Put into practice

“Dr Phil Hammond certainly puts his theory into practice about laughter being the best medicine,” writes a Craigie regular.

“He said he was visiting a dying friend of like persuasion when a nurse came up and asked: ‘Are you constipated?’ His friend replied: ‘No, I’m Church of England’.

“He also told of a patient whose bad lifestyle was killing him. He asked him: ‘Why do you drink so much whisky?’ The patient replied: ‘It helps to pass the time while I’m smoking’.

“When the patient was in really dire straits, there were so many things wrong with him, the doctor did not know where to start. Eventually, he shook his head and said: ‘I can’t really say exactly what is wrong with you. I suppose it must be the booze.’

“The patient replied: ‘That’s all right, doctor. I’ll come back when you’re sober’.”