This is a skeptical（怀疑的） age, but although our faith（信任） in many of the things in which our forefathers（祖先） fervently believed has weakened（削弱）, our confidence（信心） in the curative properties of the bottle of medicine remains the same as theirs. This modern faith in medicines is proved by the fact that the annual（年度的） drug bill of the health services is mounting（增加） to astronomical（天文的） figures and shows no signs at present of ceasing to rise. The majority（多数） of the patients attending the medical outpatients（门诊病人） departments of our hospitals feel that they have not received adequate（足够的） treatment unless they are able to carry home with them some tangible remedy in the shape of a bottle of medicine, a box of pills（药丸）, or a small jar of ointment（药膏）. And the doctor in charge of the department is only too ready to provide them with these requirements（需要）.