HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bhjelle@carina.unm.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med,misc.kids
Subject: Re: Hepatitis vaccine
Date: 17 Aug 92 01:14:50 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <1992Aug14.222808.13806@umiami.ir.miami.edu> ahelmers@umiami.ir.miami.edu writes:
>In article <1992Aug14.135306.7399@spdcc.com>, dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) writes:
>> On the other hand, a line like
>> 	He has never had a child that lives a healthy CLEAN
>> 	life style come down with hepatitis
>> makes you think of biker babies, first graders who are IV
>> drug users and rampantly promiscuous pre-pubescents in
>> middle school, not to mention a mom who thinks it's OK
>> if such "bad seeds" get sick and die.  I mean, really,
>> Nannette: the sentiment is revolting enough without
>> your capitalizing CLEAN.
>
>
>Oh for heaven's sake, in the interest of being politically correct, Steve, you
>are being ridiculous!  My ped. told me basically the same thing that Nanette's
>did; the fact is that this type of Hepatitis is spread primarily through
>contaminated needles and sexual contact.  He said that it tends to be more of a
>problem in people living closer in contact to that type of activity, i.e.
>inner city children rather than *AS A RULE* other children living a 
>"middle-class" lifestyle.

First of all, hep B is endemic in Asia and Africa. Many immigrants
from Asia have this virus. Many of them are "middle class", some
are even upper class. If you mean "don't worry about it if you
are white middle class", say so.

When mom has hep B, and her infant gets it, the infant has a much
higher chance of developing chronic hepatitis and liver failure
than someone who catches it as an adult. It is a very serious
problem in some groups.

But these issues aside, what makes you so 
smug and certain that children
from your suburb will never take drugs by vein? Or do you just
feel that it is OK for "dirty" people like that to get
hepatitis?

>Please don't jump on someone who frankly is stating a truth, though it may not
>be a PC palatable one!
>
Please learn the facts before you inflict your offensive
ignorance on others.

Brian
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: Prozac/sleeping/alternatives
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 09:09:48 EDT

In article <dedmunds.714111700@sfu.ca> dedmunds@selkirk.sfu.ca (Darran Edward Edmundson) writes:
>What is "anorgasmia"?  I'm currently taking 20mg Prozac daily and have noticed
>(make that my wife has noticed) that it has greatly increased my staying
>power.  Is this a common side-effect?

Anorgasmia refers to difficulty reaching orgasm, which can be partial
(just takes more "effort" to get there) or complete (can't come at all). 
This may be a dose related side effect of Prozac, that is, more common
and/or more severe at higher doses.   Some people taking Prozac report
that they are able to reach orgasm on a day in which they skip their
Prozac. 

Sexual dysfunction often accompanies many disorders treated 
with antidepressants (e.g., depression, obsessive compulsive disorder) but 
antidepressant medications are increasingly recognized as potential causes
of sexual problems.  Tricyclic drugs can cause impotence and rarely, 
retrograde ejaculation.  The serotonin reuptake inhibitors Prozac and Zoloft
tend to cause anorgasmia - incidence about 20% of people taking the drug.
All antidepressants except one may cause decreased libido - a 
surprising and somewhat counterintuitive recent finding.  

Wellbutrin (bupropion) has been reported to cause increased sexual desire
and has been tried as a treatment for inhibited sexual desire, just as
Prozac (and monoamine oxidase inhibitors) have been tried for premature
ejaculation.  Results?  Great or frustrating, depending on who you ask :)


--
 
mark kline                              mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu
suny health science center, syracuse    voice: (315) 422-1050
================ courtesy of syracuse university ================
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: On pre-scientific traditions of medicine (was: Use of term allopath)
Date: 17 Aug 92 14:59:20 GMT
Distribution: sci
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <1992Aug15.025116.15939@news.Hawaii.Edu> lady@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Lee Lady) writes:
>
>But okay.  Agreed, double-blind controlled trials are a very good
>methodology.  But now comes the logical flim-flam.  From saying that
>the establishment methodology is "better" opponents of alternative
>therapies jump to the implication -- the non-sequitur -- that other
>methods of testing are NO GOOD AT ALL!  
>

Please remind me of the last time we had a post in here from
an alternative medicine person who mentioned any sort of testing
at all.  Their only evaluative principle seems to be gossip
and warm fuzzy feelings.  You can't criticize methods that
are non-existent.

