HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: russ@wpg.com (Russell Lawrence)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Starting an alternative medicine newsgroup
Date: 9 Oct 92 21:51:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: wpg.BvvJEL.IuA
Organization: WP Group


In article <BvuAAp.7ny@wpg.com> russ@wpg.com (Russell Lawrence) writes:
rl> This newsgroup would be far more attractive to the net-at-large if 
rl> we could stick to the facts and dispense with the invective.

From article <1992Oct9.080239.22236@spdcc.com>, by dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer):
sd> What did my dear grandmother used to say?  "Butter would melt in 
sd> his mouth." Disingenuous pleas for civility from one of the major 
sd> sci.med ankle-biters when it comes to his favorite hotbuttons do 
sd> not carry much moral weight with me.  It's dishonest and 
sd> hypocritical.  But typical.  

There's nothing dishonest about the willingness to exchange 
objective information without personal insults.  As an example, 
just a couple of weeks ago someone stated that the discovery of 
intrinsic factor had disproven the notion that B12 produced by 
intestinal flora could be absorbed.  [not true]   When I asked why 
this was the case, you told your readers that the binding of B12 
to intrinsic factor in the stomach was a necessary first step in 
B12 absorption.  [not true]  This seemed blatantly false to me, 
but our purposes were better served by asking you to clarify your 
answers rather than making nasty comments about your 
intelligence...  as you yourself would have done if someone else 
had posted such a [dyer-mode on] incredibly stupid [dyer-mode 
off] statement.  

Comments like:	"Nonsense!", "What an idiot", and "Where do these
stupid buffoons get their silly ideas" are singularly unenlightening.
What's worse, they often mask ignorance.

sd> This newsgroup would be far more attractive to the net at large 
sd> if buffoons like Idler and Yank-whatshisname-ovich (God help 
sd> their children), crazies like Sternlight and Kingsley Morse, and 
sd> the varied and sundry medical conspiratorists gave it a rest.  I 
sd> only have so much patience for nonsense.  I'll let off steam as 
sd> (well-deserved) sarcasm if I wish;  goodness knows I provide 
sd> enough of value that people will just have to be satisfied with 
sd> the whole package.  

Suit yourself.  I hope you won't mind if other readers point out
from time to time that your insults are uninformative.

-- 
Russell Lawrence, WP Group, New Orleans (504) 443-5000
russ@wpg.com   uunet!wpg!russ
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo)
Subject: Stairmaster Elbow
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 01:34:34 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

This is posted in the case that someone reading may use
a Stairmaster exercise machine.

At the Health Club that I go to they recently posted an article
warning us about "Stairmaster elow".  The article states that 
twisting your arms backwards while leaning on the Stairmaster armrest is
not only cheating, but is harmful to your elbow and can lead to
long term damage.


-- 
--
 Ralph Yozzo (yozzo@watson.ibm.com)  
 From the beautiful and historic Mid-Hudson Valley area of NY state
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David A. Nye MD)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: treatment for Lyme recurrence?
Date: 9 Oct 92 06:09:27 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <1992Oct6.030545.28867@genie.slhs.udel.edu>, nancy@genie.slhs.udel.edu (Nancy Lebovitz) writes:
> A friend of mine got Lyme disease this summer, took antibiotics for
> seven weeks, is sick again, and would like to know what the standard
> treatments are for a recurrence of Lyme disease.

It is quite unusual for Lyme disease to recur after the initial
treatment.  Occasionally if the bug has gotten into some protected
space like the brain, IV Rocephin will be necessary.  More often
it is something besides Lyme disease causing the persistent        
symptoms, often fibromyalgia.  In areas where Lyme disease is
endemic, lots of people have low titers without active disease.
Since the symptoms of fibromyalgia, a very common disease, are
somewhat similar to Lyme disease, the physician may reach the
wrong diagnosis when he gets a false positive Lyme titer back.
Usually the person best able to sort this out is a rheumatologist.
An infectious disease specialist is the best person to see if the
problem is in fact persistent Lyme disease.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: lindae@netcom.com
Subject: GABA
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 16:41:18 GMT



Last month, there was some discussion on here regarding GABA.  Could
someone please explain again what GABA is and its effects?

