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If Symptoms Still Persist
Hardcover Book.
150 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1994
About the author
Theodore Dalrymple
95 books637 followersAnthony Malcolm Daniels, who generally uses the pen name Theodore Dalrymple, is an English writer and retired prison doctor and psychiatrist. He worked in a number of Sub-Saharan African countries as well as in the east end of London. Before his retirement in 2005, he worked in City Hospital, Birmingham and Winson Green Prison in inner-city Birmingham, England.
Daniels is a contributing editor to City Journal, published by the Manhattan Institute, where he is the Dietrich Weismann Fellow. In addition to City Journal, his work has appeared in The British Medical Journal, The Times, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, The Salisbury Review, National Review, and Axess magasin.
In 2011, Dalrymple received the 2011 Freedom Prize from the Flemish think tank Libera!.
Daniels is a contributing editor to City Journal, published by the Manhattan Institute, where he is the Dietrich Weismann Fellow. In addition to City Journal, his work has appeared in The British Medical Journal, The Times, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, The Salisbury Review, National Review, and Axess magasin.
In 2011, Dalrymple received the 2011 Freedom Prize from the Flemish think tank Libera!.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 25, 2020
Iconoclastic author, sort of a medical Rumpole. It's very funny because the writing is so good. On being asked if he would join a committee to seek out the 'truth' (blame), he says, "Being an obliging sort of chap, especially when it comes to finding fault with others, I thought I should agree.
He is offended by stupid women who allow their menfolk to beat them up because 'he's not like that all the time', he's annoyed with the men that beat them up and the system that allows them to do so. He's offended by the vast bureaucracies of the National Health and Social Work systems which put admin before care (and they do), he is offended by the UK educational system which meant that even in 1994, he could never get an answer to what is 9 x 7 (I think it's even worse now, most of my clerks need a calculator to work out 40% discounts - usual distributors' discount).
He is in a kind of humouring way, a bit down on working class people who don't speak properly and expect him as a doctor to sort everything out, and middle class people who do speak properly but don't know what they are talking about but go on and onnew age cure to any advice he might give. He's got something against almost everyone!
He's not a really nasty individual like Evelyn Waugh proud of his title of 'nastiest man in England' but instead a rather avuncular chap who finds amusement in small revenges, like reading the newspaper in his office whilst patients wait patiently in the waiting room.
The author works in a hospital, a GP's practice and also in prisons and as a witness for courts. He quite likes criminals, even the murderers but perhaps the child molesters quite a lot less, he is not an equality man, he doesn't really think they are equal to him and doesn't pretend that he thinks they are. The excuses of poor parenting, father drank and beat mother, mother was a slag, he takes into account when he sees there really wasn't another route the prisoner could ever have taken given the inadequacy of social services, but most of the time, he thinks it's just excuses.
He does believe that if patients take full responsibility for their actions, they should have what they want and dishes out prescriptions and sick notes as required. He says there is a certain class of people who feel they are entitled to a free life - housing, benefits, sick pay, and shouldn't have to work.
This book was written in 1994 before PC and it's more extremist version of 'woke' got a grip on the media, and so the content of the book is very contentious - snowflake warning: if you agree with this statement from a class in a school in the UK last week, "We should not allow free speech because people can be offended and hurt", then you won't enjoy this book and might want it banned, 1 starred, and have the author subject to a similar Twitter campaign #KillJKRowling. The author says it how it is, or how he believes it, and isn't in the least bit concerned about hurting, offending or causing major mental trauma by his words.
One thing he discussed that gave me pause for thought was what he had to say about the AIDS campaign in the UK. He said that the whole thrust of the campaign was to say HIV was an equal opportunity disease, that there was going to be an explosion in the majority hetereosexual non-drug using population. He said it was obvious that there had been an explosion in certain groups, but not that one and the reason for the campaign broadening it was in fact to prevent prejudice, violence and the kind of ostracism and it's awful murderous end-game that the Jews face when someone wants to blame them for poisoning the wells, eating little children, working with Bill Gates on implanting microchips, or these days, coronavirus.
He also said he never trusted any health initiative put out by government as telling the truth was not a government, politician or civil service priority or strong point but rather getting people to believe what they wanted them to believe.
