HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bobp@msi.com (Bob Pitha)
Subject: Re: Chiropractics?
Organization: Molecular Simulations, Inc.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 18:30:42 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
X-Posted-From: phoenix.msi.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

Richard Kaplan (rkaplan@netcom.com) wrote:

: Some chiropractors claim that spinal manipulation can cure
: systemic medical illnesses, e.g. asthma, diabetes, or
: even cancer.  There is not a shred of scientific evidence to
: support this, all their spinal anatomy charts 
: notwithstanding.

  I should precede my question by mentioning that I am not stronly pro
or con on the issue of chiropractic.  I've never gone to one, but I
would consider it if I needed to.  So I'm not arguing with this statement,
but I do have a question about it.

  I was discussing the rationale behind chiropracty (is that the right
term?) with (surprise, surprise) a chiropractor, and he was advocating
chiropractic adjustment of infants starting at a few weeks.  When I
expressed surprise he went on to say that the process of birth can cause
subluxations which can pinch nerves and thus interfere with the proper
functioning of the new body.  He even implied that SIDS could often be
due to this...

  Then he explained that (and here we come to the part that's germaine to
the quoted statement above) the immune system can only function properly
when the nervous system is operating correctly, since the brain directs
some of the immune responses.  And subluxations, by pinching spinal nerves,
interfere with that communication and thus degrade the ability of the
immune system to function.

  Now, his implication is that chiropractic adjustment is the answer to all
ills of the human body.  I do not accept that, but I was wondering, is there
even a shred of logic here?  Not the part about infants - I just included
that because I found that a rather extreme point to make.  But is is at all
possible that a subluxation could, even slightly, affect the operation of
the immune system?  If that's true, then could it be true that adjustment
might help the body heal itself better?  It might work with other treat-
ments to make them work more effectively?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Pitha                      Molecular Simulations Inc.
bobp@msi.com                   16 New England Executive Park
(617) 229-9800 x242            Burlington, MA 01803-5297
Organization: Freshman, MCS general, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 16:55:17 -0500 
From: "Bartley R. Troyan" <bt26+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Toxic water

Here's a copy of the water-intoxication FAQ file (from
ftp.u.washington.edu, /public/alt.drugs):

From: lippard@uavax0.ccit.arizona.edu (James J. Lippard)
Date: 19 Jan 92 20:05:00 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.drugs,talk.politics.drugs,misc.legal
Subject: Re: Drug Forfeiture: What It Is!
 
The latest issue of _Fortean Times_ (#60, Dec. 1991) lists five cases
of "DANGEROUS DRINKING" in which people were overcome by water intoxication.
The first of these cases is most relevant in this newsgroup:
 
   A flight attendant from San Mateo County in California had to take
   a urine test at her job in San Francisco International Airport.
      She clammed up, or, as the doctors would say, she experienced a
   condition known as paruresis, "an inability to void in a crowded or
   noisy location" (apparently about 30% of men and 25% of women suffer
   from this).
      She was encouraged to drink as much water as she needed and guzzled
   three litres in three hours.  Still she couldn't pee.  Hours later, the
   40-year-old woman staggered into Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame,
   her speech slurred, her thinking fuzzy, unable to perform simple
   multiplication.  At first it was thought she was having a stroke;
   but a battery of tests revealed water intoxication as the cause.  She was
   placed in a quiet, dark room where she voided three litres.  Her
   brain functions returned to normal in 24 hours.
      She was the first drug-test taker known to suffer from this,
   according to Burlingame doctors David Klonoff and Andrew H. Jurow
   reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2 Jan
   1991).  There have been only seven other reported cases of healthy
   people with the dangerous condition, which causes water-logged brain
   cells and a dilution of body minerals.  One person died.  The
   doctors suggested restricting drug-test takers to one litre of
   water.  San Jose Mercury News via Omaha World-Herald, 4 Jan 1991.
 

Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: pce9202@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Patricia Emily)
Subject: Missing front tooth...need advice.
Organization: Boeing
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 23:28:52 GMT


			

		WHAT TO DO ABOUT A BROKEN TOOTH???