>
>I think the point that many people in this discussion don't realize is
>that this big bucks system of testing serves the alternative
>practitioners as well as it does the establishment.  If accupuncture, for
>instance, were tested using the approved methodology and found worthy,
>then it would be absorbed into the mainstream.  It would be taught in
>medical schools and people like the present practitioners couldn't offer
>it anymore because that would amount to practicing medicine without a
>license.  (And furthermore, let's face it, a lot of the alternative
>approaches would fail such tests and then there would be definitive
>proof that they're no good, instead of just a lot of hot air being
>exchanged on usenet without any factual basis.)
>

Yes, that is true.  Evaluation is a no-win situation for the quack 
practitioner.  If his secret bug juice really works, why it will be 
adopted by the "establishment" and he won't be allowed to sell it anymore.
And if it doesn't work after testing, the FDA will have him arrested
as a fraud.  So, since he's found enough suckers (or believers, as
you will have it), why bother testing?  Just keep raking in the cash!



-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: kingsley@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Kingsley Morse)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 22:54:33 GMT
Subject: Re: Jarvik 99 (was Magnetic Therapy)
Organization: HP Western Response Center
Newsgroups: sci.med

In sci.med, kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad) writes:

> In article <1470190@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com> kingsley@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Kingsley Morse) writes:
> >In sci.med, rrempel@selkirk.sfu.ca (Rodney Dwight Rempel) writes:
> >
> >> Is there any scientific, controlled, studies showing effect - NO
> >
> >I've seen a controlled study of magnetized beds at two hospitals in Japan. 
> >Subjects on magnetized matresses recovered from back pain faster than
> >subjects on normal matresses. I don't have a citation for the study. :-(

> Gee, in which plane is the B-field oriented?  Up through the patients chest?
> Along the length of the patient?  And are we talking steady state fields?
> AC?  (If so, what frequency?)

Steady state. Many small magnets are in the matress; one pole pointing up, the
other down.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Ancient knowledge, secret and gold  (was: Warning, herbal treatment)
Date: 17 Aug 1992 12:45:34 -0500
Organization: U Texas Dept of Computer Sciences, Austin TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

-*----
>> Livers don't get angry.  Spleens aren't involved in digestion.
>> Save the ancient Chinese mumbo-jumbo for your friends.

In article <714067218.F00003@blkcat.UUCP> John.Willis@p123.f349.n109.z1.fidonet.org (John Willis) writes:
> Maybe a bit archaic.  Maybe some doctor out there can translate 
> some of this into modern-day medical terminology, or english.  
> ... Maybe if we took a moment to try and understand what was
> being said we might see that clue as to where we might find
> some answers. ...

More likely, the translation is just fine, and ancient Chinese
physicians really did believe that livers became angry.  People
who like to find great truths in ancient traditions tend to
overlook the fact that the Greeks really did believe in the four
humours (and had no notion that blood circulates), that many
ancient cultures thought that sperm carried homunculi, that other
ancient cultures attributed headaches to demons or gods, and that
none of these beliefs were metaphorical gloss on deeper truths,
but rather, were as much as the people of the time could figure
out about these particular issues. 

> ... Now, Gordon, *that* would be 21st century medicine.

It sounds to me more like the recurring tendency to inflate some
view just because it is old.

Historians and philosophers have studied ancient technology and 
how science has developed.  They have also studied how people
have thought about these things.  Curiously, there are always
those who try to find great (but somehow hidden) truths in
ancient or distant cultures.  Some Greeks did this with Egypt.
The Romans did it with a variety of Asian cultures.  Of course,
in their turn, the Greeks and Romans became the ancient and 
distant cultures that held great, hidden secrets.  Making
glorious myths of the past and inflating "secret ancient
knowledge" are common human foibles.  (But if this is 21st
century medicine, I cry for our children.)

