HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: casseres@apple.com (David Casseres)
Newsgroups: sci.med.nutrition
Subject: Re: NEW wonderpill! (was: Re: Bananas vs. PowerBars)
Date: 22 Dec 92 18:35:17 GMT
Followup-To: sci.med.nutrition
Organization: Apple Computer Inc.

In article <mhulsey-161292161807@fatrat.fcs.uga.edu>,
mhulsey@hestia.fcs.uga.edu (Martin Hulsey) wrote:
> 
> In article <1992Dec15.155209.13238@polaris.utu.fi>, eepee@polaris.utu.fi
> (Esa-Pekka P{lvim{ki) wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > MIX-VIT (tm)
> > 
> > Everything you need for a better diet!
> 
> Are you serious?  Sounds more like a waste of money to me.

I completely agree.  But I'm curious about something else you said:

> There is absolutely no evidence that one need take supplements of [sodium
> or chloride].  In fact, most people eat too much salt already.

I've always assumed this was true except for the unusual situations where
you excrete a great deal of salt by sweating.  One such situation is doing
hard labor in very hot weather, and another is long-distance,
high-performance cycling, even in moderate weather.

During the summer, I do 100-mile and 200-km rides in mountainous terrain,
sometimes in hot weather, spending as much as 10 hours at almost continuous
exertion.  I have to drink quite a few liters of water in the course of one
of these rides (I've never actually counted them).  At the end of one of
these day-long exercises my skin and my clothes are caked with salt, and I
crave salt during and after the ride.  Whenever possible I make it a point
to eat something salty during a rest stop, and I think this reduces the
risk of fatigue.

I make no claim to scientific rigor, but are you sure that there is no need
for salt supplementation under these extreme conditions, which are quite
common for cyclists?

--

David Casseres
Exclaimer: Wow!
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: gdavis@griffin.uvm.edu (Gary Davis)
Subject: Re: Physician's Incomes
Keywords: income
Organization: University of Vermont -- Division of EMBA Computer Facility
Distribution: default
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 14:12:36 GMT

In <17917@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:

>In article <gdavis.724433998@griffin> gdavis@griffin.uvm.edu (Gary Davis) writes:

>>The lead article,which describes problems and policies concerning
>>the control of health-care costs,cites USA MDs making a 120,000
>>per year salary which equates to 5.1 times the salary of the average
>>professional wage. Switzerland and Germany compensate physcians at

>The average profession wage is less than $25,000?  Do you include
>secretaries as professionals?  I can't believe that!  Even school
>teachers make more than $25,000.

>-- 
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
>geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson


 Sorry, I made a minor glitch. Actually two. Forgive me?
The article appeared in November Scientific American. Lead articles
usually deal with social issues in S.A..
Also I noted the data appear to be from 1986. This being true,MDs must
be reaping even bigger salaries by now.
Second glitch.. the article mentions average salaries,which I presume
includes everyone.
This would be more appropriate since average people are the one who
pay doctors bills.


--
            ******** Gary E. Davis***** WQ1F *****
 The most common of all follies is to believe passionately in the
 palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind.-H.L.Mencken
From: joshua@homespace.mtview.ca.us (Joshua Levy)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Eyesight Correction Options
Date: 1 Jan 93 21:06:24 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Expert Support Inc., Mountain View, CA

In article <1992Dec31.012152.6868@mdd.comm.mot.com> knapik@mdd.comm.mot.com (Jim Knapik) writes:
>I have been looking into correcting my vision without the aid of glasses.
>I have -1.75 in each eye with .5 astigmatism if that means anything.  I
>have looked into Radial Keratonomy, and have received some consultation
>in that area. 
>
>Does anyone have any experience with any of these three alternatives, or 
>can point me to any comparative literature? 

I had RK done about 22 months ago.  I went from about -5.75D in each
eye to close to perfect vision in each eye.  The operation was minor.
I had each eye done seperately (one week apart).  On each occation 
I had the operation done on a Thursday afternoon, and on each occation
I was functional by the next Monday in terms of being able to drive
and work as a programmer.  I had minor side effects for a week or
three afterwards, but since then everything has been perfect.
My eyes are 20/20 when used together and between 20/25 and 20/20 when 
measured seperately.  I see normally, as far as I can tell.

