HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Non-physician bashing
From: habersch@husc10.harvard.edu (Oren Haber-Schaim)
Date: 31 Dec 92 20:42:06 GMT

geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:

>In article <Bzo4H6.2tG@ssr.com> sdb@ssr.com (Scott Ballantyne) writes:
>>In article <1gvpgsINNm32@im4u.cs.utexas.edu> turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes:
>>   Those who embrace quack theories [...] are merely less
>>   than well educated or lacking in the skills for critical thought
>>   in the area concerned.
	[stuff deleted..]

>There is a good PhD dissertation waiting for some medical sociologist
>on this topic.  I have some interesting observations, but a systematic
>study would be useful.  
	[stuff deleted...]
>The educated who visit quacks fall into many different types.
>THere are those with terminal diseases who are unable to accept
>the fact that they are dying or incurable and will rush hither
>and yon from quack to quack until their money runs out or
>they die.  

> The educated are more likely to visit an MD quack than a lowly
> chiropractor, too.
> They overvalue the worth of the MD degree in assuring non-quackhood.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those are good, interesting observations on the folks who visit the
various incarnations of quacks, but what about the other people,
those who pretty much limit themselves to your straight-arrow
conventional MDs?

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.

As an example, take an 80 or 90 year old person who has always
believed in sticking with allopaths (PLEASE do not take this word
as an insult, it is concise and I would be delighted to substitue
any single-word equivalent that is suggested).  In the 1920s or
even 1930s, conventional medicine was largely bogus -- but does
our senior citizen believe in conventional medicine today for
any different reasons than she believed in it then?

Oren Haber-Schaim                      (habersch@husc.harvard.edu)


 
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Hauffmans/Hoffmans?? Disease??
Date: 28 Dec 92 01:23:12 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <3390@ncr-mpd.FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM> sdavis@khan.ColoSpgs.NCR.COM (Susan Davis) writes:
>
>Can anybody tell me anything about Hoffmans (sp?) disease?  A co-workers
>newborn (8 weeks old) was just diagnosed with this and given about 10
>months to live.  I have heard that it is a degeneration of the nerves
>connecting the spine to the brain.  
>

Werdnig-Hoffman disease is an infantile form of ALS (Lou Gehrig Disease)
which affects the motor neurons in the spinal cord.  It is fatal and 
incurable.


-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: rap@wag.caltech.edu (Rick A. Pinson)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: fibromyalgia questions
Date: 30 Dec 1992 00:06:32 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: sgi1.wag.caltech.edu


Hello,
	My mother has been diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia, some
	people say it's the same thing as chronic fatigue syndrome
	but I'm not sure.  I'm looking for information about new
	treatments or any ongoing research.  So far, nothing has
	helped her much, and any info would be appreciated.

Rick Pinson
Newsgroups: sci.med,talk.politics.medicine
From: knapik@mdd.comm.mot.com (Jim Knapik)
Subject: Eyesight Correction Options
Organization: Motorola, Mobile Data Division - Seattle, WA
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 01:21:52 GMT

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. I have also recently found out about some corrective type
of contacts that are analagous to braces for your teeth :) Also, I have
read some mumblings about eye excercises and acupressure.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these three alternatives, or 
can point me to any comparative literature? 


-- 
Jim Knapik
Motorola - Mobile Data Division
knapik@mdd.comm.mot.com
From: jr_1@mbuk.bio.cam.ac.uk (Jem Rashbass)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Computer models of neoplasia
Date: 21 Dec 92 08:08:21 GMT
Followup-To: sci.med
Organization: Dept of Histopathology, Cambridge UK

I am looking for a program that can be used to teach students about
neoplasia.  Does anyone know where I might find something like this?


Many Thanks,

Jem Rashbass,                       jr_1@mbuk.bio.cam.ac.uk,
Dept of Histopathology
Addenbrookes Hospital
Cambridge UK.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: jsb16@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Jennifer S Broekman)
Subject: Reporting Symptoms
Reply-To: jsb16@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Jennifer S Broekman)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 03:46:23 GMT

I have a question about reporting symptoms. How do I know what I need to
report for my doctor? I often end up leaving the doctor's office with the
feeling that I've forgotten to mention something which might be important.

