HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: zador-anthony@cs.yale.edu (Tony Zador)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Oral vs. Genetial Herpes
Date: 17 Nov 1992 23:02:07 -0500
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: systemsx-gw.cs.yale.edu

In article <69500@cup.portal.com> amigan@cup.portal.com (R Michael Medwid) writes:
>Herpes Simplex Virus I - cold sores, usually oral
>Herpes Simplex Virys II - genital herpes  
>
>They must be fairly closely related as the same medicine works for both
>HSV-I and HSV-II.  I use Acyclovir topical creme for cold sores.  A friend
>of mine who has HSV-II uses Acyclovir (commercial name Zvorax) in pill
>form when he has an outbreak.  
>
>For cold sores Zvorax works great.  I've had cold sores since I can
>remember and none of the over-the-counter remedies ever did anything
>except tingle and give the impression it was doing something..the cold

You cant argue with success. However, in NEJM, 1992, 327:782-785, in an
article on acyclovir, the authors state "Despite early suggestions
that topical therapy w/5% acyclovir was effective for HSV-1 orolabial
infections, subsequent studies showed no clinical benefit, most likely
bcs of the poor penetration of the drug...Current data do not support
the use of topical acycloivr for herpes labalis. Oral acyclovir (200
mg po q 4h x 5d) reduces length of time to the loss of the crusts by
apporximately one day (7 vs. 8 d) but does not alter the duration of
pain or the length of time to complete healing...Thus oral therapy has a
slight clinical benefit only if initiated very early... and cannot be
recommended as a routine tx..."

TZ



-- 
Tony Zador
zador@cs.yale.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg)
Subject: New Adiposity 101
Organization: Omen Technology Inc
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 13:39:06 GMT

Coming to a newsfeed near you, a new edition of Adiposity 101.
New material is marked with # characters.  This edition has much
new information on diet cycling, causes of obesity, and new
treatments.  Now in three parts.

If there is a desire, I can make the Postscript output, or the
Troff source available.

-- 
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
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: amerritt@dante.nmsu.edu (Angela Merritt)
Subject: Help! Kicked by a horse!
Organization: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 21:47:12 GMT

Hi,
I need some expert advice (free that is..) about an
injury I received about a week ago.  I was kicked by
a horse (the horse had shoes on), in the left thigh
just above the knee.  It was pretty painful for a
few minutes then I was able to walk on it ok.  When
I got home I put on cold packs for about 20 minutes,
but I havn't treated it since.  It was difficult to
walk on for a few days and has turned an ugly yellow
color (not much black and blue yet).  I can walk
almost normal now (no running), but it's still pretty
painful (especially when I first get up in the
morning).  The pain seems to be spreading slightly
into the knee area and the main wound is still kind
of swollen and hard to the touch.  Anyway... all
the pain appears to me to be in the muscle, but
some people (laymen), have suggested that I go and
get it x-rayed and make sure I havn't broken it.
Needless to say I don't want to spend the money and
go to the Dr. if I don't have to.  So does anyone
have any advice?  How long does it take for an
injury like that to stop hurting.
Thanks!

Angie (amerritt@dante.nmsu.edu).
From: markg@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Mark Goldsworthy)
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 17:53:34 GMT
Subject: Re: Smoke cigarettes -- leave early!
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (SRSD MWTD)
Newsgroups: sci.med

/ hpmwga7:sci.med / robert@unlv.edu (Robert Cray) /  8:22 pm  Nov 22, 1992 /

>What I can't figure out is the large number of kids, especially teenage
>girls that smoke these days.  The other day I saw two girls, about 13 and
>16 years old eating dinner at Wendy's with their father.  After a while,
>the girls got up, moved to the smoking section, and started smoking.  Dad
>stayed put.  Some time later one of the girls came and said to her father
>"if you think we're young to be smoking, look at him" and pointed to a boy,
>about 12 smoking, so at least he objected, even if he didn't do anything
>about it.  Several weeks prior to that I saw the cheerleading squad from the
>best high school in town, almost all smoking.  This in a rather trendy
>neighborhood too.