I know of two other people (friends of mine) who had RK done.  All
of us had different doctors, at different times, in different cities,
and with different starting myopias.  All of us have had the same
result: near perfect, stable vision with no side effects.

In my personal experiance (and remember, I'm not a doctor) RK surgery
has been a total cure for nearsigtedness.  If you don't like glasses,
but must wear them, I would seriously consider it.

In terms of literature:

JAMA (Feb. 23, 1990) has RESULTS OF THE PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF
RADIAL KEREATOTOMY (PERK) STUDY 4 YEARS AFTER SURGERY FOR MYOPIA
by Waring el al.

There was also an article published by the American Academy of 
Ophthamology in 1988.  I think the journal is called OPHTHALMOLOGY
and the article includes page 672.  The title is RADIAL KERATOTOMY 
FOR MYOPIA.

Both of these articles include bibliographies.

Feel free to call or email if you have questions.
Joshua Levy  (joshua@homespace.mtview.ca.us)   408-727-1222x253
From: laura@TASVAX.NSWSES.NAVY.MIL
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Nicotine Withdrawal Help Needed
Date: 30 Dec 92 19:20:43 GMT
Reply-To: laura@TASVAX.NSWSES.NAVY.MIL
Organization: Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division

In article <8283@news.duke.edu>, das@canctr.mc.duke.edu writes:
...
>2)  What are your worst horror stories about what smoking does to a persons
>    lungs, general health, etc.  Can anybody out there SCARE me into
>    quitting?
...

Lora,

I already e-mailed my best horror stories to you, but I forgot one thing.

See if you can take a tour of the cancer wing of your local hospital.
Actually see and hear for yourself how horrible it is to die of lung cancer.

I'm not sure how easy this is to do, but try to get a look at a pair of lungs
out of a deceased smoker (try the biology department at your school).
I hear that it's really gross, and I guess it's helped *many* people quit
smoking.

By the way, welcome to the non-smoker's world.  I think you'll find that
you're more welcome in almost all social situations.

Laura

laura@tasvax.nswses.navy.mil                      I speak only for myself.
Mom to Maryrose Nadine McGovern - born 8-5-92
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: Pathological Intoxication
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 21:11:49 EST

In article <1992Dec27.121218.4134@visual.spk.wa.us> pwageman@visual.spk.wa.us (Peggy Wageman) writes:
>I saw a movie where they made reference to a disorder called pathological in-
>toxication where small amounts of alcohol produced a psychotic episode.  I've
>never heard of this disorder, does it exist?  Is it like an allergic reaction?


Pathologic intoxication is a rare syndrome involving a history of
sudden confusion, disorientation, and violently beligerent behavior
after relatively small amounts of alcohol (e.g, < 4 oz).  There is
usually amnesia for the episode.  Behavior during pathologic
intoxication has been said to have an automatic quality and some
authorities have suspected or hypothesized a relation to partial
complex (psychomotor) seizures. This latter seems doubtful imho.
Patients I have seen with pathologic intoxication have generally had
some underlying cerebral impairment (e.g., a history of severe head
trauma, longstanding drug/alcohol abuse).  Pathologic intoxication is
not the same thing as psychosis.  A rare syndrome but it does exist.
From: fgedzium@BBN.COM (FrancEs Gedzium)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Dylantin
Date: 22 Dec 1992 19:40:40 GMT
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: fgedzium@BBN.COM (FrancEs Gedzium)
NNTP-Posting-Host: data.bbn.com

My 36 year old sister was diagnosed as a petit mal epileptic when she was about
3 years old.  She has taken dylantin up until 2+ years ago when she decided to
have a baby.  Since her daughter's birth 22 months ago other problems have
arisen.  She has brownouts and a racing heart from time to time.  She seems
to notice that these instances occur around diet and stress.  Greasy foods or
some event triggers them.  She wants to have another baby so she has not gone
back on the medication.