Let's face facts.  The ancient Chinese did not know much about
biochemistry.  They had very little understanding of what the
liver does.  "Angry" was probably as deep as their understanding
of the liver went.  This does not fault the ancient Chinese
physicians, who undoubtedly did as good and as much as they
could, GIVEN THEIR TIME.  But those who try to read something
more into this ancient technology may be revealing their
inability to deal with real science and real history. 

Russell
From: km@speedy.cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Journal article on CFS needed
Date: 15 Aug 92 14:34:10 GMT
Reply-To: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University of Pittsburgh

This week's Annals of Internal Medicine has a lengthy article
on criteria for diagnosing CFS.

 -Ken Mitchum MD
 km@cs.pitt.edu
From: fzjaffe@othello.ucdavis.edu (Rory Jaffe)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Paralytics...
Date: 21 Aug 92 14:59:57 GMT
Organization: University of California, Davis

In article <1162@vub.UUCP> plebrun@vub.UUCP (Philippe Lebrun) writes:
>In article <16136@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>, fzjaffe@hamlet.ucdavis.edu (Rory Jaffe) writes:
>> For emergency (field) conditions, the suggestion of administering an
>> anesthetic instead of a paralytic is often unwise, 
>
>I didn't get the beginning of this discussion, but I am alarmed
>that there might be people giving paralytics instead of
>anesthetics. Don't forget that a paralytic only paralyses, it
>doesn't prevent the patient from feeling pain, and experiencing
>the somatic reactions to pain that we try to avoid in ER or OR
>situations. An analgesic or anxiolytic must always be added. 
>Regularly, there are patients on artificial ventilation 
>in ICUs who are given paralytics without adequate sedation.
>What they have to say when they can talk again (I can't say "awake")
>is properly horrifying.
There are times when kindness kills.  Indications for paralytics in the
field are markedly different than those in the ICU.  In the field,
consciousness is almost always already obtunded.  Additionally, the
patient is not yet stabilized, and anesthetics can have catastrophic
effects (fatal augmentation of preexisting hypotension, for example).
In the field, the paralytic may be needed to satisfy the 'A' of the
ABC's of BCLS--obtaining a safe, useful airway.  Minus that, the outcome
is significantly worse.  There has been a recent study of head injury
patients that supports this.  In our area, the use of paralytics is
restricted to flight nurses under radio supervision by an E.R. doc.  I'm
not entirely happy with it, but it has the potential to reduce the
number of field cricothyrotomies the nurses are doing.

This is a complex area, and I agree that awake paralysis is frightening.
Our experience has been that if the patient is talked to, and told what
is happening, the psychological residual is markedly attenuated (2 of 20
faculty in our dept are psychologists, not anesthesiologists, and one of
them is actively involved in investigating the effects of unwanted
awareness).

>
>> very dangerous drug and can kill someone within seconds.  Anyone using
>> it must get adequate training from an anesthesiologist.  The list of
>> contraindications and precautions is long.
>
>That penultimate sentence should read : Only trained anesthesiologists
>should use this technique in the field.
Well, if M.D.'s are sent into the field, then that restriction may be
ok.  Otherwise, it is unrealistic.
From: paul@panix.com (Paul Gatker)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: what causes leg cramps ?
Date: 14 Aug 92 05:39:41 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

In <1992Aug13.192032.6906@bradley.bradley.edu> larry@bradley.bradley.edu (L. D. Stratton) writes:

>In <92226.40447.6310550@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM> 6310550@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes:

>>Does anybody know what causes leg (calf & foot) cramps ?  For the
>>past 5-6 nights I've been woken up by leg cramps.  The only thing
>>that stops them is to stand up.  I recently started on Weight Watchers
>>(trying level 2)... Could the diet have something to do with it ?
>>Any insights will be greatly appreciated.
>>Thanks,
>>Deb
   
Definitely eat some bannanas. The potassium and magnesium has always helped
me and my cycling pals. These minerals, when depleted, can cause leg cramps.