Thanks
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Treatment for snoring
Date: 13 Oct 92 01:02:47 -0600
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <26814@castle.ed.ac.uk>, cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm) writes:
> A popular operation for snoring in the (ex) USSR, where
> dormitory-style sleeping is much more common, is to sew a tennis ball
> between the shoulder blades of the pyjama jacket.

That often helps, because people usually snore more while lying on
their backs than on their sides.  An easier way that sewing a pocket
on to the pajamas is to put the tennis ball in a baggie and safety-
pin it to the pajamas.  In the patients I'm trying to help, this and
avoidance of alcohol in the evenings have already been tried.

Say, does anyone know if there is a mailing list for sleep medicine?
From: backon@vms.huji.ac.il
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Medline access?
Date: 9 Oct 92 15:02:40 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

In article <1992Oct5.011128.1513@cnsvax.uwec.edu>, nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David A. Nye MD) writes:
> Does anyone know how I can access Medline through the Internet?
> I know I can access PaperChase through Compu$erve but that is
> an absolute last resort.  I have found several university
> library systems that offer access to Medline but only to users
> within that system (I'm in the UWisc system -- so far I haven't
> been able to discover that they offer it).  Access to anything
> similar like SilverPlatter or Index Medicus would be helpful.
>
> Also, does anyone know if there is a medical informatics news-
> group (and if not, why not)?  It seems like the main focus of
> activity in medical informatics is in Compu$erve which I refuse
> to use.

You'll need an account on NTIS (800-336-4700). Once you fill out the
billing form, contact the MEDLARS Management Section at: 800-638-8480
for a userid and password to MEDLINE. I'd suggest that you purchase
Grateful Med 6.0 to make your searches easier. You  can then telnet
to  medlars.nlm.nih.gov  (130.14.10.200).

Another possibility is to use your MEDLARS password to get on BITNIS and
receive your searches via email.

Josh

Dr. Josh Backon
backon@VMS.HUJI.AC.IL
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David A. Nye MD)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Don't Bring Lists
Date: 11 Oct 92 20:35:16 GMT
Distribution: sci
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <Bvv45w.2EL@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:
> I do not see why any physician should object to a patient bringing in
> a list.  Would you rather have the patient try to remember to mention
> the problems?  All that paper does here is to act as a less volatile
> memory than the human brain, especially under stress.

It's not that the physician objects, it is that he is using this as
a clue that the patient might be a hypochondriac.  Of all the pts
who bring in a list of their symptoms, a good percentage are likely
to be excessively concerned about symptoms of little medical
importance.  The physician needs to be aware of this if he is to
treat the patient properly.  There are of course a number of patients
in this group who are not hypochondriacs but just thorough.  A good
physician is not likely to leap to the diagnosis of hypochondriasis
on the basis of this sign alone but will look for confirmatory bits
of history or absence of findings on the exam.  Physicians need to
be very careful about making this diagnosis, since it is a diagnosis
of exclusion.
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David A. Nye MD)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Dermatomal SSEPs
Date: 10 Oct 92 02:04:36 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Anybody know anything about or have any experience in dermatomal
somatosensory evoked potentials?  One of my partners has expressed 
an interest in getting these started but I wonder if they are of
any proven clinical (as opposed to financial) utility.
From: jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Flu Shot While Pregnant?
Date: 8 Oct 92 15:20:05 GMT
Organization: Kentucky Cancer Registry, Univ. of Ky

In article <1992Oct8.131339.21053@nynexst.com> clare@nynexst.com (Clare Chu) writes:
>
>  Does anyone know if it is okay for me to get
>  a flu shot while pregnant?  The flu shot is
>  made of chicken egg and I had one last year
>  with no side effects.  Neither my husband nor
>  midwife knew the answer and said that since
>  they didn't know they thought I shouldn't
>  get one.  So I'm asking to see if anyone
>  knows why I shouldn't get one.  I have until
>  tomorrow (Friday) to get a free flu shot from
>  my work.  Please get back to me soon.
>
>  Thanks, Clare
>  clare@nynexst.com

