A dentist is legally allowed to prescribe and/or dispense drugs for the purpose of diagnosing, treating or preventing conditions of the oral-facial complex for patients that they are treating. It's not appropriate for dentist's to self prescribe medications to themselves or family without specification.
The two elements of Shackleton's South! that are common traits of a memoir are the vivid description of the landscape and The first-person point of view or style of narration.