I ask because I'm going to make an appointment (on Monday, when the doctor's
office has recovered from the holiday). I've been having chest pains, mostly
on my left side, but today also on my right. A couple months ago, they were
only on my left. It feels as if something is sitting my chest or squeezing
my lungs. It's not the same sensation as asthma. I get dull headaches at the 
top of my neck. My skin has been itchy and dry for almost a year and a half. 
This was originally diagnosed as a viral infection of some sort which 
was supposed to disappear within a month or two, but didn't. Then it was 
diagnosed as an allergic reaction, which made some sense as it increases when
I'm stressed. I have a perpetually stiff neck and back. I'm depressed and 
anxious, above what's normal for seniors applying to grad school. I have next 
to no 'get-up-and-go'. I'm frequently thirsty and I tend to feel hungry enough
to eat a horse and then not be able to eat more than a medium amount. I've had
some very occasional knee and hip pain for years, but it seems to have become
a bit more frequent recently (last year or so, that I can remember). I have
wrist and hand pain which isn't entirely associated with the large amount of
typing, scratching, other fine hand motions I do in the course of the day, in
that sometimes I can type without pain and sometimes I wake up with the pain.
I occasionally (and unpredictably, as far as I can tell) have the sensation 
that my arms are asleep.

Some background: I have allergic asthma. I have one severe and several 
significant allergies. I'm not on a regular daily schedule of sleep, food, 
exercise, what have you. I don't eat well, but I do take a multi-vitamin.
Bright lights (a pair of halogen lamps) and sunny days seem to help the 
depression and the lethargy within limits. I have an SO who often snores 
loud enough to disturb my sleep through 22 db earplugs.

I don't know how much of this is in the file my doctor has on me, as I
switched from the university health service to a doctor associated with my 
parents' insurance sometime last academic year. What of the above should I
tell my doctor when I see her for the appointment I'm going to make on Monday?
Should I just make a printout of this and show it to her?

-jenneke

   Only Boys Accepting Feminism Get Kissed Meaningfully  -- Geoff Marcy
The only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform. - Alfred Kinsey
		jenneke is: jsb16@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: gasman1@netcom.com (David A. Silva)
Subject: Re: Migraine Medication
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 20:41:51 GMT

Anne Tallant (amt@linus.mitre.org) wrote:

: If verapamil proved to be ineffective as a migraine prophylactic for a
: migraine sufferer, would propranolol be any better?  Are the medications
: significantly different enough for migraine control?  Would their
: in/effectiveness depend upon the individual?

Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker, propranolol is a beta blocker.
*Very* different medications. For some people, propranolol is extremely
effective in decreasing frequency of migraines.

David
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: kfl@access.digex.com (Keith F. Lynch)
Newsgroups: sci.med,alt.psychoactives
Subject: Xanax, Prozac, etc.
Date: 26 Dec 1992 15:41:36 GMT
Organization: Express Access Public Access UNIX, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com

The current (January) issue of _Consumer Reports_ has an article about
Xanax, Prozac and related drugs.  It parallels much of the recent
discussion on sci.med.

Keith Lynch, kfl@access.digex.com
From: habersch@husc9.harvard.edu (Oren Haber-Schaim)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Health hazard in halogen lights?
Date: 31 Dec 92 03:00:17 GMT

amirza@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Anmar Caves) writes:

 >This is somewhat incorrect.  Without a UV filter, the UVA and UVB
 >output of a 50 watt QH (quartz-halogen) desk lamp at 1 foot 
 >can be greater than noontime sun on the earths surface.  This may not
 >be so much of a problem for your skin, but your eyes will be affected.
 >UV tends to reduce the opacity of the cornea over time, and much of
 >the damage is not reversible.  All of this is moot, however, if a
 >simple glass lens is used with the lamp, as the glass will filter much
 >of the UV. 
 >-- 
 >Anmar Mirza   # Chief of Tranquility  #My Opinions! NotIU's!#Purveyor of
 >EMT-D         # Base, Lawrence Co. IN # Legalize Explosives!#nontraditional
 >N9ISY (tech)  # Somewhere out on the  # Politicians prefer  #family values
 >Networks Tech.# Mirza Ranch.C'mon over# unarmed peasants.   #Space For Rent


One might charitably call the above "homeopathy applied to optics".