What? You haven't heard of the invinsible teenager? How many 12-13 Year-olds
think about their own mortality? That's why teens tend to drive fast, drive
drunk, smoke cigs, start drug experimentation, have risky sex, etc... They
simply do not think like adults and cannot comprehend consequences like their
own death from cigarettes 40 years from now. 

There is a grain of truth in the saying 'Youth is wasted on the Young'.

Mark Goldsworthy
From: max@queernet.org (Max J. Rochlin)
Subject: Re: Steroids for Cancer Patients?
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:09:23 GMT
Organization: QueerNet

In article <1992Nov18.175613.1538@igor.tamri.com> margaret@igor.tamri.com (Margaret Kritzer) writes:
>A friend has terminal cancer.  She was taking steroids to reduce
>the tumors' pressure on her spine, thus reducing pain.  Her doctors
>are concerned about the steroid dosage, and want to reduce this and
>put her on something else.
>
>My first question:  what are the side effects of big steroid dosage
>that could be significant in light of her health situation?  She has
>retained lots of water, to the point of looking quite "blown up", but
>what else are they worried about?

Well, steroids are immuno-supressive.  This means that the possibility
of getting sick is greater.  Other side effects include weight gain,
short temper, just to name a few.  It's also been suggested that steroids
we a major contributing factor to the brain cancer and subsequent death
of L. Alzado (sp?) the ex-football player.

-- 
+-----------------------------------------+
|  max@queernet.org  |   Max J. Rochlin   |
+-----------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: annick@cortex.physiol.su.oz.au (Annick Ansselin)
Subject: Re: evidence for homeopathy - who pays?
Organization: Department of Physiology, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 03:56:08 GMT

In <1992Nov16.170512.3418@island.COM> green@island.COM (Robert Greenstein) writes:

>In article <dank.721767362@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov> dank@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov (Daniel R. Kegel) writes:

>>Myself, I'd like to see clinical trials required for homeopathic remedies,
>>to prove (in the allopathic sense of the word!) efficacy before they could
>>be sold to patients.  Surely if the homeopaths believe in their remedies,
>>they shouldn't mind being held to a high standard of direct proof of efficacy.
>>Perhaps Bernie could explain why such trials would be considered unfair by
>>homeopaths.

>It is not a question of fairness. It is a question of cost. Such trials 
>costs a tremendous amount of money. Where is it going to come from? Upjohn
>isn't going to pay for it. In an ideal world, clinical trials such as
>you propose would be great. But in this society, the allopaths control
>the pursestrings, so it ain't gonna happen.
>-- 

Drug companies have to comply to certain standards which includes clinical
trials - as far as I know the drug companies pay and no doubt the cost of
the drugs cover these expanses as well as development cost etc.

Why can't the companies whic push the homeopathic drugs do the same? At
least in this neck of the woods, there are several companies pushing
homeopathic medicines very hard with expansive advertising etc. I might add
that the profits must be quite respectable judging from their prices, I
find it hard to believe they couldn't afford the trials. Indeed, why they
they do not have to abide by the same stringent rules that allopathic
drug companies have to is difficult to understand!
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: RSE32195@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Clinton's health care plan
Date: 16 Nov 1992 21:04:56 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu


Would someone please send me a copy of Clinton's health care plan/proposal?
I have seen it posted before but didn't save it.

Thanks!  

Stefan Radloff
University of Tulsa
rse32195@vax1.utulsa.edu


Newsgroups: sci.med
From: francis@ircam.fr (Joseph Francis)
Subject: Re: What homing device does a virus use?
Organization: Inst. de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique, Paris
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 15:32:57 GMT

In article <lgihacINN6hm@peaches.cs.utexas.edu> turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes:
>-*----
>In article <17491@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>> The same way that plant seeds distinguish soil from rocks: they don't, ...
>
>For once, you lose me.  Seeds clearly do distinguish soil from
>rocks: they grow in the former and die on the latter.  I suspect
>either of us could even make a reasonable explanation of the
>mechanisms involved.  Now ... What are the mechanisms in the case
>of the question I posed?

This is starting to become a Woody Allen script as a takeoff on
Dostoyevsky and the parables of Christ. Next we'll have someone
talking about the genetic manipulations arabadopsis, and the tale of
the mustard seed w.r.t sexual abstinence and homoeopathic spiritual
reawakening.



-- 
| Le Jojo: Fresh 'n' Clean, speaking out to the way you want to live
| today; American - All American; doing, a bit so, and even more so.
Xref: sparky sci.med:21139 sci.med.nutrition:1343
From: brad@optilink.UUCP (Brad Yearwood)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.med.nutrition
Subject: Re: Eating spoiled food reduces lifetime?
Date: 17 Nov 92 02:59:00 GMT
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA

In article <1992Nov15.173453.12398@crc.ac.uk>, mdiffin@crc.ac.uk (Dr. M.C. Diffin) writes:
# helga>Does anybody know any reports if eating spoiled food reduces the average
# helga>life time and affects the health?
# 
# In short, no.  But I should think it rather difficult to produce
# meaningful epidemiological data on the former.  As to the latter,
# pathogenic bacteria in or on food (eg salmonella) is generally
# odourless; 'spoiling' bacteria are quite different and, to my knowledge,
# usually harmless, their  actions albeit being aesthetically unpleasant!
# 
# helga>I got that idea because I heard that some spoiled food is very
# helga>poisionous and can even effect the genes.
# 
# I suppose some of the nasties produced by more advanced organic
# decomposition may be toxic in larger quantities, but I remain to be
# convinced that this constitutes a serious hazard.

I remember a documentary TV program (probably part of the "Nova" series)
some years ago.  Someone had observed an unusually high incidence of
stomach cancer in a relatively small geographic area within China.

Considerable scientific detective work finally led to the cause.  A staple
of the local diet was a sort of muffin.  These were not typically prepared
fresh every day - maybe once every week or two.  It was usual for the muffins
to mold before the last ones from a batch were consumed, and local custom had
apparently evolved to accept the mold as being edible.

Tests on the mold proved that it or one of its products could cause cancer
(as can aflatoxins from Aspergillus flavus mold, particularly on peanuts).

What about "ptomaine poisoning" - is it only a popular misnomer?

Brad Yearwood    brad@optilink.com
Petaluma, California
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: green@island.COM (Robert Greenstein)
Subject: Re: Summary of evidence for homeopathy
Organization: Strawman Incorporated
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 17:05:12 GMT

In article <dank.721767362@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov> dank@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov (Daniel R. Kegel) writes:

>Myself, I'd like to see clinical trials required for homeopathic remedies,
>to prove (in the allopathic sense of the word!) efficacy before they could
>be sold to patients.  Surely if the homeopaths believe in their remedies,
>they shouldn't mind being held to a high standard of direct proof of efficacy.
>Perhaps Bernie could explain why such trials would be considered unfair by
>homeopaths.

It is not a question of fairness. It is a question of cost. Such trials 
costs a tremendous amount of money. Where is it going to come from? Upjohn
isn't going to pay for it. In an ideal world, clinical trials such as
you propose would be great. But in this society, the allopaths control
the pursestrings, so it ain't gonna happen.
-- 
******************************************************************************
Robert Greenstein           Orthodoxy is the death of intelligence.            
green@srilanka.island.com            - Bertrand Russell                               
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: Kirk.Smith@launchpad.unc.edu (Kirk Smith)
Subject: Re: Summary of evidence for homeopathy
Organization: University of North Carolina Extended Bulletin Board Service
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 21:29:16 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.211637.29491@sr.com> dks@srhqla.UUCP (Dave K. Sprow) writes:
>Ok, let me say I don't *know* homeopathy works but I had the flu last
>week and bought a flu hom. remedy that's been on the market for years.
>It's a weird name that I forget how to spell, starts with an Occ I think.
>
>Anyway, I took the stuff as directed as was over in within 24 hours.
>
>Now, I know this doesn't prove anything.  You could say, well it couldn't
>have been the flu then or it was a minor bout or whatever. And all that
>could be true.  I do know how sick I felt before I started taking it,
>and when I felt *that* bad with the flue before, it never went away 
>that quickly.  And it couldn't have been placebo as far as I know, 'cause
>I don't see how a placebo effect could amke the flu go away.  I feel like
>I'm going to die when I have the flu.
>
>David S.
>
>

This reminds me of a gal I met that didn't understand a thing about why
one should finish all of their antibiotics.  She said that she always
bought them in Mexico, and whenever she gets a cold, she starts taking
PCN, and lo and behold, the cold is over within a few days!  She then
stops the antibiotic.

When I told her that most of us don't bother with antibiotics for the common
cold, and that our colds are over in a few days too, she was dumbfounded.
I then tried to paint a picture of the end of the world as we know it
because she's serving to produce antibiotic resistant bacteria.

-ks

--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  laUNChpad.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: "nigel allen" <nigel.allen@canrem.com>
Subject: Complex Seizures: News from Epilepsy Foundation of America.
Reply-To: "nigel allen" <nigel.allen@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: sci
Date: 19 Nov 92 20:14:09 EST


Here is a press release from the Epilepsy Foundation of America.

 Epilepsy Foundation Alerts Public to 'Complex Seizures'
 To: Medical Writer
 Contact: Peter van Haverbeke or Miriam Dowtin, 301-459-3700
          both of the Epilepsy Foundation

   LANDOVER, Md., Nov. 19   -- People with epilepsy, along with 
most other Americans, are heading out to malls and
shopping areas for the holidays.  Since there are 2.5 million
people with epilepsy in the United States, the possibility of
encountering someone having a seizure at a mall or other public
place is quite high.  But the likelihood of someone recognizing it
as a seizure of responding appropriately is much lower.
   When many people think of epilepsy, they think of convulsive
seizures that cause a person to fall, have muscular jerks, and
become disoriented.  One of the most common types of seizures,
however, doesn't look much like this at all.
   Complex partial seizures usually start with a blank stare
followed by chewing and random actions.  A person appears to be
unaware of his surroundings and may mumble and seem dazed.  
These behaviors, especially when they occur in public, are often 
mistaken for drunkenness, drug use, or disorderly conduct.
   Complex partial seizures generally last a few minutes.  It is
important not to restrain the person while the seizure is in
progress unless there is an immediate danger in his or her
surroundings.  Also, since a seizure is a form of altered
consciousness, shouting and verbal instructions are usually
ineffective.
   Instead, the person should be gently guided away from obvious
hazards.  As the person recovers from the seizure, he or she may
still be confused and should be spoken to calmly and reassuringly.
If possible, a helper should stay near until full awareness
returns.
   "The Epilepsy Foundation of America, in the middle of Epilepsy
Awareness Month activities, just thinks people should know that
a seizure does not always look like a seizure," said Foundation
Board member Cheryl Lawson, "But if a seizure is recognized,
help can be given," she added.
   For more information about complex partial seizures and other
seizure types, call the Epilepsy Foundation of America at
800-EFA-1000.  EFA is the nation's leading source of information
about epilepsy.
 -30-
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: sci.med,alt.support.diet
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Subject: Re: lipase inhibitors
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 05:44:06 GMT

In article <Bxxq2H.8HK@dale.cts.com> npm@dale.cts.com (Nancy Milligan) writes:
>Hey, this is cool!  Fat inhibitors... I like that.  Now if only there
>were a pill, maybe there is, that'd turn off the juices secreted by
>my thighs and rear that says "deposit all fat here".

Well, fat distribution is under hormonal control, and the particular
fat distribution most women have (on the hips, rear and thighs,
classically described as "gynoid") is facilitated in large part by
estrogen.  Of course, compounds with some degree of activity as
anti-estrogens are available (Tamoxifen, Clomid), but I think
taking something like this that would be a little extreme, given
that this is only "abnormal" culturally.  I also don't know whether
such drugs would have any effect on fat distribution, for a number
of reasons.