-- 
*******************************************************************
 paul@panix.com                            COMPULITE GRAPHICS
brooklyn, ny, usa                         Design & Consultation
*********************************************************************
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Incidence of Hemorrhage from CBZ?
Date: 18 Aug 92 16:20:36 GMT
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

In article <9815.2A8BA7EB@stjhmc.fidonet.org> Robin.Salmansohn@f715.n273.z1.fidonet.org (Robin Salmansohn) writes:
>What is the known incidence of hemorrhaging from Carbamazepine?

Tegretol (carbamazepine) causes aplastic anemia (bone marrow suppression)
or agranulocytosis (cessation of white cell production) in a few cases per
million.  Many people starting the medication have a transient, clinically
insignificant decrease in blood counts.  It can also cause purpura - little
red spots sometimes caused by decreased or defective platelets - but this is 
also very rare.  I've never heard of frank hemorrhage from carbamazepine.

--
 
mark kline                              mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu
suny health science center, syracuse    voice: (315) 422-1050
================ courtesy of syracuse university ================
From: joe@sybase.com (Joseph Weinstein)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Clinical Trials on Homeopathic Remedies
Date: 19 Aug 92 17:50:22 GMT
Organization: Sybase, Inc.

All this time I've been as healthy as a horse, and now I find
the reason. It's because I've been continually immersed in the
most potently diluted homeopathic treatments. I never even heard
of the stuff! That's how diluted they were. Even the vaunted placebo
effect was energized by the ultimate homeopathic dilution.
   I guess my system had gotten used to this level of therapy because
now that I'm hearing about homeopathy and its practitioners I'm feeling
a little ill.


--
Joseph Weinstein  Sybase - 1650 65th Street, Emeryville Ca 94608
		  joe@sybase.com   sun!sybase!joe   510-596-3620
Disclaimer:	  This might not even be *my* opinion! I may have
                  changed my mind.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: pdsmith.mitre.org (Pat Smith)
Subject: Re: stomach tube
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 20:37:26 GMT

In article <473@nos850.UUCP>, bunnym@nos850.UUCP (Bunny Miller) writes:
> 
> I am interesed in any information, medical or personal family experience,
> about a feeding tube placed in the stomach of elderly patients that
> don't want to eat.
> 
> The reason that I ask is my 75 year old grandmother has been placed in a
> nursing home because she passed out from not eating.  She currently
> has an IV in her neck (they tried several times in the arms but they
> kept getting infiltrated) that they are using for medication and
> for "feeding".  The doctor wants to remove that line stating that it is
> too expensive and a high risk for infection.  She does not want the
> stomach tube nor does the family want it.  In the state of KY however,
> they can get a court order to put the tube in against the will of the
> patient or the family.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Bunny Miller                                     ...bunnym@nos850.uucp
> Naval Ordnance Station   Louisville, KY.
> (502) 364-6617
> 
> You need to determine if this feeding tube is a temporary helper for a 
problem or if her condition is so deteriotiated that this is permanent.  She
can get adequate feeding by IV and yes it is expensive.  Hospitals are 
constanly being pushed by insurance companies and probably given incentives to
do certain things.  Your options really depend on the type of insurance she
has and your negotation abilities.  I suggest you contact an attorney and 
investigate living wills. 

The idea of living wills is for an indiviual to make their wishes for
treatment known but the laws vary from state to state.  Its a said state that we are in when we 
treat our animals more humanly than people.  I just watched my mom die of 
cancer and thankfully her living will was well written and I had no trouble 
with the hospital over respirators and things to prolong her suffering.  They
honored the living will and she passed with a certain degree of dignity.
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.psychology,alt.support,alt.support.big-folks,alt.backrubs
From: moflngan@vax1.tcd.ie
Subject: Q. about isomalt a sugar substitute (I think)
Organization: Trinity College Dublin
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 15:02:32 GMT

Hi,

I'm a new reader to the group. I live in Dublin & have been diabetic (insulin
dependent/ juvenile onset/ Type I ) for about 8 years. 
Now, I know that among many professionals and "aware" people that
using  "diabetic foods" is not a good idea and its better just to eat carefully
and slip things into the daily plan very occasionally when treats are in order.
However, I don't want to do this as my rather compulsive nature would soon have
the sweet treats as part of a daily rountine.