The book is actually short articles once published in the Spectator. The writing is a joy to read. Free speech and being offended and being able to discuss points you don't agree with is a lot better than a consensus forced up on us by people who take offence and then exaggerate the trauma caused and decide that not causing offence is a Lot Better than having free speech.
He is offended by stupid women who allow their menfolk to beat them up because 'he's not like that all the time', he's annoyed with the men that beat them up and the system that allows them to do so. He's offended by the vast bureaucracies of the National Health and Social Work systems which put admin before care (and they do), he is offended by the UK educational system which meant that even in 1994, he could never get an answer to what is 9 x 7 (I think it's even worse now, most of my clerks need a calculator to work out 40% discounts - usual distributors' discount).
He is in a kind of humouring way, a bit down on working class people who don't speak properly and expect him as a doctor to sort everything out, and middle class people who do speak properly but don't know what they are talking about but go on and onnew age cure to any advice he might give. He's got something against almost everyone!
He's not a really nasty individual like Evelyn Waugh proud of his title of 'nastiest man in England' but instead a rather avuncular chap who finds amusement in small revenges, like reading the newspaper in his office whilst patients wait patiently in the waiting room.
The author works in a hospital, a GP's practice and also in prisons and as a witness for courts. He quite likes criminals, even the murderers but perhaps the child molesters quite a lot less, he is not an equality man, he doesn't really think they are equal to him and doesn't pretend that he thinks they are. The excuses of poor parenting, father drank and beat mother, mother was a slag, he takes into account when he sees there really wasn't another route the prisoner could ever have taken given the inadequacy of social services, but most of the time, he thinks it's just excuses.
He does believe that if patients take full responsibility for their actions, they should have what they want and dishes out prescriptions and sick notes as required. He says there is a certain class of people who feel they are entitled to a free life - housing, benefits, sick pay, and shouldn't have to work.
This book was written in 1994 before PC and it's more extremist version of 'woke' got a grip on the media, and so the content of the book is very contentious - snowflake warning: if you agree with this statement from a class in a school in the UK last week, "We should not allow free speech because people can be offended and hurt", then you won't enjoy this book and might want it banned, 1 starred, and have the author subject to a similar Twitter campaign #KillJKRowling. The author says it how it is, or how he believes it, and isn't in the least bit concerned about hurting, offending or causing major mental trauma by his words.
One thing he discussed that gave me pause for thought was what he had to say about the AIDS campaign in the UK. He said that the whole thrust of the campaign was to say HIV was an equal opportunity disease, that there was going to be an explosion in the majority hetereosexual non-drug using population. He said it was obvious that there had been an explosion in certain groups, but not that one and the reason for the campaign broadening it was in fact to prevent prejudice, violence and the kind of ostracism and it's awful murderous end-game that the Jews face when someone wants to blame them for poisoning the wells, eating little children, working with Bill Gates on implanting microchips, or these days, coronavirus.
He also said he never trusted any health initiative put out by government as telling the truth was not a government, politician or civil service priority or strong point but rather getting people to believe what they wanted them to believe.
The book is actually short articles once published in the Spectator. The writing is a joy to read. Free speech and being offended and being able to discuss points you don't agree with is a lot better than a consensus forced up on us by people who take offence and then exaggerate the trauma caused and decide that not causing offence is a Lot Better than having free speech.
May 3, 2020
The kindle edition which I read is titled "If Symptoms Persist", and is considerably longer - having about 300 pages - but is not listed in goodreads. It comprises solely of the darkly humorous dealings of the good doctor with patients, convicts, social workers and welfare bureaucracy in the city of Birmingham. These short pieces were originally submitted as a weekly column, starting 1990, in the Spectator.
Dalrymple, as usual, is acerbically critical of the conduct of his patients and pitifully dismal at the state of his city. He is masterful at his craft and conveys his ideas on the practice of medicine, the welfare state, immigration, drugs, prisons, taxes with hard-hitting brevity and caustic wit.
