HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ndallen@r-node.gts.org (Nigel Allen)
Newsgroups: sci.med,talk.politics.misc,soc.culture.usa,soc.culture.african.american
Subject: APHA Denounces High Court's Refusal to Review Health Insurance Denial Case
Date: 10 Nov 92 23:02:01 GMT
Organization: Echo Beach, Toronto

Here is a press release from the American Public Health Association.

 APHA Denounces High Court's Refusal to Review Health Insurance
Denial Case
 To: National Desk, Health Care Writer
 Contact: American Public Health Association 120th Annual Meeting
          Press Office, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, 202-387-3401

   WASHINGTON, Nov. 10   -- The American Public Health Association 
(APHA) today denounced the Supreme Court's refusal to review a 
lower court allowing H & H Music to cut off health insurance
benefits to an employee with AIDS.
   Calling the lower court ruling blatant discrimination against one
kind of disease, APHA urged the court to hear another case and
reverse these benefit denial decisions.
   "The court's decision demonstrates the failure of the private
insurance system," said APHA President Joyce Lashof, addressing a
Capitol Hill rally.  "In light of these benefit denial decisions, no
American can feel secure that private insurance will be there to
protect against a catastrophic illness.  This decision shows why we
need a comprehensive national health system."
   Pointing out that H & H Music decision is based on a particular
type of disability, the association urged that the issue be
reexamined in light of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 -30-
From: king@reasoning.com (Dick King)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Contact lenses and blood vessels in the eye!?
Date: 13 Nov 92 18:24:26 GMT
Organization: Reasoning Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA

In article <1992Nov13.023143.163637@watson.ibm.com> yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo) writes:
>In article <1992Nov12.175945.3753@menudo.uh.edu> kattan@Jane.UH.EDU writes:
>>
>>I've been a soft contact lense wearer for 12 years.  At my last checkup, I was
>>told I had a little bit of neovascularization, which is what I think you are
>>talking about.  My eye doctor suggested I switch to gas permeable hard lenses,
>>but they didn't fit right.  I went back to soft lenses, but must buy new lenses
>>every year even if they don't appear to be dirty.  If the neo worsens, I have
>>to go to disposable lenses.
>>
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Mike Kattan // Decision and Information Sciences // University of Houston
>>Houston, TX  77204-6282 // (713) 743-4734 // Fax: -4693 // kattan@uhupvm1
>>=========================================================================
>
>I am curious.  Is it standard procedure for eye doctors to 
>warn new soft contact customers about neovascularization?
>
>If so, I wonder what the conversation would be:
>Doctor: Why do want contact lenses?
>Patient: Because I want to look good.
>Doctor: I must warn you that soft contact lenses can cause 
>neovascularization.  This means that you can go blind.
>Patient: Are there any alternative?
>Doctor: Yes, eyeglasses are very safe.
>Patient: Oh no, I would not look good.
>
>When presented with a choice between putting a foreign substance in
>my eye that can possibly cause blindness and "good looks"
>versus  eyeglasses.  I choose the latter.  
>(But to each his/her own.)
>

Neovascularization can be caught before any damage is done if you go in for the
checkups that the program calls for; once a week for the first month, tapering
off to every six months.

In my particular case i wear lenses because my bike is my basic transportation.
In the rain, i was faced with the choice of doffing my glasses and having
20/400 vision for the whole ride home, or keeping them on and having my vision
deteriorate from 20/20 to perhaps 20/800 or worse on the way home as the
glasses covered with water.  I got lenses when my commute lengthened from 5
miles one way, to 10 miles one way.  Had i known that California was about to
enter a five-year drought i would not have bothered ;-( .

Bad eyesight on a bike ride in rainy weather can be fatal.  I could go back to
glasses for the dry season but i suppose it would be prudent to have the
initial fitting every fall if i did that.

It looks like Mike's eye doctor is on top of things, and that the problem was
caught before it got serious.  Please don't condemn all contact lens wearers as
self-destructively vain.  Do go in for your regular checkups, even when you've
been stable for years.

-dk
From: rghoff@bb1t.monsanto.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Transdermal Nicotine Patches/Dreams!
Date: 10 Nov 92 12:11:44 CST
Organization: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO


Hi, I'm new on this group. Just wanted to post an interesting experience
I've been having with my Habatrol Nictotine patches.

Dreams:

We're talking the most increadable/real/vivid/detail/etc dreams I've
ever had. Starting the night I put on my first patch, dreams. I can
feel, touch, taste, smell, read techinical manuals, take instument
readings and make the appropriate adjustments (these last three were
when I was dreaming about this car I'm rebuilding).

I suppose when people say they are having out of body experiences, it's
dreams like these.

Jeez, even if I don't end up quitting smoking, the patches are worth the
price just for the amazing dreams! (But I'm doing excellent on them, not
one smoke since I started three weeks ago - I'm going to make it this
time).

Just my 2 cents.

Rick Hoffman
From: rmd@tellabs.com (Bob Dyas)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Unexplained Pulmonary Embolism
Date: 9 Nov 92 23:43:32 GMT
Article-I.D.: tellab5.1992Nov9.234332.103
Organization: Tellabs, Lisle, IL



I was recently hospitalized due to blood clots, one in each lung.
After an intensive battery of tests, the doctors concluded they could
find no reason for the problem.  All the tests came back normal and I
have no risk factors or recent injuries or periods of immobilization
which might contribute to this.  I am very active athletically and
otherwise healthy.  The doctor has prescribed Coumadin, an anti-coagulant
for the next 6 months.  At that time a decision will be made as to 
whether I should continue with the drug or not.  Does anyone out there
have any information concerning this type of condition and also any
information about probability of recurrence should I discontinue taking
the anti-coagulant.  I would prefer written sources, names of experts,
etc.  Personal experiences along this line would also be appreciated.

Thanks.
-- 
---------------
Bob Dyas
Tellabs, Inc.
rmd@tellabs.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski)
Subject: Re: Appropriate treatment (was: War on cancer a failure???)
Organization: The Information Deli - via Netcom / San Jose, California
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 06:58:17 GMT

In <17302@pitt.UUCP> km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum) writes:

>In article <1992Oct31.092606.23390@netcom.com> kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski) writes:
>>Or is the population sampling you've done on Usenet and at malls and
>>parties the best evidence you've got?

>That's right. The doctors here on the net are a pretty perverse group.
>Think of the hours they waste here that could be productively spent
>robbing people blind with allopathic medical hokum.

Actually, the "population sampling" I was asking Russell about was for
alternative practitioners, not doctors.

But I have thought about the long hours the doctors put in here --
it's one of the primary reasons I'm wasting *my* time in news.groups
putting together misc.health.alternative.  I'd like to see the doctors
here productively discussing science and medicine, instead of wading
hip-deep through alternative health hokum.

You make an implicit either-or assumption when you sarcastically say
doctors could be "robbing people blind with allopathic medical hokum",
as if I must believe medical science to be quackery if I believe in
alternative health.

Medical science as I've seen it practiced has its limitations and
shortcomings -- but it has tremendous strengths as well.  It's
certainly *not* quackery.

-- 
Peter Kaminski
kaminski@netcom.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller)
Subject: Re: Mercury fillings
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 03:25:17 GMT

In article <1992Nov7.125214.2187@cnsvax.uwec.edu> nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye) writes:
>In article <1dgrnoINNa3a@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>, starfish@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Smarter than the Average Blur) writes:
>> 
>> Are they still used and if not, when did they stop being used?
>Don't worry.  The mercury is not bioavailable.  There is absolutely
>no evidence of any medical problems from it.  The allegations of
>MS-like symptoms from it were crazy.
>

The original poster asked a yes or no question, and then asked for
a date.  You have not answered either question, and have then gone
on to answer question(s) that were not asked.  You guessed the poster
had a fairly specific but unstated underlying motivation for asking
about mercury fillings.  And you may very well be correct. But why not
give people the benefit of the doubt and just answer questions as they
are asked, and then answer more questions as the 'conversation'
progresses?  Suppose the poster had completely different reasons
for asking about mercury fillings?

sue


Newsgroups: sci.med
From: phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin)
Subject: Re: Yoghurt producing phlegm?
Organization: Telebit Corporation; Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: 12 Nov 92 19:09:18

Somebody put it to me this way.  "Milk is converted to snot very
efficiently.  So if you use dairy products while you have a cold,
your nose will run a lot."  Sounded plausible.  In my personal
experience, the conclusion seems to be true.


Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mmatusev@radford.vak12ed.edu (Melissa N. Matusevich)
Subject: Re: Episiotomy...What my doctor said...Is this true?  Anyone not have one?
Organization: Virginia's Public Education Network (Radford)
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 16:13:01 GMT

I had episiotomies with both my deliveries and I've regretted
them both. I've never been the same since. [My daughters are 16
and 14.] I, of course, do not know how my body would be
different if I hadn't had the episiotomies, but if I had it to
do over again, I'd take my chances. It doesn't seem my body
could be any worse than it is now. I'll talk specifics by email
only.
-- 
                     Melissa Matusevich          
                 mmatusev@radford.vak12ed.edu
From: mikef@bvc.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med,ia.talk.politics
Subject: Re: Health Care Costs
Date: 13 Nov 92 09:29:51 CDT
Organization: Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA

In article <BxMK9q.9Mo@news.iastate.edu>, cmriggin@iastate.edu (Christin M Riggins) writes:
>    I am doing a research paper on health care costs in the United States and
> ways to improve our current system.  I would REALLY be grateful and truely
> appreciate any and all responses to my survey.  Please email responses to
> 
> cmriggin@iastate.edu
>         or
> TYAU7@isuvax.iastate.edu
> 
> Like I said, any and all responses would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> C. Marie Riggins
> Iowa State University
> 
> 
> 1.  Do you feel that the current U.S. health care system is effective? (Y/N)
> 
No, I don't.

> 2.  Do you feel health care in the U.S. would be improved to switching to a
>     universal health care system similar to Canadas? (Y/N)
It sure couldn't hurt to try.
 
> 3.  Do you think that Bill Clinton's proposed health care revisions will
>     improve
>       a) availability of health care? (Y/N)Y
>       b) quality of health care? (Y/N)  N(but more availability will 
increase quality to those where it was unavailable before)
>       c) cost of health care? (Y/N)Y
> 
> 4.  Would you be willing to pay higher taxes in order to improve the health
>     care system? (Y/N) Absolutely
> 
> 5.  What do you think is the number one problem with health care in the U.S.
>     today?  Lack of accessible, affordable healthcare to lower income 
America.
> 
> Thanks again for your help.  Results of the survey should be available around
> the middle of December if anyone is interested.
> 
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: "chris pinto" <chris.pinto@canrem.com>
Subject: discovery!?  cure!!
Reply-To: "chris pinto" <chris.pinto@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: sci
Date: 11 Nov 92 17:05:26 EST


I was extreamly sick and accutane(Isotretinoin) cured me!  No doctor has
yet been able to explain why.

One doctor has diagnosed my illness as myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Other doctors just say "maybe a virus".

Briefly(skipping a lot): Chronic, last 4 years extreamly bad, 10 years
total.  Sevear pain in chest area, legs/arms in 1/5th the pain.  10mg
of toradol handled not more then 1/20th of the pain.  Muscle inflamation
throught body(very stiff muscles).  Fatigue/sickness worse then the
pain.  Skin felt worse then both the pain and sickness combind.  The
skin was very itchy, worst on face, felt worse then poison ivy, with
burning sensation, and felt like an infected wound.  Skin only looked
very pale.  No acne, with use of tetracycline.  Excessive oil.  Brain
damage - involuntary eye twitches, involuntary facial twitches, memory
loss and use problems, minor concentration problems, speaking problems
(thinking of words and actually speaking words).  Raynaud's disease
(feet always very blue).  Hair lightened in color from black to light
brown.  Reduced tolerance to drugs, seldane caused hart pains for 4
years, got severe hang over from 1(!) beer.

