happening everywhere. Someone has got to make a stand. Nicely composed lines, with a message.

Chris

[bigfootprint]

Sometimes it seems I accidentally stumble upon inspiration for such a poem as this one. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. Thank you Chris

[john l smith]

Yes, the lucrative field of pharmacy
There is even talk now of the misprescribed use of the simple aspirin
I actually had a Dr. take me off a prescription
almost unheard of
John

[bigfootprint]

Good for you. You inspire me. Maybe I will insist on avoiding Metformin, which I have been hearing ghastly thinks about. Then I can start brewing up a bitter herbal tea with a home remedy vine from Belize.

[bigfootprint]

Thanks John