Let us do a simple order-of-magnitude calculation:

A 50 watt halogen lamp was hypothesized.
Using the surface area of a 1 ft. sphere (due to 1 ft distance hypothesized
by the same poster) gives less than 1/10 of that per square foot, which
comes to 5 watts per square foot.  

However, the wattage specified by lamps is the
electrical input.   Tungsten-halogen lamps emit about 10% of their
input power as light, which brings us to about 0.5 watt per square foot.

Now, the following fact may be surprising, but noon solar 
insolation (sic)  can be about 100 watts per square foot.
Unlike an incandescent lamp, the sun's spectrum is centered in
the visible wavelength range, rather than in the infra-red, so it is 
far more efficient as light.  Still, give it a penalty of 70%, = 30%
efficiency, which gives us 30 watts per square foot of
"light" from the sun vs. 0.5 watt from the lamp, a ratio of
60 times more light from the sun than from the much-feared lamp.

Even this ratio of 60 is an understatement because the solar
spectrum is so much more UV rich, due to its being centered
in the visible rather than in the infra-red, which is the opposite
end of the spectrum.   

None of this should surprise anyone when one considers how many
people have gotten suntans or sunburns from household 
(or other) tungsten-halogen lamps!


Regarding "UV reducing the opacity of the cornea", if one knew what
"opacity" means, its not such a big word, then one would know that
 UV tends to increase opacities (of whatever), not cause reduction.

Finally, paraphrasing, "If a simple glass lens is used then there is no
problem from UV":  this may be the only correct statement in the post,
but even here, _all_ households tungsten-halogen lamps that I am aware
of (other than those that point at ceilings, with bulbs hidden from view)
have a glass cover of one sort or another (aside from UV, the
bulb is under very high pressure so it is a spatter shield), so
the "If" qualification should be unnecessary.

Oren Haber-Schaim                     (habersch@husc.harvard.edu)
    
              
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: Generic drug store brands.
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 92 08:50:36 EST

In article <30DEC92.01313522@nerus.pfc.mit.edu> mrl@nerus.pfc.mit.edu writes:
>Is it worth the money to pay for brand name drugs such as Tylenol versus drug
>store brands?  Am I simply paying for the name?  I notice a difference in the
>non-active ingredients.  Are they significant?

As a rule, it is generally NOT worth the money to buy name brand OTC drugs
like Tylenol (I just took two 500 mg generic acetominophen caplets this morning
that cost about $.01 each).  Some people swear that one or another particular
brand works better for them, but generally there is no difference except the
price.  The difference in non-active ingredients and the physical makeup of
the pill/capsule can make for differences in absorption and delivered dose.
Big differences have been noted in dissolvability of various aspirin tablets,
for example.  However, it usually is ok to shop on price, and buy the cheapest
formulation of the ingredient you are looking for.
From: wright@duca.hi.com (David Wright)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Adiposity 101
Date: 31 Dec 1992 12:19:30 -0000
Organization: Hitachi Computer Products, OSSD division
NNTP-Posting-Host: duca.hi.com

In article <1992Dec31.001135.19087@henson.cc.wwu.edu> n9020351@henson.cc.wwu.edu (James Douglas Del-Vecchio) writes:
>

<<mucho excision here>>

>The few times I've tried to diet, the first thing I've noticed is
>that my neck, legs, and arms seem to get thinner w no effect on my
>sides or gut.  This activates my primal "Jesus, I'm a runt again!"
>horror, and the whole thing gets called off.

Quite possibly they really do get thinner.  Dieting without exercise
can certainly cause you to lose lean mass.  Were you exercising while
dieting, or just cutting back calories?