Is it possible she never had epilepsy?  Could the dylantin have been keeping
the brownouts and heart racing under control all this time?  What direction 
should she take?  

What other illnesses is dylantin used for?

Thanks in advance for input.

Cheers

FrancEs
hIs is I and hEr is E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It is a good rule in life never to apologize.  The right sort of people do not
want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: hinz@picard.med.ge.com (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987 ~BHOSVWZ#097)
Subject: Re: Schizophrenia
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 92 08:07:58 GMT

Robert Cray (robert@unlv.edu) wrote:
<edit>
: The NIMH people claimed
: there was a clear brain difference on MRI between the sick twin and
: the healthy twin.  They also claimed the difference was there from birth.
: 				--robert

Robert,

Do you know what type of an MRI exam was done on these paients?  What type
of imaging was used, or spectroscopy, or ???  I work on the technical end
of the field, and am always interested in learning more applications.

There are some VERY interesting developments that came out at this past RSNA,
WRT brain activity analysis, etc.


--

Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
SAAB - Because you get what you pay for.     \       Pherrets are Phun!!!
From: rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu (David Rind)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Electrocardiogram question
Date: 2 Jan 93 19:59:27 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston Mass., USA

In article <72791@cup.portal.com> amigan@cup.portal.com (Mike - Medwid) writes:
>A friend is concerned about an electorcardiogram results she received.  
>It had the notes "irregular rythm, sinus arrythmia", "non specific S & T
>changes" and "abnormal ECG". Numbers were:
[intervals and axes deleted]
>Then it says to see an MD.  She is doing this next Friday (Kaiser)

Why is the EKG making recommendations (such as to see a doctor)?
Most laboratory tests I order are inanimate.

Seriously, was this a computer interpreted EKG?  If so, did a doctor
order it?  What was his/her interpretation?  Where did the comments
come from?

Sinus arrhythmia is a normal finding and would not usually even be
called an irregular rhythm.  Non-specific ST-T changes are just
that: non-specific.  They may be normal or may mean something is
wrong.  They are a common EKG finding.

-- 
David Rind
rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: evidence for homeopathy - who pays?
Date: 28 Dec 92 00:55:47 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Dec14.233525.5441@island.COM> green@island.COM (Robert Greenstein) writes:
>This is a distorted explanation of what happened. In fact, the AMA was
>launched for the purpose of driving the homeopaths out of business. They
>succeeded in this endeavor by conning the government into accepting
>the Johns Hopkins medical school as *the* model, by which all other 
>schools had to measure up, or lose funding. One by one, the homeopathic
>schools closed down, until there were none left. 

This is a really distorted view of what happened.  First, the government
didn't fund medical schools until after world war II, long after
homeopathy had died out almost.  The Johns Hopkins model was for
medical schools, not homeopathy schools.  It had nothing to do with
funding but with accreditation.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Non-physician bashing
Date: 1 Jan 93 00:01:14 -0600
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

[reply to habersch@husc10.harvard.edu]
 
>I suggest that the large majority of these good, upstanding citizens
>who stay away from quacks do so for the wrong reason.  They do it
>because it is the establishment thing;  if a quack system was the
>establishment thing, they would do that instead.
 
No, I think the opposite is true.  Patients of mine who don't see
alt.practitioners tend not to for reasons other than because they worry
about what the neighbors will think.  Around here, most of their
neighbors are likely to recommend a chiropracter first for certain
problems.  These patients are looking for the treatment most likely to
succeed and aren't taken in by the claims of quacks.  Those that go to
alt.practitioners (other than chiropracters) on the other hand often go
because it is novel and trendy.  They also seem to be more superstitious
than mainstream patients, believing in things like luck, fate, and
common superstitions.  These are the same people who would go to a
fortune teller.

