This weeks chosen objects is one of mine. I was introduced to it early on in my prison journey and it’s efficacy has stayed with me since.
Paracetamol
OK, so prison is a pretty clandestine experience. The public perception of prison is fuelled by dread imaginings, like the creaks in a darkened house that our adrenaline turns into foul monsters. But there are occasions when I feel the prison service should share its secrets with the outside world. One such secret is the wonder drug – paracetamol.
I woke one morning in a feverish delirium. I was burning up and saw that my arm had swollen during the night. At the centre of the swelling was evidence of an insect bite. I made the sweaty, shaky trip to the healthcare hatch to seek aid and succour.
While I waited for my turn I saw fellow prisoners present themselves with myriad maladies. There were gashes and gouges. There were bruises and bumps. There were headaches and toothaches; abscesses and infections. There were losses of glasses and of bowel control.
I explained my symptoms, showed my swelling, and sure enough, like every prisoner before me I was presented with two white tablets and a plastic cup of water. I took the tablets and after a mere week of sweating, shaking, shitting, sleeplessness and hallucinations I slowly began to feel better. Huzzah for paracetamol!
I often wonder why so much money is wasted on pharmaceutical research when we have this wonder drug at our disposal.
A recent survey showed that it was 100% effective 32% of the time!
