After experiencing acute attacks of writer's cramp from overuse of the blue pencil, an editor feels grateful to those authors whose flawless prose gives the overworked editorial digits a well-deserved rest. Lest this gratitude remain unacknowledged, I have excerpted the following memorable passages from recently submitted manuscripts:
"The patient had no evidence of heart disease at that time," writes Dr A. Note how gracefully the author avoided geometricizing the sentence. He could have said that "the patient had no evidence of heart disease at that point of time."
"Diagnosis and treatment had to be reconsidered," writes Dr B. Observe the restraint. Dr B could have hyped the sentence by stating that "diagnosis and treatment underwent an agonizing reappraisal."
"Antibiotic therapy was begun and was continued for two weeks," Dr C informs us. Just think of the alternative. The author might have said that "the patient was begun on antibiotics and