According to the package insert, no large-scale studies have been performed
to determine the saftey of the flu shot in pregnant women. It should only
be used if medically indicated; which probably means that you fit into
one of the categories of individuals who have a clear indication for the
immunization. Most pregnant women would not fit into one of these categories,
because they are usually healty. I do not recommend the flu shot for my
pregnant asthmatic patients.

recommended
-- 
[]  J. Randall Thompson                                      jrt@kcr.uky.edu []
[]  University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky                              []
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: nancy@genie.slhs.udel.edu (Nancy Lebovitz)
Subject: Re: Dry mouth in the morning. Reasons?
Organization: UDel, School of Life & Health Sciences
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 18:06:47 GMT

In article <Bw0vMz.Kn1.2@cs.cmu.edu> sjha+@cs.cmu.edu (Somesh Jha) writes:
>
>
>When I wake up, my mouth is very dry (It feels like I have a bad taste
>in my mouth). After an hour or so in the morning it goes away. What are
>the causes for it? Does this sound very serious?

In my experience, having a cruddy-tasting mouth in the morning correlates
with eating sugary foods at night.

Nancy Lebovitz
nancy@genie.slhs.udel.edu
From: James_S._Bright.wbst129@XEROX.COM
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: obscure blood diseases
Date: 12 Oct 92 11:32:44 GMT
Reply-To: JBright.Wbst129@xerox.com


Thanks to those who helped me with my first inquiry. It helped us to understand
my friend's problem a little better. I showed her the posts, and she corrected
me on a couple things. My friend Rosie said that her condition of
thromocytopenia is hereditary (and she said she knows she doesn't have
thrombasthenia), and this is also what one of her younger brother has. As for
Von Willebrand's Disease, she isn't sure if it was aquired or if it too was
hereditary (or if it is genetic). Again, thanks for the help.

It was ironic that around the same time I posted Rosie started to have, oh I
don't what you would call it ... an "outbreak" of symptoms. She's been having
severe pains in her knee and has at least two bruises the size of softballs on
her arm (when she gets bruises that big, she usually remembers where she got
them, but in this case she doesn't seem to remember bumbing into anything).
I've been urging her to get to a doctor because she could be bleeding into her
knee joint and really screwing it up ... but you know us college students --
never wanting to take time to take care of ourselves (she promised she'd go to
the infirmary today :)

Anyway, I just wanted to give an update for anyone that was interested. We're
both going to go to a library and research blood (probably start with a
hematology text - as was suggested).

Off the subject -- Hey! I was actually kinda proud to be mentioned in the
debate ... "Hawaii" and "Rochester, NY" having well manages health care costs.
Interesting that Rochester is doing *something* right  :)  I don't know if this
is an appropriate place to start a discussion, but I am curious as to what
others out there have to say about the candidate's position on health care.


jbright.wbst129@xerox.com

disclaimer: These views are strictly my own, are not meant to represent
Xerox, its associates, my parents, my school, nor my dog's.
From: dl10697@ehsn3.cen.uiuc.edu (Duc Trieu Le)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Potato as folk remedy for eye burns?
Date: 15 Oct 92 13:14:28 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

tflynn@encore.com (Tonya Flynn) writes:

>In article <Bvszry.BKI@news.cso.uiuc.edu> dl10697@ehsn3.cen.uiuc.edu (Duc Trieu Le) writes:

>>for severe burns, I heard one can apply Vitamin E lotion (natural form)
>>for a while over the burnt skin to prevent scarring of the flesh.
>>I heard the vitamin is somehow used by the cells during mitosis.
>>I don't know if this is true, but Vitamin is in most skin care lotion nowadays.

>While I don't necessarily disagree with your comments, one might 
>ask if Vitamin E is added to most skin care lotion products because
>it is actually beneficial or because it is a current fad.  I don't know
>the answer--just asking.  Are topically applied vitamins truly absorbed
>into the system?