Friends often bring me presents of sugar free chocolates and sweets when
they travel, usually to England. Recently I was given a bar of Boots chocolate
using a new recipe of which I noticed 51% was something called isomalt. I have
to say the stuff tasted a lot better although it had a much more profound on my
insides than usual (no I didn't exceed recommended daily limits, just my own
rather tight one). What I want to know is, what is isomalt, I noticed that it
registered as a carbohydrate but not one which had to be counted into
allowances. 

So, after that preamble basically all I want to know is 
what is isomalt?
is it safe?
is there anything I should know about it before someone else appears with a
gift containing it?

Please don't anybody bother to tell me that I should just kick the stuff. I
know the literature and basic ideas and I'm in the process, it takes time
but I'm getting there. I've gotten as far as never buying the stuff myself and
always sharing as much as possible with those around me (almost never fellow
diabetics, just curious sugar eaters!)

Thanks in advance

Margaret
Trinity College Dublin
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: carl@aoa.aoa.utc.com (Carl Witthoft)
Subject: Nonalcoholic beer
Organization: Adaptive Optics Associates
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 11:50:49 GMT

x
I'd like to ask a question concerning so-called nonalcoholic
beer, which, according to the label, has less than 1% or 0.5%
alcohol.
Do MDs who work in substance-abuse programs consider this to be
an alcohol drink which alcoholics should not drink?  What is
the general position of AA on this product?
Please note: I'd really like answers concerning the present
position of MDs and AA.  Dialogues about whether these positions
are "right" are sure to pop up :=), but that's not what I'm looking
for.  TIA.

-- 
Bobby Newmark, aka  Carl Witthoft @ Adaptive Optics Associates
aoa!carl@bbn.com  carl@aoa.utc.com
54 CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge,MA 02140 617-864-0201
**Just say NO to HMOs**
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: On pre-scientific traditions of medicine (was: Use of term allopath)
Date: 19 Aug 92 14:19:14 GMT
Distribution: sci
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <des.7@helix.nih.gov> des@helix.nih.gov (David E. Scheim) writes:

>In a biography of Alexander Fleming I just picked up, I noticed a reference 
>to a woman who had been using a folk remedy involving cultivation
>and ingestion of a mold.  Her friends from the village were 
>said to have flocked to her home to get some of this concoction for their 
>maladies.
>
>Whether this is a true incident or not, this anectote and the 
>discovery of penicillin certainly indicates the possibility of effective 
>treatments being derived and passed down through means outside the 
>laboratory culture, whose mechanisms may not be understood by the 
>science of their day, that may nevertheless be effective.  If by alternative 

I don't know where people got the idea that such botanical remedies
are despised and ignored by scientific practitioners.  Drug companies
spend a lot of money investigating such things, since such a large number
of currently useful drugs have come from plant toxins and the like.
I have no argument with this.  It is an excellent tack to take in
trying to uncover and purify new drugs.  But would you include
homeopathy under such a rubric?  It is quite easy to see why some
Chinese herb, for example, may contain some beneficial substance,
but how about a system of medicine invented only about 150 years ago
that depends on diluting tiny amounts of substance until there is
not even one molecule of it left, and then calling it extremely
potent?

>BTW, yes, I am the author of Contract on America, from which I learned to 
>heed Marcus Aurelius' recommendation of "careful inquiry in all matters of 
>deliberation, " never satisfaction "with appearances which first present 
>themselves."

I read your book, and liked it, although I suppose I'm of the opinion
that if the Mafia did it, they had some help from some highly placed
people in the government.  Keep up the good work.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med