There was a study done by George Bray at UCLA, a well-known obesity
researcher, which looked at the effect of topical creams containing a
mixture of adrenergic agents (essentially adrenalin-analogues and
theophylline, a caffeine-like substance) on local fat distribution.
Believe it or not, the cream appeared to work!  Women who were their
own controls showed reductions in circumference on the treated thigh
compared to the untreated thighs.  But I've never seen any followup on
this work.  I don't know if it turned out that the study was bogus,
couldn't be replicated, or whether this was just too wacky or National-
Enquirer-like an idea to pursue any further.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Weight Loss with Dexfenfluramine
Date: 17 Nov 92 17:22:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Nov17.172201.11651
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <hank.721968604@well.sf.ca.us> hank@well.sf.ca.us (Hank Roberts) writes:
>"The above data" certainly do not prove IN ANY WAY anything.  If you
>will refer to the paper -- and note that one of the stated main goals
>of the four-year program was to investigate what happens to lipids during
>weight changes -- you will see that some lipids did (and others did not)
>vary along with weight.  I regret that I can't post the charts here for you.

No one is arguing with that.  They're arguing that lipid changes could
be used to determine whether or not an increase in caloric intake over
the study occurred or not, thereby explaining the weight regain.  This
was Chuck's assertion.

>The lipid studies were of major interest to the writers, and deserve to
>be read in the original; they are interesting and suggestive of further
>possible investigation, at least.

Well, I did read the study when it first came out (the paper is somewhere
here, but not without a lot of rummaging) and it essentially says something
pretty unsurprising, namely, that triglycerides and LDL go down when you
lose weight.  I'll make an effort to find it and read it again.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: akins@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (kay.a.akins)
Subject: Status seizure and brain damage
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:51:08 GMT
Keywords: seizures and brain damage

Anyone have any data on if status complex partial seizures
can cause brain damage?
From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Circumcisions as a Trivial Issue
Date: 21 Nov 1992 09:53:45 -0600
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: im4u.cs.utexas.edu
Summary: It remains so.
Keywords: circsn

-*----
In article <c8922369.722336846@jupiter.newcastle.edu.au> c8922369@jupiter.newcastle.edu.au (Leon James Garde) writes:
> whats wrong with having a foresking ?

As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing significantly wrong with
having a foreskin.

> cant you use your imagination  and find somthing good about 
> having a foreskin.

Sure.  But the benefits of having a whole foreskin are as
insignificant as the benefits of having it trimmed.  From a
medical perspective, it does not amount to a hill of beans.
(From a religious or cultural perspective, it may be more
important.)

> ... you accept the female version can be wrong , in all forms.

What is euphemistically called "female circumcision" is in
fact clitoridectomy.  This is analogous to lopping off the 
head of the penis, not merely snipping a piece of foreskin.

The most disturbing aspect of this dialogue is the skewed
perspective shown by those who would equate these two acts.
Would you equate clipping an infants nails to lopping off her
hands?

>>> ... And we think we're so superior to "savage" tribes living
>>> in the jungles of third world countries.

>> How quaint.  And how stupid.  In terms of ritualistic marking and
>> similar behaviors, there are strong commonalities among people the
>> world over. 

> Oh, dear. isn't that a rstatement of the sentence above it ?

No.  The person who wrote the first statement claims we think (or
ought to think) ourselves superior in this regard to other
cultures.  He may think that, or want to think that, but I do
not.  (I realize this difference is somewhat subtle, involving
not whether we *are* superior in this regard, but whether we
think or ought to think ourselves so.)

Russell
From: cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Pos/Neg Benefits of CO2 in pop (soda)
Keywords: pop
Date: 15 Nov 92 16:41:55 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

In article <1992Nov13.120103.12580@hemlock.cray.com> n3022@cray.com writes:

> ... it seems that if the body gives off CO2
>when we exhale, it makes sense that to drink carbonated beverages with
>CO2 could be less than beneficial to the human body.

We also give off H2O when we exhale. So it seems likely that drinking
beverages with H2O in them might not be too good for you either. And,
as a check of the contents lists in your local store will reveal,
there's usually a lot of H2O in drinks too.
-- 
Chris Malcolm    cam@uk.ac.ed.aifh          +44 (0)31 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence,    Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK                DoD #205
Newsgroups: sci.med