Great Construction

“Efficacy”
Medical Science Fragments Twenty-eight

     About a certain medicine or concerning a specific treatment, doctors will often say that it is efficacious, but I get the feeling that this word means no more than the temporary alleviation of pain. What actually happens is that the very words “this treatment means complete recovery” have a powerful effect on the consciousness of and greatly relieve the patient. In that sense, these are appropriate, convincing sentiments for the patient, although unfortunately they are unavoidably expressed since medical science has not progressed far enough to be able to make such a claim. To all you doctors, I presume to offer my opinion.  

Eikô, Issue 193, January 28, 1953
 translation by cynndd