David Nye
nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: skcummi@iastate.edu (Sheri K Cummings)
Subject: Stroke victims and epidermal growth factor
Keywords: stroke brain epidermal
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 17:53:10 GMT

Approximately one year ago my 19 year old nephew suffered a massive stroke
resulting from a blood clot that formed during a catheter ablation. At
first, specialists thought he would be unable to care for himself and would
have to be placed in a nursing home.  Barry has made remarkable progress. 
He can walk and drive and mentally, is his old self.  He won't be going back
to Purdue for awhile but is enrolled in a vocational school starting in
January.  Problems that remain - 1) aphasia - seems to be getting better,
and 2) can't use right arm (but his fingers straighten when he yawns). 
Recently I heard, I think on a Paul Harvey report, about a treatment for
older stroke victims using something called epidermal growth factor.  Do
any of you netters know anything about this?  Or could you share incidents
of stroke victims improving after the first year?  Thanks in advance.

Sheri Cummings                  Iowa State University
515-294-0207                    Ames, Iowa  50011
skcummi@iastate.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
Subject: Re: Adiposity 101
Organization: Purdue University Statistics Department
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 14:45:02 GMT

In article <17914@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>In article <1992Dec18.032726.3309@omen.UUCP> caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg) writes:
>>Jim and I were heavy from an early age.  Al was normal until
>>puberty.  During high school none of us were morbidly obese,
>>not be a long shot.  What we had was more like "middle age
>>spread", without the gray hair.  I was 210 pounds when I was 15.
>>Jim and I are at least twice as fat after multiple diet cycling.
>>Diet cycling has not been as fattening for Al; this is
>>consistent with the medical literature that notes those with
>>childhood onset obesity are most susceptible to diet cycling.

>Well, if we are going to use the personal data, let us see what
>kinds of cycles we are dealing with.  Keith gave his data, I
>gave mine.  I was also 210 lbs at age 15 and 335 at age 25.
>So when you cycled the deepest, what kind of weight loss are
>we talking about?  Was it over 100 lbs?  Or are we talking about
>25 lb cycles?  Did you ever go from being morbidly obese (let's
>say > 300 lbs) to under 200 lbs?  How long did your longest
>continual diet last?

From the age of 13 to 18, I was sufficiently thin that measures were
considered, and even attempted, to put on weight.  Before then, I had
been both very thin and rather obese.  After 19, my problem became the
other.  There were no essential changes in eating habits or exercise involved.
-- 
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
Phone: (317)494-6054
hrubin@snap.stat.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet)  
{purdue,pur-ee}!snap.stat!hrubin(UUCP)
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mrl@alcvax.pfc.mit.edu
Subject: RE: cfs/fibromyalgia/accutane
Organization: MIT PLASMA FUSION CENTER
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 16:14:30 GMT

In a previous article, "chris pinto" <chris.pinto@canrem.com> wrote:
> 
>I restarted the accutane 3 weeks ago at a lower dose of 10mg(was taking
>40mg before I stopped) and within 12 hrs was feeling slightly better,
>and the 2nd day I felt much better.  I now feel less sick, less pain,
>but more fatigued.  A good trade I think.  I have constantly felt much
>better the entire past 3 weeks on the accutane.  I'm a lot less fatigued
>now on the 10mg/day then I was on the 40mg/day.  40mg/80mg was necessary
>better on 10mg of accutane then I felt on the 40mg 3 months ago.
> 
>I really should visit a medical library and read up on this stuff.  Have
>you read up on accutane?

If you read up on it like I did you would not want to stay on the stuff for
long periods.  The list of side effects is frightening, and what's more, so of
them have been known to become permanent.  The PDR says that it's unknown how
it works.

You mentioned in a prior post that before accutane you were on lots of Vitamin
A.  I forget, did you find any help from that?

>>Hmm.  Doubtful.  It turns out that there isn't really any inflammation
>>in fibromyalgia to speak of, it just feels that way.
>
>I think in my case it is inflammation.  I take naproxen and toradol.
>The naproxen distinctly takes away a feeling of what I think is
>inflammation(and also helps fix a feeling of weakness).  Were the
>toradol alone doesn't touch that feeling nor the weakness, but does a
>much better job on the pain.  Which fits the fact that toradol has
>little anti-inflammatory effect.

