Blown out of proportion

The corresponding letters of outrage by Dr Simpson and Ms Burger in the April 2009 issue1,2 prompted me to review the [February 2009] cover image in question. In truth, I had not paid much attention to it when the issue originally reached me.

On reflection, the image shows a naked, vulnerable adult woman, externally in good health, clutching what should be a vital source of nourishment, which is instead a source of pain and illness. I am reminded of the struggles my patients with celiac disease go through every day and believe perhaps this image helped me to understand their situation better. That’s not a bad job for such a small piece of art—I’m sorry others didn’t like it as much as I did.

I would certainly disagree with the assertion that the image seems to have been chosen out of “laziness” or a lack of thought.1 On the contrary, when the image is seen in the context of its accompanying epigraph—“What is food to one, is to others bitter poison” (Lucretius, On the Nature of Things [99-55 BC])—it is clear to me the editors devoted a great deal of thought to what they were doing.

In contrast, this month’s [April 2009] cover shows a bunch of molecules bouncing around, which could have been taken from a physiology textbook or a video game advertisement. It doesn’t really inspire me to reflect in a meaningful way on the effects of diabetes or, in fact, on anything else. I note that Canadian Family Physician tends to select images of people more often than mere physiologic diagrams as cover art—this is to be applauded, regardless of the state of dress of the model.

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