Accutane: Started with 10mg/day - huge dramatic improvement within 2
days, then improved daily.  Increased to 40mg/day caused huge
improvement in 1 day.  Increased to 80mg/day caused another huge
improvement in 1 day!  I tried stopping the drug on 2 occasions early on
and both times got much worse within 2 days.  Stopped taking the
accutane 4/weeks ago after 11 months, feeling okay except for some
occasional minor pain in the lymph nodes in the neck.  It was definitely
accutane which cured me!

If it was myalgic encephalomyelitis then accutane cures it!  I am
curious if it works for anyone else.

Can any doctor give me any information on why the accutane cured me?

I read that accutane cures leukemia.  It causes the cancer cells to
mature and function normally(stopping uncontrolled reproduction).  Well
if it can make those cells function normally, perhaps it caused whatever
was wrong with my body to function better?  If my immune system was
chronically over reacting(I had severe allergies which also increased
the muscle pain) perhaps the accutane caused those immune cells to
function normally?  Possible?

Isotretinoin is closely related to vitamin A.  Accutane is less toxic
and in massive doses compared to vitamin A.  Could it have anything to
do with that?  I had been taking vitamin C 5000mg/day timed release
before and during the accutane.  On its own the vitamin C did little.
Perhaps they work together?  I did try 250,000 IU of vitamin A a day
for 3 days, before I took the accutane and there was little effect.
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo)
Subject: Re: Robodoc
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 16:08:45 GMT
Distribution: na
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

In article <69211@cup.portal.com> amigan@cup.portal.com (R Michael Medwid) writes:
>An article from the Associated Press today described a robot called 
>"Robodoc" that was used during a hip-replacement operation.  It was
>billed as the first time a robot had been used in surgery.  

An article that I read said that robots have been used in surgery
before.  The difference in this case was that the robot performed
an active role.  Previously, the robots have always performed a passive
role.  (Don't ask me what this means.  But someone on the net must know.)

-- 
 Ralph Yozzo (yozzo@watson.ibm.com)  
 From the beautiful and historic Mid-Hudson Valley area of NY state
From: jrt@omega.kcr.uky.edu (J. Randall Thompson)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Weight Loss with Dexfenfluramine
Date: 13 Nov 92 18:53:15 GMT
    <1992Nov13.004533.22122@spdcc.com> <1992Nov13.140839.7710@omen.UUCP>
Organization: Kentucky Cancer Registry, Univ. of Ky

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

And you haven't shown us the *FACTS* that indicate lipid profile is an
accurate indicator of caloric intake or change in caloric intake for
an individual. 


>-- 
>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


-- 
[]  J. Randall Thompson                                      jrt@kcr.uky.edu []
[]  University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky                              []
From: rocker@desire.wright.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Fetal Tissue research
Date: 5 Nov 92 13:18:02 GMT
Article-I.D.: desire.1992Nov5.081802.5422
Organization: Wright State University


	When Clinton removes the band on fetal tissue research, will anyone be
working on posiable uses for Cerebral Palsy?

	It seems like transplated brain cells should be able to produce more
effeects than ann increase in dopamine.

thanks for any info/feedback.
From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: War on cancer a failure???
Date: 10 Nov 1992 13:48:23 -0600
Organization: U Texas Dept of Computer Sciences, Austin TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: im4u.cs.utexas.edu

-*----
In article <17414@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
> In contrast to Ken, I have seen instances where I thought
> oncologists were too aggressive and treated a cancer case
> that was hopeless.  Some of them are trying out new drugs 
> and will try a new protocol even when the odds are extremely
> remote of a cure and the odds of making people miserable for
> their remaining time are great.  THis is something I am opposed
> to, but I wouldn't forbid patients from choosing this route
> if they really wanted it.

