Colds and Antibiotics: Rarely a Good Combination

One of the commonest reasons people visit the doctor over winter is for a respiratory illness with symptoms such as a sore throat, hoarseness, runny nose, sneezing, fever or a cough. Their reasons for seeking medical help are varied.

When antibiotics were first discovered and used in the 1940’s they were quite rightly regarded as miracle drugs. They allowed many simple but potentially fatal infections such as pneumonia to be cured. Their use together with immunisations, contraception and public health measures has done more for alleviating human suffering and prolonging life than anything to date.