The Ubiquitous Internet

It was in 1998 or 1999 that I read this startling bit about the internet. The article stated that very soon, within a few years, all of human knowledge would be on the internet.

I remember being impressed but slightly skeptical at that time. I also remember, very vividly, discussing this with a friend (and with his friend, who was also present).

It was because of the reaction of my friend’s friend (I forget his name; let’s call him F2 just for the heck of it) that I even remember where the discussion took place. It is as vivid in my memory today, six years later, as it was soon after the meeting.

My friend, (let’s call him F1) and I, were to have a buffet lunch at Foodland in Dubai. The restaurant is known for its Indian buffet and is situated near the Galadari roundabout. I promised F1 that I would meet him there.

We had a terrific meal together and when we came out, F1 chanced to see an old pal of his, F2, standing outside the restaurant. Apparently he was, in turn, waiting for pals of his own.

After the pleasantries were exchanged he told me that was working for a Jebel Ali company. He was in quite a good job it appeared. He asked me what I did for a living and I told him that I was in the Internet business – designing and hosting web sites.

I soon learned that he was not only computer illiterate, he was one of those guys who hide their fear of the PC by saying “Bosh! I don’t think computers have changed things much! I prefer doing things the old fashioned way!”

I remember trying very hard to show him the error of his thinking and to try and make a new convert out of him.

As the discussion progressed, he became more and more defensive. There was no point in progressing the discussion further so I let it go.

I was, as mentioned earlier, slightly skeptical as to whether mankind’s memoirs and blueprints would ever be found on the Net but thought no more about it. I had had a terrific meal and a good nap was called for. No point pondering the intricacies of the Internet on a stomach close to bursting!

The Net progressed subtly. Windows98 gave way to XP; bandwidth starting shooting skywards; software became larger and larger (and more easily downloadable); MP3 revolutionized music; Real Audio brought tremendous pleasure to people’s lives; on and on went the achievements.

One day, I was diagnosed as diabetic. It was, strangely enough, the 1^st day of January, 2004. And no, I had not had a binge the previous night! My wife and I had retired at a modest 1.30 am after having waited patiently for the New Year to hit India and after having wished friends (and foes) in India a Happy New Year with a gusto reserved only for this particular occasion.

Anyway……..as I mentioned earlier, the New Year brought it with the sweet tidings of sugar in the blood. It was a borderline case, the Pakistani doctor assured me; nothing that couldn’t be reversed, provided I walked an hour a day come heat waves or dust storms.

I mentally wrote off his well meaning suggestions. I couldn’t see myself walking in the 40 plus degrees Centigrade heat that envelopes Dubai almost all year around. It’s like walking in a furnace. Only crazy people or those with very severe diabetes, or even the hardy Pathans would be fool hardy to do so. But certainly not me. No sir!

The doctor had prescribed his pills. All that was left for me to do was to buy them and consume them. This, I did.

One of the tablets was artificial insulin to supplement the reduced insulin that my pancreas was providing. The other was a drug to stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin.

Soon after starting to take these tablets I began getting a sharp pain in abdominal area. I self-diagnosed it as originating in my liver.

I am a person who has been used to taking anywhere between one and three drinks an evening. Alcoholic beverages, if you must know. I have been doing it for years and whilst I am not addicted to it, it is a pleasant way to spend the evening. It is the legacy of having worked in the Indian automotive industry.

Maybe the tablets were clashing with the booze, I thought to myself. Why not check it out? What better source than to check than the Net?

I entered the generic name of the first dug. Gliclazide. Nothing untoward was reported.

I then entered the name of the second drug – metformin hydrochloride.

The pharmacology for this drug contra indicated alcohol. The consequences of blending the two could be severe!

There it was!

I stopped taking the metformin and continued the drinking and things have been fine.

Luckily for me I relocated in mid 2004 to India. The weather in Bangalore (where I live) is nothing short of scintillating. I take long walks. The sugar in the blood has reduced to normal levels though I still continue with the insulin – one small tablet a day of just 25 mg.

I have now gotten into the habit of checking all medicines prescribed on the Internet. It gives me a lot of insights into their side effects. Things the family doctor would never tell you.

Fast forward to yesterday, the 30^th of January 2005.

I developed a tooth ache. It was the mother of all tooth aches and even my good old friend Brufen 400 (Ibuprofen) was ineffective. In great pain I hobbled over to the friendly pharmacist for his expert opinion on the subject. After asking probing questions on the state of my pain, gums, etc he prescribed three tablets. The first, an antibiotic called Cipmox 500. (It passed the Internet test with flying colors. He was bang on in his prescription of this). The second was a new generation pain killer (Emanzen). This too passed. The third was just a single tablet. It is called Roffix. It is supposed to be a wonder drug. “Take it only if the pain refuses to go away after taking Emanzen” he cautioned. But what he did not tell me is that this drug is banned almost everywhere in the world; it has been recently banned in India too (how come he was selling it?) because it had a tendency to create heart attacks and strokes in its users after “prolonged” use.

Man! Was I stunned!

That’s when it hit me.

The Internet had finally, ubiquitously, become the last word on anything.

Is all of human knowledge currently on the Internet? Maybe not. But it’s close. Very close.

Article copyright © Prakash Subbarao. (prksh1@yahoo.com).