Give a dog a bad name

Writing a column for the BMJ is both a great privilege and an onerous duty. Over 100 000 doctors from all across the world constitute an unparalleled arena in which to project my prejudices and lament my uncertainties. But writing for a journal which is already at the cutting edge of medical progress is a daunting challenge. How do I make my column stand out amid all this medical excellence? How do I shout loud enough that my voice be heard?

For shouting too loud can be a perilous jade. I write by stream of consciousness; the quirk, the …