Relatively speaking

Certain entrenched beliefs may take decades or centuries to change however much the believers are exposed to science.

MY patient was in his late 30s and married with three young children. He sold used cars and smoked 30 cigarettes a day for 20 years. Last year, he was diagnosed with an advanced lung cancer. He underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, and not unexpectedly, he succumbed to his illness and died. It was nine months between diagnosis and death.