In a piece titled 'It's all very puzzling' Dalrymple explains that as a doctor in the NHS (National Health Services), on receiving a tax demand of a considerable amount, he complained to a colleague, who coincidentally had just received as legal fee, the exactly same amount. Only that this fee had been paid by the public exchequer through Legal Aid. The author states:
The theme of moral decadence leading to societal degeneration pervades all of these accounts. Given the horrid lives that most of his patients led, I surprisingly found myself sympathizing with the doctor instead. Criticisms of his callousness and apathy towards his patients are bound to come up. But in my opinion the author displays the classic case of heartfelt consideration turning sour – into abject cynicism.
Dalrymple, as usual, is acerbically critical of the conduct of his patients and pitifully dismal at the state of his city. He is masterful at his craft and conveys his ideas on the practice of medicine, the welfare state, immigration, drugs, prisons, taxes with hard-hitting brevity and caustic wit.
In a piece titled 'It's all very puzzling' Dalrymple explains that as a doctor in the NHS (National Health Services), on receiving a tax demand of a considerable amount, he complained to a colleague, who coincidentally had just received as legal fee, the exactly same amount. Only that this fee had been paid by the public exchequer through Legal Aid. The author states:
"So the tax on my tax-derived income will pay for my colleague’s tax-derived income, which will, of course, be taxed."
The theme of moral decadence leading to societal degeneration pervades all of these accounts. Given the horrid lives that most of his patients led, I surprisingly found myself sympathizing with the doctor instead. Criticisms of his callousness and apathy towards his patients are bound to come up. But in my opinion the author displays the classic case of heartfelt consideration turning sour – into abject cynicism.
January 24, 2025
Има два начина, по който човек може да гледа на хората, които имат по-лош живот от него: първият е че сами са си виновни, а вторият - че са нямали късмет и ако им се помогне ще се оправят.
Цивилизованото ни общество е изцяло изградено на втория възглед и всякакви социални системи са създадени, за да помагат на изпадналите да стъпят на краката си. Дори целта на системата на затворите е не толкова да наказва, колкото да "поправя" престъпниците и да ги върне към нормален живот.
Безспорно, това е печеливша стратегия като цяло, защото обществото ни става все по-добро, благоденствено, богато, с по-малко престъпления.
Но за всички, които работят малко повече време с утайката на това наше благоденстващо общество обаче става ясно, че има един процент от хората, примерно 10%, които по някаква причина са тотално неприспособими към него.
Тия хора ги има навсякъде, във всяка държава - колкото и пари и помощи да им се дават, колкото да се опитва държавата да им помага... те продължават да живеят по един бих казал варварски начин. Варварски се отнасят помежду си, варварски се държат с децата си, варварски се отнасят към своите доброжелатели, варварски живеят и варварски умират от свръхдоза, нож в корема или алкохолна цироза.
Авторът е психиатър, работил десетки години в клиника в "лошата" част на града и в близкия затвор. Кратките разкази за пациентите му и за "социалната" бюрокрация, създадена да им помага са забавни, тъжни, песимистични, цинични и най-вече истински.
Цивилизованото ни общество е изцяло изградено на втория възглед и всякакви социални системи са създадени, за да помагат на изпадналите да стъпят на краката си. Дори целта на системата на затворите е не толкова да наказва, колкото да "поправя" престъпниците и да ги върне към нормален живот.
Безспорно, това е печеливша стратегия като цяло, защото обществото ни става все по-добро, благоденствено, богато, с по-малко престъпления.
Но за всички, които работят малко повече време с утайката на това наше благоденстващо общество обаче става ясно, че има един процент от хората, примерно 10%, които по някаква причина са тотално неприспособими към него.
Тия хора ги има навсякъде, във всяка държава - колкото и пари и помощи да им се дават, колкото да се опитва държавата да им помага... те продължават да живеят по един бих казал варварски начин. Варварски се отнасят помежду си, варварски се държат с децата си, варварски се отнасят към своите доброжелатели, варварски живеят и варварски умират от свръхдоза, нож в корема или алкохолна цироза.
Авторът е психиатър, работил десетки години в клиника в "лошата" част на града и в близкия затвор. Кратките разкази за пациентите му и за "социалната" бюрокрация, създадена да им помага са забавни, тъжни, песимистични, цинични и най-вече истински.