My sister injured her front upper tooth as a child.  
The nerve in the tooth atrophied and died over the years.  
Now the problem is that the whole tooth fell out.  She had 
it "glued" in, but it is not a long-term solution.

She is looking for a conservative, long-term solution.  
She was told about teeth that are "screwed" into the bone of the 
tooth socket.  However, she was told that this is painful, and 
may have other problems associated with it.  She mentioned 
another solution ( a partial??) maybe, but I can't 
remember at the moment.

I am posting this hoping for some information, or someone with 
a similar experience.  She is looking for the most conservative 
approach possible (i.e. no surgery, or painful prosthetics, etc.)  

Please excuse my incomplete knowledge of the dental technology and
terminology.  I'm hoping some one can supply some information, or 
resource I could investigate.

Thank You!


Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: waddell@firnvx.firn.edu
Subject: Re: Garlic Gelcaps
Organization: Florida State University
Date: 26 Jan 93 15:01:41 EST

In article <BSIMON.93Jan26081052@elvis.stsci.edu>, 
   bsimon@stsci.edu (Bernie Simon) writes:
> Besides the effects on blood cholesterol, garlic has been shown to
> have an antibacterial and antiviral effect (my source is Dr. Andrew
> Weil's "Natural Health, Natural Medicine"). It's best to use the "real
> thing" instead of the pills. Try taking two cloves once a day the next
> time you start coming down with a cold and see if it does any good.
> 

I read somewhere that garlic works as a blood purifier when eaten cooked
and as an antibacterial/antiviral agent when eaten raw.  Comments?

BTW when I have a cold and my throat gets a little scratchy I suck on 
a slice of garlic as long as I can stand it and it seems to clear it up 
by the next day.  
-- 

Have fun!

   =-Kathy->                                   waddell@firnvx.firn.edu
From: akh@empress.gvg.tek.com (Anna K. Haynes)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Zovirax and herpesviruses
Date: 27 Jan 93 05:07:57 GMT
Reply-To: akh@empress.gvg.tek.com
Organization: Grass Valley Group, Grass Valley, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: omega.gvg.tek.com

Is Zovirax as effective on Herpes Zoster (chicken pox) as it is on Herpes simplex
(cold sores)?  A coworker of mine with no history of chicken pox has recently 
been exposed (people shouldn't have kids--they're hazardous to your health)
& his doctor told him there was no preventative or curative treatment available.
This didn't sound right--is it?

---
Anna K. Haynes  The Grass Valley Group, Inc. Grass Valley, CA  (916) 478-3691
   <akh@empress.GVG.TEK.COM>  -or-  <...!tektronix!gvgpsa!empress!akh>
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: hudel@waterloo.hp.com (Chris Hudel)
Subject: Private Health Insurance (Canada)
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 20:04:53 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard (Panacom Division)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8.6]

Other than Blue Cross, is there any insurance agency that will sell
individual or family-based health insurance?  I'd particularly like to
know what the "perks" are with each package, ie: how many visits to
such-and-such a doctor are covered per year, etc..

Thanks,
Chris.
Xref: sparky misc.health.alternative:751 sci.med.nutrition:2056
From: thom@cs.mun.ca (Thomas Clancy)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative,sci.med.nutrition
Subject: Re: Garlic Gelcaps
Date: 26 Jan 93 19:00:21 GMT
Organization: CS Dept., Memorial University of Newfoundland

oldman@coos.dartmouth.edu (Prakash Das) writes:

>In article <mtymp15.728015222@staff.tc.umn.edu> mtymp15@staff.tc.umn.edu (David Hutton) writes:
>>What exactly is garlic supposed to do for your health?
>>

>Besides ruining your breath, and endangering your health through
>loss of friends, garlic lowers blood pressure, increase the level 
>of HDL (ggod cholesterol), and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol). But
>don't get too excited: You would have to eat more than 9 cloves 
>a day to get an effect. BTW, most garlic gelcaps are of
>little use because they haven't extracted in a certain, particular
>way (I do not have my reference at hand) the essential oils from 
>garlic. ONLY extracts which have been produced using
>that method are useful.

>-Prakash Das

I have heard also that Garlic is supposed to have a kind of 
preventative effect for Stomach cancer. Ie: Fiber to Colon Cancer
From: flatau@cs.utexas.edu (Arthur Flatau)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Hospital Santa Monica
Date: 25 Jan 1993 12:19:06 -0600
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: im4u.cs.utexas.edu


I have a friend who is interested in the getting information about:
   Hospital Santa Monica
   Old Mexico (Southern California -- Baja).

It is a Holistic/Alternative Care Hospital, run by Dr. Donsbach and
Dr. Asleben.  He would be interested in any information about the
cancer treatments they have.  Also if anyone has been there or knows
of someone who has been there, he would like to talk to them.

Please e-mail me.

Thanks,
Art
flatau@cli.com
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: pce9202@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Patricia Emily)
Subject: Tick borne disease...
Organization: Boeing
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 03:32:44 GMT


		
Does anyone have good information on tick borne diseases?  My sister has 
suffered several tick and flea bites last summer.  She has not felt well
for the last several months.  She has flu-like symptoms; generally not 
feeling well.  She has some minor joint inflammation in her right hand and toes.
She says sometimes her finger tips and toes feeled inflammed.  Lately, she
has woken up in the morning with her right hand closed and stiff.  She says
it takes about 30 seconds to work it open.  

She has been to numerous doctors hoping for a diagnosis and relief from the
symptoms.  She has been diagnosed with things like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus,
lyme disease (the tick connection). She has had the test for lyme disease and the
results came back "equivocal" meaning not positive or negative.  The doctor however
is treating her for lyme disease since they will treat if it is suspected.

The antibiotic treatment for lyme disease is Suprax 400 mg, BID for 30 days.
She said that she feels better after only a couple of days of antibiotics.

Does anyone have a clue what is going on here, or have similar experiences??
She has had a hard time finding knowledgable doctors, and still does not have a
definite diagnosis.  I would be interested in hearing from people who have seen
similar cases and can perhaps give some insight.  

What is the prognosis for someone with this type of disease?  

Thanks!
From: rkaplan@netcom.com (Richard Kaplan)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Chiropractics?
Date: 27 Jan 93 00:55:35 GMT
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)

In article <1993Jan26.155051.2970@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
 echristo@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Elena A Christofides) writes:

>Well, I haven't polled every DC, or even every DPM for that matter about
>whether they all *want* to be in the AMA. My point is ... does not the AMA

How many have you polled?  What were the results?

>Nor do I think that they should treat diabetes, asthma, etc. That is not what
>they are trained to do. Does that mean though that every MD who has training
>different fields should be excluded from the AMA because they are not trained

You are absolutely right that the AMA benefits from having
members who contribute knowledge of their respective specialities.
However, common to all specialties within the AMA is acceptance
of the need to include controlled studies of physiology,
pathophysiology, and treatment effectiveness in one's thinking
process when formulating a care plan.  This does not mean that
all these elements are always known; however, the
alopathic literature clearly values scientifically valid 
data far more than anecdotal data, particularly when the
former is easily attainable.
   
>in internal medicine or whatever? How about the physical medicine field?
>They're essentially a liason between the internist (internal medicine dude)
>the physical therapists. So, since they do a lot of their work by physical
>manipulation and therapy that they should be excluded from the AMA? NO!

Funny you should mention that -- that happens to be my specialty.
Your description of physiatry is somewhat less than accurate -- but
we'll leave that for appropriate channels of discussion.  I
do, indeed, often prescribe medications in addition to physical
therapy.  However, the more important issue is as above -- my
belief in scientifically studied pathophysiology rather
than anecdote.
 

>What I am saying is that, MD's have this attitude that since one can get
>accepted to these school's with lower grades/scores, then they must not make
>very good physicians - thus, MD's are intellectually superior.


Who has an attitude?  Who said any of this had to do with
relative qualities of school and grades?  Who said MDs
are intellectually superior?  Not I.
-- 
Richard Kaplan M.D.           Medical Software Exchange BBS
806 2nd St. SW # 104          (507) 281-1989 14,400 HST
Rochester, MN  55902          (507) 281-1689 Voice
PP-ASEL-IA     N4VRB          rkaplan@mayo.edu|netcom.netcom.com  
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: farrell@rhea.trl.oz.au (Peter Farrell)
Subject: Re: Immunisation
Organization: Telecom Australia Research Labs
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 05:42:29 GMT

In article <BSIMON.93Jan25075543@elvis.stsci.edu>, bsimon@stsci.edu (Bernie Simon) writes:
> 
> If you want more information about imunizations, the best book for you
> to read is "The Immunization Decision" by Randall Neustadter. This
> book discusses each of the common immunizations and the risks
> associated with getting or not getting it. If you can't find the book
> locally, you can order it from:
> 
> Homeopathic Educational Services
> 2124 Kittredge St.
> Berkeley CA 94704
> (800) 359-9051 (orders only)
> (510) 649-0294 (inquiries/catalogs)
> 
The difficulty that I have is the difference of opinion which appears to
exist between the public health authorities and homeopaths. I have seen 
some of the arguments by homeopaths about the side effects of vaccination 
but I have not seen any attempts at rebuttals by  orthodox medicos. Does
anyone know of a serious rebuttal.
Thanks, Peter.
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: dunbar@boulder.Colorado.EDU (S Dunbar)
Subject: Re: How Serious is High Blood Pressure? 
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: 25 Jan 93 19:23:20 GMT

high blood pressure is no joke, if his doc put him on medication and
he decided he didnt need it anymore, or she i forgot if you said, ive got
three letters for your friend.  CVA
which is cerebral vascular accident, or more commonly STROKE, 

have his go to a rehab hospital and look at all the poor people in
there with strokes, facial paralysis, one sided paralysis, and ever
worse, completely gorked for life, high blood pressure is serious and
i would take 5 heart attacks to one stroke, not really but in your 
case your friend has a choice to control there blood pressure.

good luck to your friend, i am not a doctor but have worked entensively
in hospitals and seen younger people with CVA's, some women due to
oral contraceptives and some others for high BP.

scott
 
Scott\      /\/\  /|email: dunbar@boulder.colorado.edu
  /***\  /\/*/**\/*|Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
 /  /\ \/**\/    \ |University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO  80309-0347
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: hartman@informix.com (Robert Hartman)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: anecdotal evidence - worthless?
Date: 20 Jan 93 18:58:21 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <1993Jan19.011735.14452@netcom.com> rkaplan@netcom.com (Richard Kaplan) writes:
>In article <1993Jan18.193200.20112@vexcel.com> dean@vexcel.com
> (Dean Alaska) writes:
>
>>We have seen some discussion about the value of double blind tests and
>>anecdotal evidence.  Some people seem to believe that double blind defines
>>evidence while anecdotal evidence is useless. Is there no middle ground?
>>Have no double blind tests been is error?  Shouldn't anecdotal evidence
>>be valued on case-by-case basis?  I think a personal case history would be
>
>Anecdotal evidence is most valuable for generation of
>hypotheses to later be tested under controlled conditions.
>In some cases, a controlled experiment may be unethical or
>dangerous and thus anecdotal evidence may remain the best
>available.  But one should always be skeptical of clinical
>practice which is based upon anecdotal evidence when
>more definitive studies could be, but have not been,
>carried out.

I entirely agree.  I accept a more relaxed standard of evidence when
the treatment or effect is harmless.  For instance, it can't really
hurt me to take extra vitamins when I'm feeling sick.  So I do.  Even if
it isn't "clinically proven," so what.  Even if the only reason I wind
up feeling better is the placebo effect, so what.  I _do_ feel better.

On the other hand, it can be harmful to forego certain treatments that
are backed up by formal testing protocols.  For instance, if I get a
nasty bacterial infection, I'm going to take antibiotics.  I may also
drink lots of wheat grass juice to restore my body to balance from the
disease and the side-effects of this conventional treatment, but I
won't use the juice as a _replacement_ for the antibiotics.  That just
doesn't make sense.

-r
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative,sci.med.nutrition
From: green@island.COM (Robert Greenstein)
Subject: Life Extension Foundation
Organization: Strawman Incorporated
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 19:29:48 GMT

Does anyone know the address or, better yet, the telephone number for
the Life Extension Foundation?

-- 
******************************************************************************
Robert Greenstein           What the fool cannot learn he laughs at, thinking
green@srilanka.island.com   that by his laughter he shows superiority instead
                            of latent idiocy - M. Corelli
From: betsys@cs.umb.edu (Elizabeth Schwartz)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: How to loose weight permanently ?
Date: 25 Jan 93 19:12:10 GMT
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Boston

Eat less.
Exercise more.


Detail level two:

Eat less: cut down or eliminate meat and fats in favor of whole grains
          and fresh vegetables. For more energy, reduce or cut out
          caffiene, nicotene, and extra sugar and maybe alcohol.
          Drink LOTS of water.

Exercise more: Do regular exercise. Add activity to your daily
          routine: stairs instead of elevators, take stretch breaks
          instead of food or cigarette breaks, do extra walking
          whenever possible; park farther away or get off public 
          transit one stop earlier. Buy a dog and walk it; go dancing;
          take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV....




    
 



--
System Administrator                  Internet: betsys@cs.umb.edu
MACS Dept, UMass/Boston               Phone   : 617-287-6448
100 Morrissey Blvd                    Staccato signals
Boston, MA 02125-3393                      of constant information....
From: wright@duca.hi.com (David Wright)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Chiropractics?
Date: 26 Jan 93 10:02:50 GMT
Organization: Hitachi Computer Products, OSSD division
NNTP-Posting-Host: duca.hi.com

In article <1993Jan26.020234.24259@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> echristo@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Elena A Christofides) writes:
>
>Most MD's will take any opportunity to knock the DC's, the DP's, and the DO's!
>(especially the DO's!!)
>Like calling them - "Not REAL Doctors!"

Depends on the MD.  My uncle, a recently-retired GP, said he had no
problem referring patients to DO's and thought their training was
fine.

This from a guy who also had no use for chiropractors.

So MD's are not universal on this one.

  -- David Wright, Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.  Waltham, MA
     wright@hicomb.hi.com  ** my opinion, not necessarily Hitachi's **
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
From: anne@cs.UAlberta.CA (Anne J.R. Nield)
Subject: Re: anecdotal evidence - worthless?
Organization: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 21:49:35 GMT

tarl@sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter) writes:

For medical evidence, you should conduct an experiment with a large
>enough sample to eliminate random noise (which could have been your result),
>and run it as a double-blind test to eliminate placebo and self-delusion.
>-- 

"Medical" evidence (as in WESTERN, particularly North American, medical 
evidence) ain't the only game
in town -- even though many people would have us believe it is.

Since so many absolutely miraculous things seem to occur based on
"the placebo effect" and "self-delusion", I'm surprised the pharmaceutical
companies haven't found a way to patent it yet.  Think of the $$$billions
they're missing out on!

Reminds me of a cartoon I once saw of a woman sitting in a doctor's
office while her doctor flipped madly through the pages of a medical
book.  He was saying, "I'm sorry Mrs. Jones, you couldn't POSSIBLY
have that symptom.  It isn't listed here."

An
From: wright@duca.hi.com (David Wright)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Immunisation
Date: 25 Jan 1993 10:26:41 -0000
Organization: Hitachi Computer Products, OSSD division
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: duca.hi.com

In article <1jq1nlINNlrv@transfer.stratus.com> tarl@sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter) writes:
>Other vaccinations that you probably won't see in the U.S.:
>    smallpox, influenza, rabies, cholera, typhoid, plague, yellow fever.
>Unless you are planning travel in exposed areas, these vaccines are not
>terribly useful.

What are the exposed areas for smallpox?  I seem to recall
considerable hoopla back in the mid-70's when smallpox was supposedly
eradicated after the last few cases were tracked down in Ethiopia and
those in the affected area were vaccinated.

Were reports of smallpox's death greatly exaggerated?

  -- David Wright, Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.  Waltham, MA
     wright@hicomb.hi.com  ** my opinion, not necessarily Hitachi's **

When you go in for a job interview, I think a good thing to ask is if
they ever press charges. 
                       - Jack Handy, SNL