DRUGS, MEDICINES AND THE RELATED

 DRUGS, MEDICINES AND THE RELATED

 Often we notice use of terms –drugs and medicines as if the two mean one and the same. Such a contention is inappropriate in that the two differ and distinctly so.

A substance to cure illness is a medicine; thus, drugs can work as medicines. The cases in point are the antibiotics. Antibiotics fall under the category of Drugs. Drugs are substances of origin from living systems like fungi, bacteria and similar other tiny organisms. For a long time drugs and medicines were understood respectively as natural derivatives and formulated chemical mixture[s]. So, normally special products like Penicillin, Streptomycin, Aure-omycin and a host of others are antibiotics,  in that they work against some other disease-causing invaders like bacteria/microbes. Only when targeted to fight diseases from infections by pathogens [disease causing organisms] the curative is an Antibiotic. 

 Another dimension has accrued to the term Drug.

 Largely these are understood as agents causing hallucinations,  psychedelic influences like drifting through colourful clouds or spectacular  space that one seldom finds as a physical entity. 

As such, these are items of serious concern as they can ruin mental balance of persons and make them addicts.

Most of the hallucinating substances are natural products-

[drugs]; while medicines can be ‘assembled ‘/formulated by combining a few chemical substances. Till mid sixties, Physicians had, trained personnel on their staff [Compounders] who could compound or mix substances and pass them on to patients; such facilities were Dispensaries. Such terms are fading out from general use.

In earlier days, medicines were sold through shops named “Druggists and Chemists” outlets, meaning that they can dispense ready-made products or formulate medicines  as per prescription. Such houses are “MEDICAL SHOPS” now but formulations of the old kind do not exist .

 Curiously two expressions are known-Medical/Medicinal. The two stand for different implications. The one that helps to provide substances for treatment is of Medical value or significance. The one that provides relief or cure from a disorder is of Medicinal value.  Say ‘turmeric’ is of medicinal value and it is not a medical plant. Likewise a drug store/shop is a medical outlet and not medicinal in value. Being an agent of treating a disorder is Medicinal, while helping to buy a curative or medicine is a Medical outlet.

So, ‘medical’ is a reference to something connected to treating illness or providing medicines for treatment;  Thus, it is ‘medical profession’.

Medicinal is a reference to possessing the ability to cure or alleviate pain or discomfort.

Subtle differences in meaning make the language more precise though, apparently complicated for the non-natives.