The first part suggests that doctors are not effective. His first point in his argument uses the diseases of the early 1800's as an example. Before the diseases were tamed or controlled by the medical community via immunizations and antibiotics, the diseases were slowly disappearing. Illich states that the environment is the primary controller of disease. To support this point, Illich argues the amount of hospitals or doctors in an area does not indicate the amount of disease in that area. There is no causal relationship.

Illich's second attack on modern medicine is argued through the point that most medical treatment is useless. Illich believes that most medical treatment does not work and is not necessary. To support this point, he uses cancer as an example. The amount of treatment for cancer has increased but the death rate has remained the same.

Illich's next attack is on doctor inflicted injuries. Illich uses the term, Clinical Iatrogenesis. Clinical Iatrogenesis is a disease or injury that would not have occurred if the recommended treatment had not been applied.

Illich then claims that patients are defenseless. In a very broad statement, Illich claims that people are encouraged to become dependent on the medical system. Once dependent on the system, it is not possible for them to change the system. He doesn't go into the necessary details to support this statement but he refers to it as social iatrogenesis.

Illich's article is not very well written, lacks support, and is not very convincing. Illich appears to be a radical.