I was unaware of Vitamin E being a fad. But, in these modern times, I
dismiss the possibility. I'm not sure if it's absorbed, but whenever I
use Vaseline lotion of Vit E, my skin sure feels a lot better. Anyway,
my biology teacher told me that the best way to heal the body is through
natural substances. Of which she mention Vit E. In addition, one of
my friends got a severe cut falling off while riding his bike. He went
to the hospital to see if he needed stitches and the doctor just
recommend using Vit E lotion to prevent scarring. (I guess the cut
wasn't that severe).

But then again, in these modern times with an escalated awareness on
health and fitness, anything is possible. Maybe Vit E is just a
modern folk myth.

Duc T. Le
led@sunfs1.dsd.northrop.com
From: cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Amyl nitrate
Date: 16 Oct 92 23:55:45 GMT
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA

In article <1992Oct15.035058.1@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz>, macridis_g@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz (Gerry Macridis) writes:
> In article <1992Oct12.162436.25280@eng.umd.edu>, georgec@eng.umd.edu
> (George B. Clark) writes:
# # Poppers are thought to be restricted to gays because you have to go
# # to adult bookstores to buy them. But since not everybody who patronizes
# # adult bookstores is gay, this perception is false. Everyone I've ever
# # known to use them is straight.
# 
# Amyl nitrite and substitutes are claimed to prolong orgasm.  However, I
# have been under the impression that their particular association with
# the gay community is due to an additional effect of relaxing the anal
# sphincter and thereby effecting easier penetration (I may be wrong).
# 
# -- 
# Gerry Macridis,      /\/\     .... Email: macridis_g@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz

That's what it says in Janet Shibley Hyde, _Understanding Human
Sexuality_, 4th ed., 242-243.  I would think that requiring 
dangerous chemicals to achieve a sexual position would cause one
to re-evaluate the sensibility of the postion.
-- 
Clayton E. Cramer {uunet,pyramid}!optilink!cramer  My opinions, all mine!
Lesson learned from Gov. Wilson's signing of AB 2601: if you don't get 
your way, have a riot.  Next time, Gov. Wilson will cower appropriately.
From: cfthb@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (Howard Black)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Peroxide and the bubbling reaction?
Date: 8 Oct 92 16:02:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: ux1.1992Oct08.160229.32078
Organization: Eastern Illinois University

In article <1992Oct08.152150.96426@watson.ibm.com> yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo) writes:
>Why is it that peroxide bubbles when it is placed on a cut?

    It is liberating oxygen.

>(I've been told that it is a sign that it is killing germs,
>but I think that it is a reaction with the blood.)

    These two phenomena aren't mutually exclusive.  Oxidants are damaging
to certain microorganisms (esp. anaerobic ones); the decomposition of H2O2
on a cut is probably a combination of thermal factors and catalysis by
tissue catalyases.

-- 
   ******************************************************************
     Howard Black                             cfthb@ux1.cts.eiu.edu
     Department of Chemistry                  Eastern Illinois Univ.
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Starting an alternative medicine newsgroup
Date: 14 Oct 92 22:27:12 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <BvwCqL.32J@wpg.com> russ@wpg.com (Russell Lawrence) writes:

>... which prevents them from reabsorbing the three to six 
>micrograms of B12 that are excreted daily in bile.   The fact
>that diffusion cannot cope with such a loss shouldn't lead
>us to conclude that diffusion should be written off in healthy
>individuals.
>
>sd> B12 formed by microorganisms, 
>sd> if at all, seems to appear so late in the gut that absorption 
>sd> isn't an important factor in preventing deficiency.  
>
>Would you mind pointing me to some evidence to convince me that 
>this is true in persons who are not suffering from malnutrition, 
>gastric disorder, or inadequate reabsorption?  
>

I'm not quite clear about what you are questioning, but the
facts are that persons who have the disorder of the parietal
cells of the stomach which prevents them from making intrinsic
factor become vitamin B12 deficient, once their body stores
of the vitamin are depleted.  Oral B12 given to them is
not absorbed in sufficient quantities to reverse the manifestations
of disease produced by the deficiency.  If intrinsic factor
is administered orally along with the B12 (as in the Shilling
test), then they do absorb the B12 given simultaneously.
This is the basis for diagnosing the disease pernicious
anemia.  People with disease of the terminal ileum, such
as Crohn's disease can also develop B12 deficiency due to
the fact that is the portion of the gut to which the intrinsic
factor bound B12 is absorbed.  The solution to both problems
is to inject the B12 instead of taking it orally.  B12 deficiency
is very uncommon in people with normal gut.  One would have
to be a strict vegan and not take any supplementation.


