The Evolution of Medicine

[heslopian]

Twenty centuries ago, medicine was far from astute.
If you were sick your neighbor said, here, eat this root. The rhyme of "astue" and "root" is very amusing.

A thousand years after, religion supplanted health care Should some kind of punctuation go after this line, to prevent it from running into its successor? This comment also applies to the first line of the fifth couplet.
That root is heathen, to be well, say this prayer.

A few centuries later alchemy was the grand notion.
That prayer is heathen, here, drink this potion.

Then soon after, science knew what made you ill,
That potion is mere snake oil, here, take this pill. I like the development from "heathen" to "snake oil", which subtly conveys man's progression from religious to scientific notions, and thus vernacular.

Not long ago, dispensing medicine became robotic
That pill is ineffective, here, take this antibiotic.

Now chemicals are the enemy, nature’s healing beyond refute.
That antibiotic is artificial, here, eat this root.

I really enjoyed this poem. It made me smile and was a witty evocation of how humanity progresses, but then regresses (or at least desires to). The circular nature of the poem's narrative is very pleasing. Critique is JMHO. Thank you for the read