Whenever possible, I think the informed patient should decide
whether the expected benefits of a treatment justify its expected
costs.  Much like some other writers here, I think physicians
should refrain from pushing their own values too aggressively. 

But this does not rule out improbable treatments.  Were an
oncologist to tell me that I had cancer that had metastasized to
my liver, bones, etc., serving as a guinea pig for an
experimental treatment would not be a bad purpose for the last
few months of my life.  But the patient should be free to
reject this proposed course.

Russell
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: Pat.Churchill@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
Subject: Re: Offensive BO
Organization: Actrix Networks
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 02:11:39 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.170345.14668@unislc.uucp> chris@unislc.uucp (Chris DelPrete) writes:
> Wendy Sherman (ws1d+@andrew.cmu.edu) wrote:
> : If anyone out there can help me, please reply to this, as I feel I'm 
> : slowly going mad. Were it not confirmed for me by more than 
> : one person, I would not believe it myself. I have a horrible body
> : stench (worse than any mild body odor) that I cannot get rid of.
> 
> I don't know much, but have you looked into an anti-fungal soap?  If treatment
> for yeast abated the symptoms, maybe you have caught a fungus from your
> neighbors.  Maybe some type of lice treatment would be the way to go? (Burn all
> clothes?)

A friend had a similar problem once - eventually, to her great relief
- tracked down to a tampon she was unaware she was still wearing.
Lodged high with no string hanging down.  Worth a check?
-- 
| The floggings will continue until morale improves
| Pat.Churchill@bbs.actrix.gen.nz (Pat Churchill, Wellington, New Zealand)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Lyme Vaccine Begins Phase I Trials
Date: 7 Nov 92 18:16:41 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <1992Nov5.173118.5410@equator.com>, jod@equator.com (John Setel O'Donnell) writes:
> The term fibromyalgia describes a set of symptoms of unknown
> etiology.  The point I was trying to make in my post above is that
> these symptoms result from persistent spriochetal infection, and not
> (as some have asserted) from some aftereffect (e.g. "chronic immune
> activation") of earlier, now resolved infection.

The symptoms are NOT due to persistent infection, they are due to
an entirely different disease process.  FIbromyalgia is not a "set
of symptoms".  If your symptoms were due to persistent infection
then the diagnosis of fibromyalgia would be inappropriate.

I emailed you those references, but I'll repost them here in case
others are interested:

It turns out I was confusing two papers.  The one in Arch Neurol
was the one written by one of my partners, Mike Finkel, entitled
Nervous system Lyme borelliosis:  revisited.  Arch Neurol 1992;
49:102.  In it, he argues that most of 'chronic Lyme' isn't.  The
other article I was thinking of is 'Lyme arthritis as the incorrect
diagnosis in pediatric and adolescent fibromyalgia.  Sigal L and
Patella S. Pediatrics 1992;90:523-528.'

David Nye
nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu
From: cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Seasonal Affective Disorder - Light Treatments
Date: 10 Nov 92 13:06:54 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

In article <1992Nov8.194753.14292@netcom.com> hank@netcom.com (Hank Roberts) writes:

>>Aha! So if one can be blind, and suffer from SAD, then it is clearly
>>not necessary to _look_ at the light!

>That does not logically follow.

I'm afraid it does. You mention blind people with circadian rythm
problems and depression, for example, and your arguments in general
are all based on doubting my premisses, which has nothing to do with
logical consequence (although it does of course affect the truth of
the conclusion).  But I specifically mentioned SAD -- which follows
the seasonal changes in light, and is known to be due to the seasonal
changes in light. Consequently, if a blind person suffers from SAD,
then _looking_ at the light cannot be _necessary_. I chose those words
carefully: I said "necessary" rather than "helpful", for example. Of
course, being blind does not necessarily mean lack of other retinal
functions. That's why I was careful to say "look".
-- 
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