Epidural medication for relief of low back pain : a clinical study

Abstract

On a sunny day in Africa 10 million years ago, give or take afew million, Mr. and Mrs. Ramapithecus and their children were out foraging for food. Like their primate cousins in the forest, they usually swung gracefully from limb to limb searching out nuts, fruits and berries. But this day was different. A fierce rainstorm had knocked all their favourites off the branches, and the Ramus, alas, were forced to descend from the trees to find something to eat. Moving awkwardly on all fow's, knuckles bent, they were ungainly creatures on the'ground and also extremely vulnerable. Barely 3 ft. high, unable to see over the tall grass, Ramu suddenly found himself and his brood confronted by a snarling saber-toothed tiger. What to do? The forest was too far off to dash to safety. So, in an inspired gesture, Ramapithecus reachedfor a rock with both forefeet, reared back on his hind legs and heaved the stone at the predator. Started to see this usually four-footed prey erect, the tiger cautiously retreated. But the apeman's triumph was costly. Unaccustomed to the abrupt, unright position, he was left doubled over in agony with a piercing pain in his lower back.