October 14, 2021
A collection of very short and readable stories by a prison doctor. The surprising part is how predictable these stories get! Can you count the dangerous step-fathers? The botched suicide attempts (presumably the successful ones could not be interviewed)? The beaten girlfriends with Stockholm syndrome?
These short stories collectively showcase through sheer statistical power the common denominators that plague humanity, the things that lead to the miserable lives that cross paths with doctor Dalrymple in that prison hospital: broken homes first of all (which are much more harmful to women than men), a social system that gets in the way more than it helps, bad education, impunity, addiction and moral bankruptcy. When the government isn't blind to all this, it's soft-handed or misguided.
Not as varied and engaging as his Culture: What's Left Of It, but very insightful. Let your faith in humanity die, for "cursed is the man who trusts in man".
These short stories collectively showcase through sheer statistical power the common denominators that plague humanity, the things that lead to the miserable lives that cross paths with doctor Dalrymple in that prison hospital: broken homes first of all (which are much more harmful to women than men), a social system that gets in the way more than it helps, bad education, impunity, addiction and moral bankruptcy. When the government isn't blind to all this, it's soft-handed or misguided.
Not as varied and engaging as his Culture: What's Left Of It, but very insightful. Let your faith in humanity die, for "cursed is the man who trusts in man".
January 2, 2015
Good for a laugh and social commentary
Theodore Dalrymple has a way with words, the ability to make one laugh, cry, and consider, all within a few sentences.
Theodore Dalrymple has a way with words, the ability to make one laugh, cry, and consider, all within a few sentences.
December 30, 2016
much more sardonic than his other texts, but an enjoyable read with many choice phrases.
May 5, 2021
Just Dalrymple being Dalrymple, no more, no less. If you've read one of his books you've read them all, which doesn't mean you shouldn't keep reading him.
January 12, 2022
realistic and succinct
As a physician for over 35 years and still practicing oncology, I found this book to be extraordinarily entertaining because of its accurate presentation of the unbelievably unusual, enlightening, and bizarre situations that we find ourselves in as we attempt to aid others. I’ll probably read it again, not something I even contemplate about most books.
As a physician for over 35 years and still practicing oncology, I found this book to be extraordinarily entertaining because of its accurate presentation of the unbelievably unusual, enlightening, and bizarre situations that we find ourselves in as we attempt to aid others. I’ll probably read it again, not something I even contemplate about most books.
March 3, 2018
The book is good, if dispiriting account of general lack of thought/responsibility taken by the the path of some in the population
August 5, 2021
old man yells at clod
March 12, 2023
This is a collection of columns which were published in the spectator. Let's say this column was not out of place in this magazine, which should give you some indication of whether or not you will like this book. I loved it.
January 26, 2021
Oh, it all sounds so true to me. I have also worked in the UK in areas like that providing the same service to people who don't just want a cure, they want a miracle.
May 16, 2021
Some insight as to the totally demented British poor by a Doctor. Some humour amongst a lot of painful decrepitude.
January 21, 2022
show de preconceito
November 24, 2023
Very quirky observations of a GP/prison doctor and views on life in general.
March 14, 2014
The book is a collection of magazine columns. These are good in isolation, but unreadable in sequence. They get quite repetitive. Moreover, each column tends to jump around between topics. This is perhaps forgivable in a magazine piece, but gets distracting in a book.
January 31, 2016
Grim view of the human race as seen by a doctor /psychiatrist engaged by the National Health Service in England.
You end up, at the end of the book, despairing of the human race, as it's just one tale of stupidity after another.
You end up, at the end of the book, despairing of the human race, as it's just one tale of stupidity after another.
November 30, 2016
Hard to know how to rate this book. Depressing yet blackly humorous, it will leave you feeling dispirited and guilty for enjoying it.
January 17, 2018
Sad and sardonic interpretation of patients demeanors by a physician in the National Health Service.
Hope not all doctors in the system look and listen to their patients in same manner.
Hope not all doctors in the system look and listen to their patients in same manner.
January 8, 2019
So witty! Dr Dalrymple deals with the underclass with the kind of humour that is right up my street. I'm laughing even as I write this.
July 29, 2020
Health care commentary of the first rate
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews