HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.skeptic,talk.origins,aus.politics
Subject: Re: Inoculation aggro
Date: 10 Nov 92 03:05:18 GMT
Organization: The Information Deli - via Netcom / San Jose, California

In <1992Nov8.095336.4191@darwin.ntu.edu.au> salter_duke@darwin.ntu.edu.au
writes:

>However, this campaign is being attacked by a local loony who is against
>all forms of vaccination.  He is using a mixture of hard work (or 
>fanaticism), taking very old articles, choosing quotations out of
>context, lies & misleading information.   He is fairly literate and the
>local paper prints his letters.

>The question: should my friend, and the local medical community,
>take this nutter on in public debate?  Will he get more publicity
>by a debate and have his views more widespread?  Or should they ignore
>him?

[Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional or public health official.
I have resided solely in the US.  Judge these suggestions accordingly.]

A public debate would just communicate that the matter is debatable.

Ignore *him*, as much as possible, but do *not* ignore the fact that he is
spreading misinformation.

Counter his misinformation with facts.  Communicate the facts as clearly
and as widely as you can.  When you do, list respectable health care
professionals or institutions -- local or national medical associations,
government health offices, etc. -- who support the assertions you make.

To communicate the facts, print up and distribute flyers.  Write or call
the newspapers and TV stations.  Set up an information telephone hotline.
Set up a reading library of applicable books and journals.

Counter his misinformation when appropriate by showing he is using old
information, by supplying the context he leaves out, etc. -- but *don't*
debate.  Back up your facts with the weight of authority.

-- 
Peter Kaminski
kaminski@netcom.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: hank@well.sf.ca.us (Hank Roberts)
Subject: Re: Seasonal Affective Disorder - Light Treatments
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 20:58:17 GMT



Here is a recent book that may interest people"

_Seasonal Affective Disorder_
Angela Smyth
Harper-Collins
ISBN 0-7225-2569-9
Paperback, published by Thorsons (England)

275 pages; index; citations; resources.
Good discussion of biological rhythms and of SAD specifically.

Brief excerpt:

"In the absence of natural light our body clocks may lose or gain
a little time.  This in turn could lead to the desynchronization of
different rhythms.  For example, in the absence of sufficient
environmental light the sleep-wake and associated rest-activity
rhythms may lengthen to a cycle of between 30 and 48 hours, while the
temperature rhythm may remain at a period of, say, 25 hours.  Such
desyunchronisation of the body's intricate rhythms is suspected to
trigger problems: hormonal imbalances, sleep disorders and mood
disturbances.
    Just as animals rely on signals from the sun to keep their body
clocks exact and to synchronize their activities, so humans need sufficient
daylight to synchronize their circadian and circannual rhythms ...
giving SAD patients artificial daylight has proved successful in
correcting these disorders, which suggests that SAD is directly
associated with lack of sufficient light."
 ...
"In research trials it has been noted that some people find protein
meals give them energy, whereas cargohydrates make them sleepy.  Others,
however, find that carbohydrates stimulate them, making them feel less
drowsy and more able to concentrate.  SAD sufferers often fall into
the latter category .... your notes will ...inform you of
the time you most need these nutrients ... This need should not be
ignored but, instead, incorporated into your daily eating plan."
 ...
"Most people who suffer from SAD feel the need to get away from others
and be alone at some time or other during the winter.  For this reason
it is important if you live with others to establish a personal space,
nook or cranny, where you can go and not be disturbed.... Creating a
personal space is part of your acceptance of SAD and your opportunity to
nurture yourself through the winter."
----from: Smyth, A., Seasonal Affective Disorder (HarperCollins,0-7225-2569-9)
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: enteritis
Date: 6 Nov 92 16:51:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: cnsvax.1992Nov6.225118.2182
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <40648@sdcc12.ucsd.edu>, wsun@jeeves.ucsd.edu (Fiberman) writes:
> Hello, netters
> 
> I recently had a case of fever, muscle ache, and headache, all
> symptoms of the common flu.  However, the next day I started
> getting abdominal pains.  They are intermittent, but when they
> came, they were very painful.  That same evening I had to go to
> the ER.  They took X-rays and blood samples.  The doctor said
> that the blood sample looked OK, and there does not appear to be
> obstruction of bowel movement from the X-ray.  However, he said
> something about fluid filled sacs in the intestines.  He never
> explained if this is the result of a viral infection.  In any
> case, he prescribed some donnatol and told me to drink clear
> liquids until I can handle solid food again.
> 
> Does anyone know if the flu can result in enteritis?  I have
> heard of stomach virus before, but never intestinal virus.
> Also, I only had a slight case of diarrhea, so it is not likely
> to be food poisoning or stomach virus.  The intermittent pain
> can probably be explained by the bowel moving pass these
> inflammed sacs.  I just don't understand how the virus could
> have made its way to the intestines.

A viral infection is the most common cause of gastroenteritis.
Many different viruses including the influenza virus can cause
it.  It is a little early in the season for influenza so my bet
is that you had some other bug.  When you are infected with a
virus, it typically spreads through your bloodstream throughout
the body.  They usually prefer to set up housekeeping in certain
parts, accounting for the specific symptoms of that infection.

David Nye
nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.med.nutrition
From: young@serum.kodak.com (Rich Young)
Subject: Fat cravings
Originator: young@sasquatch
Reply-To: young@serum.kodak.com
Organization: Clinical Diagnostics Division, Eastman Kodak Company
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 17:12:37 GMT

From SCIENCE NEWS: Vol. 142, No. 19, November 7, 1992, page 311 (quoted with-
out permission and edited for brevity):

	   A team of neuroscientists led by Sarah F. Leibowitz at Rockefeller
	University in New York City has uncovered evidence in rats that a
	brain protein called galanin dictates the craving for fatty foods.
	Moreover, the group has found that a drug that blocks galanin's
	activity can reduce an animal's appetite for fat.
	   Leibowitz's team found that rats with high natural concentrations
	of galanin in a brain region called the hypothalamus at more lard
	each day and gained more weight over the study period than did rats
	with low galanin concentrations -- despite the fact that both groups
	consumed roughly the same amount of protein and carbohydrate each
	day.  In addition, the researchers observed, the rats with high
	galanin levels almost always began their meals by lapping up lard,
	indicating that they might be trying to satisfy a craving.
	   In a second study reported at the [Society for Neuroscience's
	annual meeting], Leibowitz' group ruled out the possibility that
	the extra galanin might have arisen elsewhere in the rats' bodies
	and then traveled to their brains.  They also found that [rats with
	high galanin concentrations] had reduced concentrations of insulin
	in the blood, indicating that galanin serves as a biochemical link
	between obesity and diabetes.  Her team has not yet determined how
	galanin and insulin interact.
	   Leibowitz [says] that earlier experiments by her group and others
	have shown that rats receiving galanin injections in a specific
	region of their hypothalamus eat much more fat than do control rats
	given galanin injections elsewhere in their brains.  Moreover, she 
	says, the galanin injections make the fat-gobbling rats sluggish,
	reducing their metabolism and leading to weight gain.
	   Leibowitz and her colleagues have recently fouond that an experi-
	mental drug called M40 can slash a rat's fat craving by blocking
	the activity of galanin in its hypothalamus.  In the November/
	December BRAIN RESEARCH, she and Rockefeller colleague Taewan Kim
	report that rats given extra galanin to boost their fat intake
	resume eating normal amounts of fat following injections of M40.



-Rich Young (These are not Kodak's opinions.)
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: hbr@iccdev.indcomp.com (Howard Richter)
Subject: Back surgery, Has anybody Had
Summary: Has Any body had a laminectomy
Keywords: Back surgery
Organization: Industrial Computer Corp.
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 18:20:31 GMT

I am thinking about having an laminectomy. I have a herniated L5-s1 disk
and have been told by three different surgeons that it is needed.
I am looking for information from people who have had this, and what to look
out for..

Thanks
hbr
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed Sep  9 11:19:03 EDT 1992
If I could get my membership fee back,
I'd resign from the human race.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mrl@alcvax.pfc.mit.edu
Subject: RE: Those darn antihistamine/decongestants
Organization: MIT PLASMA FUSION CENTER
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:33:54 GMT

In a previous article, b_lmcgilve@cpvax.cpses.tu.com wrote:
>When I first tried dealing (medicating) my allergies, my doctor explained
>to me that there are(were) four main classes of antihistamines.  I tried them
>all.  Some of them, Tavist in particular, gave me such strange dreams that
>I could not sleep and didn't help the symptoms at all.  I finally ended up
>on Seldane which seems to be doing the trick.  When I get a cold/respiratory
>virus I take Entex LA (rx) decongestant in the morning and a Seldane at
>night.  

My wife also uses Seldane for allergy attacks.  However, she also has been
using Vitamin C AND an equal amount of bioflivanoids, and that has greatly
reduced her allergy symptoms so she no longer gets allergy shots.  Lately, I've
been hearing that the bioflivanoid Quercitin is supposed to be extremely good
for allergies and asthma.  You can buy that seperately at health food stores.

Mark London
MRL@NERUS.PFC.MIT.EDU
From: Rick.Ellis@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: H2 blockers
Date: 7 Nov 92 17:28:02 GMT
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov  5 1992

I woman I recently met has been suffering from chronic hyper-acidity for most 
of her adult life.  I suggest that she talk to her MD about it and ask for an 
H2 blocker.  She did and he refused saying something negative about there long 
term effects.  Is this a reasonable attitude?
From: mcovingt@aisun3.ai.uga.edu (Michael Covington)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Hemingway's invention
Date: 10 Nov 92 02:35:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: athena.1992Nov10.023511.20683
Organization: AI Programs, University of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Nov09.200801.1771@bnr.ca> labiche@crchh561.BNR.CA (Maurice LaBiche) writes:

>This doesn't make much sense unless he threw away the invention and
>never showed to anyone.  If he didn't patent it someone else could
>have.  The first one to get to the patent office would get the patent 
>and unless proof was shown otherwise they could use the invention as
>they see fit.  

Yes, but such proof might be very easy to come by.  A patent is invalid if
the invention was previously invented by somebody else (whether or not the
patent owner knew about it).  So all Hemingway needed to do was publish his
invention in some readily accessible journal.  From then on, he can't
patent it, but neither can anybody else.

-- 
:-  Michael A. Covington     internet mcovingt@uga.cc.uga.edu 
:-  Artificial Intelligence Programs       phone 706 542-0358
:-  The University of Georgia                fax 706 542-0349
:-  Athens, Georgia 30602-7415 U.S.A.     amateur radio N4TMI
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Homeopathy
Date: 10 Nov 92 18:42:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Nov10.184238.25080
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <BSIMON.92Nov10072905@elvis.stsci.edu> bsimon@elvis.stsci.edu (Bernie Simon) writes:
>The best evidence comes from clinical studies. One study
>shows that homeopathy is effective against rheumatic arthritis (1).

>(1) P.Fischer, A.Greenwood, E.C.Huskisson, et al., "Effect of
>Homeopathic Treatment on Fibrositis (Primary Fibromyalgia)," British
>Medical Journal 299(1989):365-366.

Duh.

Fibromyalgia is most definitely not rheumatic in origin or any form
of arthritis.  God, man, why do you waste our time?  Such nonsense.

I would also argue (unlike Dr. Nye) that it is stretching it to call
fibromyalgia a disease (yet).  It's at best a constellation of symptoms
to which we have given a name.  I will make a point of looking up and
reading the article, however.

>My dictionary (Compact Oxford Dictionary) defines "palliate" as
>"alleviate (disease) without curing". According to this definition,
>what your mother received was palliative treatment. I think some of
>the disagreement in previous posts about the effectiveness of
>allopathic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis arises from differing
>definitions of palliation. To me, palliation is more than pain relief.
>I am aware that some allopathic treatments of rheumatoid arthritis
>slow the progress of the disease. However, I am not aware of any that
>cure it. If some knowledgable person is aware of such a treatment,
>could they please follow up with a post?

Unlike cheerleaders for quacks, medicine doesn't pretend to be able to
cure most cases of arthritis.  Apparently, homeopathy does.
So where's the evidence that homeopathy has "cured" arthritis?

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
From: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Why alternative medicine gets no respect  (was: Ingesting urine)
Date: 7 Nov 92 00:12:50 GMT
Article-I.D.: pitt.17310
Reply-To: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1cueonINN6r8@im4u.cs.utexas.edu> turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes:
>
>Tsk, tsk, tsk.  I would expect a professional philosopher to lend
>a more sympathetic ear to those who propose alternative views of
>medicine.

I love it! More than one tongue-in-cheek on this newsgroup

BTW, to make matters more confusing, I believe the fetus does, in
fact urinate into the amniotic fluid.

 -km
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mazur@inmet.camb.inmet.com (Beth Mazur)
Subject: Re: Weight Loss with Dexfenfluramine
Organization: Intermetrics Inc, Cambridge MA
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 21:26:00 GMT

>In <1992Nov13.140839.7710@omen.UUCP> caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg) writes:
>>
>>Steve, you still haven't shown us what's so lousy about the
>>"state of the art-ness" of the diet, exercise, and behavior mod
>>of Weintraub's program.......

Aren't there better things to do than debate what's meant by the term
"state of the art?" But quibbling over semantics is what many of us live 
for, n'est pas?

I suspect that Steve didn't mean to imply that the program's use of diet,
exercise, and behavior mod was "lousy."  Just that it's a bit misleading
to use the term "state of the art" about a program that's based on 
relatively old, widely-used, principles.  

BTW, anybody else hear about trials of a drug that interferes with fat
digestion?  I believe it's called Olistat, and it cause up to 30% of ingested
fat to be excreted undigested.  Of course, I read this in that 
highly-regarded medical journal Family Circle (or was it Women's Day :-).

Beth Mazur                   "...life is more than a vision.  The sweetest
mazur@inmet.inmet.com         part is acting after making a decision."
...!uunet!inmet!mazur                                  -- The Indigo Girls
From: eepee@polaris.utu.fi (Esa-Pekka P{lvim{ki)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Urine ingestion (Taking the piss!)
Date: 12 Nov 92 23:10:43 GMT
Organization: University of Turku, Finland

In article <1992Nov11.132608.736@schbbs.mot.com> TXK025@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Eddie Chandler) writes:
>Can someone please tell me how this thread got started?
>I have been reading it for several days and from what I
>have seen, it seems to be about 60/40 in favour of not
>doing so which, in all fairness, is perfectly reasonable
>after all, considering that it is up to the individual(s)
>as to whether or not they partake of this practice.

Well, I think ingesting urine is an insult to one's kidneys. They've just
done hard work to get the stuff out of the body! If I was a kidney I wouldn't
feel too motivated to continue my work.

/ep
From: starfish@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Smarter than the Average Blur)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Mercury fillings
Date: 9 Nov 1992 05:28:51 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucscb.ucsc.edu


In article <1992Nov9.032517.7728@netcom.com> sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller) writes:
:>In article <1992Nov7.125214.2187@cnsvax.uwec.edu> nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye) writes:
:>>Don't worry.  The mercury is not bioavailable.  There is absolutely
:>>no evidence of any medical problems from it.  The allegations of
:>>MS-like symptoms from it were crazy.
:>>
:>
:>The original poster asked a yes or no question, and then asked for
:>a date.  You have not answered either question, and have then gone
:>on to answer question(s) that were not asked.  You guessed the poster
:>had a fairly specific but unstated underlying motivation for asking
:>about mercury fillings.  And you may very well be correct. But why not
:>give people the benefit of the doubt and just answer questions as they
:>are asked, and then answer more questions as the 'conversation'
:>progresses?  Suppose the poster had completely different reasons
:>for asking about mercury fillings?

Yea, I was a little peeved about that myself. I waisted my time
reading a response that had NOTHING to do with the questions I asked.

I am not worried about mercury poisoning, seeing as I do not have any
fillings. The reason I am interested is because I have dispute with
someone over whether or not mercury fillings are used any more.

-Alan Waterman
Newsgroups: sci.med,misc.education,alt.education.distance,soc.college
From: bsimon@elvis.stsci.edu (Bernie Simon)
Subject: Re: Homeopathy
Organization: None. This saves me from writing a disclaimer.
	<17341@pitt.UUCP> <1992Nov9.174856.10877@netcom.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 12:29:05 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.174856.10877@netcom.com> sue@netcom.com (Sue
Miller) writes:

   I can't speak on the former, but I'll damn sure speak on the
   latter.  My ex-mother-in-law (rest her soul) suffered from
   rheumatoid arthritis for over 40 years.  Before she had a proper
   diagnosis and (allopathic) treatment, she was treated by all sorts
   of quacks, homeopathic and otherwise, who had her teeth pulled,
   sat her in mineral/mud baths, etc. etc.  

   While there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, the allopathic
   treatments available are far more than 'palliative'.  They allowed
   her to live a fairly normal life when she originally seemed doomed
   to rotting in a wheelchair at a very early age because of the severity
   of her condition.

I'm sorry to hear that your mother had such a poor experience with
alternative health practitioners. Individual cases don't prove much,
however. I could also cite cases of friends who were not helped by
allopathic doctors and were cured of their problems by alternative
medicine. The best evidence comes from clinical studies. One study
shows that homeopathy is effective against rheumatic arthritis (1).

Could you please tell me what kind of homeopathic treatment your
mother received and for how long? Needless to say, neither pulling
teeth nor mud baths are standard homeopathic practices.

If Usenet serves any useful purpose, it's the exchange of information.
My experience has been that when the insults start, the information
content quickly drops to zero. You and others have used the term
"quack" to refer to alternative health practitioners. This term is
purely a term of abuse. I would hope that future postings on
alternative medicine could avoid insults and abuse.

My dictionary (Compact Oxford Dictionary) defines "palliate" as
"alleviate (disease) without curing". According to this definition,
what your mother received was palliative treatment. I think some of
the disagreement in previous posts about the effectiveness of
allopathic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis arises from differing
definitions of palliation. To me, palliation is more than pain relief.
I am aware that some allopathic treatments of rheumatoid arthritis
slow the progress of the disease. However, I am not aware of any that
cure it. If some knowledgable person is aware of such a treatment,
could they please follow up with a post?

(1) P.Fischer, A.Greenwood, E.C.Huskisson, et al., "Effect of
Homeopathic Treatment on Fibrositis (Primary Fibromyalgia)," British
Medical Journal 299(1989):365-366.

--
Bernie Simon	(bsimon@stsci.edu)		O tempora! O mores!
From: FORTMANN@MAINE.MAINE.EDU (Carola Fortmann)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: There is no incurable!
Date: 10 Nov 92 19:35:12 GMT
 <1992Nov6.125656.7812@aoa.aoa.utc.com>
Organization: University of Maine System

In article <1992Nov6.125656.7812@aoa.aoa.utc.com>, carl@aoa.aoa.utc.com (Carl
Witthoft) says:
>
>In article <92309.124534FORTMANN@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> FORTMANN@MAINE.MAINE.EDU
>(Carola Fortmann) writes:....



How can you judge about something that you don't know?
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: depo provera LONG
Date: 9 Nov 92 15:02:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Nov9.150221.3672
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <83246@ut-emx.uucp> llama@pooh.cc.utexas.edu (sine nomine) writes:
>: Depo-Provera has long been approved for purposes other than its use as
>: contraceptive.
>
>i'm really curious about how it's used as a contraceptive. i've got
>polycystic ovaries and periodically have to take provera to induce
>periods (without medication, i'd only have one a year or so). the
>usual pattern is to take it for five days and then stop, with bleeding
>starting a couple of days later.

Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) is simply a synthetic progestin,
and has all the effects that progesterone has.  Unlike progesterone,
it can be administered orally.  (For whatever reason, probably historical,
and its low potency, it's not a popular component of the "pill", either 
the estrogen/progestin or progestin-only preparations.  However, there's
every reason to expect that it could work as well in a suitable preparation.)
However, estrogen/progestin combination pills act to inhibit ovulation.
Progestin-only pills act to prevent implantation of the fertilized egg.
But progestin-only pills used as contraceptives are given in low doses
_continuously_ and not in higher doses cyclically for only a few days
each month.  You're using Provera essentially as a progesterone replacement
to induce monthly menstruation.

>for contraceptive purposes, do people just take it that way every
>month (for five or ten days only)? or is it a 21-day thing like
>traditional oral contraceptives? or is it a daily pill?

Note that it's _Depo_-Provera which is approved as a contraceptive.
(Depo- is short for "depot".)  This is a preparation which when injected
into a large muscle, releases a low dose of Provera continually
over a 3 month period.  This more or less achieves the same effect as
taking a daily progestin-only "mini pill", except that you only need to
be given it every three months.  The "Norplant" silicone implants
work on a similar basis, though they uses a different synthetic progestin
and last for 5 years.  The advantage of Norplant is that the silicone
capsules can at least potentially be removed early.  With Depo-Provera,
you're committed to contraception for three months or a little longer.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
Newsgroups: sci.med