A Request that Begs for a Response

A hurricane had hit the West Indies, and a bricklayer was sent to repair the damage. He wrote to the home office as follows: 

Respected Sirs:
When I got to the building I found that the hurricane had knocked some bricks off the top. So I rigged up a beam with a pulley at the top of the building and hoisted up a couple of barrels full of bricks. When I had fixed the building, there was a lot of bricks left over. I hoisted the barrel back up again and secured the line at the bottom, and then went up and filled the barrel with the extra bricks. Then I went to the bottom and cast off the line. Unfortunately the barrel of bricks was heavier than I was, and before I knew what was happening the barrel started down, jerking me off the ground. I decided to hang on, and halfway up I met the barrel coming down and received a severe blow on the shoulder. I then continued to the top, banging my head against the beam and getting my finger jammed in the pulley. When the barrel hit the ground it bursted its bottom, allowing all the bricks to spill out. I was now heavier than the barrel and so started down again at high speed. Halfway down, I met the barrel coming up and received severe injuries to my shins. When I hit the ground I landed on the bricks, getting several painful cuts from the sharp edges. At this point I must have lost my presence of mind because I let go of the line. The barrel then came down, giving me another heavy blow on the head and putting me in the hospital. I respectfully request sick leave.
 
(Apparently first reprinted in the Manchester, England Guardian and later in the Salt Lake City, Utah  Deseret News)
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If the incident happened in our time, and the home office was sympathetic to the poor man’s request, and the hospital prescribed medication for man’s woes he might have read the following—which is copied directly from a drug information sheet for a common medication (doxycycline) prescribed for a sty in my wife’s eyelid: 

Very common (10% or more): Headache (up to 26%)
Frequency not reported: Sinus headache, dizziness, drowsiness, amnesia, paresthesias of body areas exposed to sunlight, phrenic nerve paralysis after sclerotherapy
Postmarketing reports: Pseudotumor cerebri (benign intracranial hypertension), headache

Frequency not reported: Bulging fontanels in infants, benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) in adults

Benign intracranial hypertension resulting in significant loss of vision has been reported.

A 70-year-old female patient with no significant medical history suddenly developed a severe headache followed by vomiting about 15 minutes after the initial dose of doxycycline. The patient also experienced memory dysfunction; she could not remember the events of the afternoon prior to the doxycycline dose and could not retain the information after she was reminded. The incident lasted about 30 minutes and she was transported to the hospital for further evaluation. No further cause, such as intoxication or trauma, could be elicited. Once at the hospital, the patient was able to remember the events of the afternoon and could retain new information, but amnesia regarding the events of the 30 minutes following the onset of the headache persisted. The patient's laboratory results, CT scan, MRI scan, cerebrospinal fluid, and EEG showed no pathology. When the patient was discharged 2 days later, the amnesia for the 30 minutes continued. After elimination of other symptomatic causes, the amnesia was concluded to be due to the doxycycline because of the close relation of the doxycycline dose and the onset of symptoms.

Gastrointestinal

Very common (10% or more): Nausea (up to 13.4%)

Common (1% to 10%): Vomiting (8.1%), toothache (7%), tooth disorder (6%), dyspepsia (6%), diarrhea (up to 6%), periodontal abscess (4%), acid indigestion (4%), upper abdominal pain (2%), abdominal distention (1%), abdominal pain (1%), stomach discomfort (1%), dry mouth (1%)

Frequency not reported: Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea, esophageal irritation, ulceration, epigastric burning, black hairy tongue: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, glossitis, dysphagia, enterocolitis, inflammatory lesions (with monilial overgrowth) in the anogenital region, esophagitis, esophageal ulcerations

Numerous cases of esophageal ulceration have been reported. In most of the cases the patients had taken their medication at bedtime, usually without enough liquid. Patients often present with severe retrosternal pain and difficulty swallowing. Ulcerations generally resolve within a week after discontinuation of the medication. One case report describes severe hiccups of 4-day duration associated with esophagitis following the first dose of doxycycline.Esophagitis

Other

Very common (10% or more): Common cold (22%), influenza symptoms (11%)
Common (1% to 10%): Injury (5%), pain (up to 4%), back pain (up to 3%), back ache (2%), infection (2%), fungal infection (2%), influenza (2%)
Frequency not reported: Possible overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms (superinfection)

Microscopic brown-black discoloration of the thyroid gland

Musculoskeletal

Common (1% to 10%): Joint pain (6%), muscle pain (1%)

Respiratory

Common (1% to 10%): Nasopharyngitis (5%), sore throat (5%), sinus congestion (5%), coughing (4%), sinus headache (up to 4%), sinusitis (3%), bronchitis (3%), nasal congestion (2%), pharyngolaryngeal pain (1%)

Dermatologic

Common (1% to 10%): Rash (4%)
Frequency not reported: Nail discoloration, phototoxicity, photoallergic reaction, photo-onycholysis, photosensitivity, maculopapular and erythematous rashes, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, exfoliative dermatitis, hyperpigmentation Paresthesias of the body areas exposed to sunlight may be early signs of sunburn reactions. Photoallergic reaction describes scaly erythema and vesicles on the face and neck associated with doxycycline administration. Upon rechallenge, a flare with erythema, itching and burning occurred in the same area.

Genitourinary

Common (1% to 10%): Menstrual cramp (4%), bacterial vaginitis (3.3%), vulvovaginal mycotic infection (2%)
Frequency not reported: Vaginal itch,vaginal candidiasis

Cardiovascular

Common (1% to 10%): Hypertension (3%), increased blood pressure (2%)

Hepatic

Common (1% to 10%): Increased aspartate aminotransferase (2%)
Frequency not reported: Acute hepatocellular injury, cholestatic reactions, hepatotoxicity

Metabolic

Common (1% to 10%): Increased blood lactate dehydrogenase (2%), increased blood glucose (1%)
Frequency not reported: Hypoglycemia, anorexia

Psychiatric

Common (1% to 10%): Anxiety (2%)

Hypersensitivity

Frequency not reported: Hypersensitivity reactions (including urticaria, angioneurotic edema, anaphylaxis, anaphylactoid purpura, serum sickness, pericarditis, exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus, drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms [DRESS])

Hematologic

Hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, eosinophilia

Ocular

Frequency not reported: Diplopia, papilledema, loss of vision (associated with doxycycline-induced benign intracranial hypertension)

Renal

Frequency not reported: Dose-related rise in BUN

Immunologic

Frequency not reported: Autoimmune syndromes

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I think if I had the mandatory choice of suffering the brick bucket incident or taking doxycycline I would take the former and rejoice that I was so lucky.