Studies have shown that anti-inflammatories do little to help fibromyalgia
patients.  I've tried naproxen and others and find no change.  I wonder if
instead the accutane is affecting glands which control hormones?  There are
some who believe that fibromyalgia is hormone related.

Mark London
MRL@NERUS.PFC.MIT.EDU
From: mdebuitlear@vms.eurokom.ie
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Questions about Reynaud's Syndrome
Date: 23 Dec 92 19:14:21 GMT
Organization: EuroKom Conferencing Service

In article <17873@pitt.UUCP>, geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
> 
> Before prescribing Ginger, scientific medicine would have to see
> some experiments showing that it works.  It is not enough for you
> to say "hey, it seems to help me, so all doctors from now on should
> be telling their patients to take ginger."  That doesn't sound very
> reasonable, now does it?
> 
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
> geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it obviously doesn't do any harm, it doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

What does sound unreasonable is that there are many, many like examples 
around and a lot of people are suffering unnecessarily because scientific 
medicine hasn't 'got around' to proving that they work.

In my book, if it _clearly_ doesn't do any harm and may well do some good, 
the patient should be told about it.  They can decide themselves whether to 
take it or not.

Micheal.

M.De.Buitlear@EuroKom.ie
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg)
Subject: Re: Adiposity 101
Organization: Omen Technology INC, Portland Rain Forest
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 11:33:44 GMT

In article <1992Dec29.024354.0201957@locus.com> yazz@locus.com (Bob Yazz) writes:
> ...
>I picked up the new Dr. Atkins book (in hardcover, no less).  I must say
>that it is without a doubt the most gluttonously self-congratulatory
>medical book I have ever seen in my life!  And with some of the mailing
>lists I'm on, this is a Very strong statement.  I find it difficult to

Obviously you haven't heard Atkins' radio program.  If the jabs in
his book don't make the medical establishment go ballistic the
radio show almost certainly will.

I must admit, however, that after reading both sides of the
Atkins vs Council on Nutrition I can't think of anything to
refute Atkins thoughts about professional ethics.
-- 
Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX          ...!tektronix!reed!omen!caf 
Author of YMODEM, ZMODEM, Professional-YAM, ZCOMM, and DSZ
  Omen Technology Inc    "The High Reliability Software"
17505-V NW Sauvie IS RD   Portland OR 97231   503-621-3406
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Kellogg and Moral Medicine (was: circumcision)
Date: 24 Dec 92 14:58:12 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Dec14.190306.9310@cgrg.ohio-state.edu> djh@osc.edu (David Heisterberg) writes:
>I'd like to use this to segue into a question I've been meaning to
>ask.  In the late 1800s to early 1900s there were quite a few books
>of "medicine for the common man", but which really seemed to be a
>quack justification of somebody's morality.  Probably the best known
>was written by Dr. Kellogg (of Corn Flakes fame).  My question is,
>to what extent was any of this accepted by the medical community?
>And, what kind of reaction was there to it?

I can't really answer this, you need to talk to a medical historian.
Remember that 100 years ago scientific medicine was in its infancy.
There were incredibly diverse schools of medicine.  Homeopathy,
for example, in those days was no more quackish than many other
schools of thought.  Medical schools did not all teach the same
things like they do now.  There was only a small nucleus of 
scientific practitioners such as Osler, etc., and medicine was
still more of an art than a science.  So I suspect Kellogg could
find lots of doctors who agreed with him.  Graham was another
similar type to Kellogg (Graham crackers).  
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med,talk.politics.medicine
From: u081f131@astro.ocis.temple.edu (cis081 sec001 fall92)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: sex, menstruation, endometriosis
Date: 2 Jan 93 22:43:42 GMT
Organization: Temple University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

I have recently been told that having sex during ones period can
possibly lead to endometriosis.  I would like to know if this is
a theory, a proven fact, or what the status of this information is.
It is of considerable interest to me for not only do I find myelf
highly arousable at that time of the month, but orgasm is an important
way of releiving cramps for me.  However, if I am buying pain releif
now at the expense of more pain and other problems later I would like
to know about it.  References to the appropriate literature would be
appreciated along with informed opinions.
Thank you