-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
From: yazz@locus.com (Bob Yazz)
Subject: Re: Cervical Caps (birth-control)
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 01:53:16 GMT

adf1@jaguar.uofs.edu writes:

| I am trying to find some information on the use of a Cervical Cap
| as a method of birth control.  I do know that they are manufactured
| in England, and one type has been cleared by the F.D.A. for use in
| U.S.A.. I would appreciate any/all information or experiences that
| anyone has had with/on Cervical Caps.

One good friend thinks they're great.  Later she had a child, and
still later went back to using the cap.  Unfortunately she didn't
have a refitting after giving birth and her second child was conceived
a bit ahead of her and her husband's schedule.  They and their now
three children are presently living happily ever after.

== Bob Yazz ==
-- 


Welcome to Sci.med -- where-school-of-thought bashing is as old as
sickness itself.
From: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Don't Bring Lists (was Re: mitral valve prolapse and need for antibiotics?)
Date: 9 Oct 92 13:38:20 GMT
Reply-To: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Distribution: sci
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <BvroBw.2tK@apollo.hp.com> betsyp@apollo.hp.com (Betsy Perry) writes:

|The rule of thumb that Ken cites seems to me to date from a more
|leisured era of medical care.  I can understand why a doctor becomes
|nervous when confronted with a list of symptoms rivalling Leporello's
|list of conquests.  But a list of nagging questions may only indicate
|a patient who is trying to make efficient use of a physician's
|tightly scheduled time.

Even if a physician's time is tightly schedules, you should never be
made to feel rushed in a physician's office. If the physician is
seeing so many patients that he/she doesn't have time to spend with
them doing things properly, then it is time to add another physician
to the practice, or to wind things down.

This is easy for me to say, since I work for a salary and can spend
all the time with patients that I want. I think medical care would
be far better if doctors were paid for their time, rather than on
a per head basis.

 -km
From: bhjelle@carina.unm.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Are there any virtuous viruses?
Date: 15 Oct 92 15:09:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: lynx.dmqplan
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Keywords: virus disease

In article <1992Oct15.144241.19868@cbnews.cb.att.com> jrm@cbnews.cb.att.com (john.r.miller) writes:

>before I do that, I thought I should ask to see if there are any "useful"
>viruses. For example, there are "useful" bacteria (E. coli?) that live in
>my intestines that aid in digestion in some manner. Are there any viruses
>that are accidently useful as well? How about potential use for virus - as I
>recall, they take over a cell and turn it to satisfy their own reproductive
>urges. Perhaps their affinity for cell hi-jacking could be put to use in
>fighting some other disease. 
>
I don't know offhand of any viruses  *known*  to be useful to man,
but don't doubt that there could be such a thing.

Many "gene therapy" schemes involve using heavily modified (genetically
engineered) versions of human and animal viruses to deliver missing
genes to people lacking such genes. Another tactic now being
explored is to deliver genes that can be selected against to
cancer cells in patients. So, for example, a gene found in
herpes simplex virus called TK can be placed into a highly 
modified retrovirus and delivered into undesireable cells, such
as cancer cells. The TK gene is expressed in the cancer cell and
makes an enzyme that will kill the cell if exposed to a drug
that is non-toxic to cells lacking the TK enzyme.

The now-dreaded class of viruses known as retroviruses has been
in vogue for most of the early phases of gene therapy theory.
Now other viruses are gaining favor, but retroviruses still
have some substatial advantages.

Brian