>Jim Del Vecchio

  -- David Wright, Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.
     wright@hicomb.hi.com


Newsgroups: sci.med
From: szabo@techbook.com (Nick Szabo)
Subject: Elevated GGTP enzyme a problem?
Organization: TECHbooks --- Public Access UNIX --- (503) 220-0636
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 06:44:54 GMT

On a blood chemistry test (cholesterol, bilirubins, alkaline
phosphate, AST/SGOT, GGTP, etc.) all numbers turned up well
within normal range except GGTP (67, reference 0-45) and
triglycerides (196, reference 30-150).  Glucose was slightly
low but within reference (72, 65-110).

Patient is male, 30, about 80 lbs. overweight, and had an acute 
relapse of mononucleosis symptoms five years ago after one night of heavy 
alchohol consumption during recovery from mono.  Currently patient 
complains of heartburn, anxiety, apathy, frequent thirst & urination,
episodes of depression.   Should there be any concern here (liver 
damage, hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc.?)  


-- 
Nick Szabo					 szabo@techboook.com
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: ns14@crux3.crux2.cit.cornell.edu (Nathan Otto Siemers)
Subject: Re: Immunotherapy for prostate cancer?
Organization: Department of Chemistry, Cornell Univ.
Date: 22 Dec 92 16:42:29

>>>>> On 19 Dec 92 20:24:04 -0600, nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye) said:

 David> [reply to mdtaylor@apple.com]

>My grandfather was diagnosed two years ago as having prostate
>cancer...  Over the past two months, his doctor has detected a rise
>in the levels of the indicator (antibodies in the bloodstream?) that
>his cancer has returned.

 David> Prostate-specific *antigen*

>My aunt, a psychiatrist, has mentioned to him that there might be
>some kind of immunotherapy that would be appropriate for him to try.

 David> The use of "designer antibodies" in the treatment of cancer is
 David> a very exciting development but is still in its infancy.  I
 David> read in a recent issue of Science News that here have been
 David> some apparent cures of metastatic melanoma.  I don't have any
 David> information about its use in other cancers, although someone
 David> must be trying it.  The antibodies aren't available
 David> commercially, so you would have to find someone who is
 David> enrolling patients in a study.  I don't have any leads for
 David> you, but your grandfather's oncologist might.  There might be
 David> a name mentioned in the Science News article (look in the
 David> index issue which just came out).

	There is a national cancer institute clinical trials WATS
hotline #

dial 1 800 555 1212 to get it.


	Companies to look for who are doing antibody based anticancer
research.


	Immunogen	Cambridge, MA

	Cytogen		San Fran I think

	Xoma		San Fran Area

	Perhaps Affymax has gotten around to their antibody directed
enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT).  

	Also:

	Peter Senter,  Bristol Myers Squibb, Seattle

	Bagshawe,  England, academic

	Lou Jungheim,  Lilly, Indianapolis.


	Good Luck.


	Nathan Siemers


--
--
/  | / /__|  /  /---/ /__| /  | /    nathan@chemres.tn.cornell.edu
From: km@ky3b.pgh.pa.us (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Physician's Incomes
Keywords: income
Date: 24 Dec 92 23:49:29 GMT
Organization: KY3B - Vax Pittsburgh, PA

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

|> Perhaps some physcians could give us an approximate picture of
|> how long neophyte MDs must be trained after they acquire their
|> academic degrees.
|> 
|> In any event 120,000 per annum

Almost exactly my salary, and I make less than the average physician.

The minimum training after medical school would be three years. Surgical specialties
can easily run six to eight years. Medical specialties probably average around five
years total.

I am not going to get into a big argument with others here regarding whether physicians
are worth what they make or not. I think I am worth what I make. I don't think some
surgical specialists making $800K a year are worth what they make. For the patients
whose lives I've saved, I am a bargain. For those whose diagnoses I've missed, I'm
not.

 -km
From: gee@dciem.dciem.dnd.ca (Thomas Gee)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Cobra Venom
Summary: DCS, CVF
Date: 24 Dec 92 16:33:48 GMT
Organization: Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine

In article <BzpF78.MwE@imag.fr> jcm@mururoa (Jean-Christophe Martin(Echirolles)) writes:
>I'm looking for somecobra venom  applications in medicine.

[I meant to send this by mail, but I couldn't obtain your address.]

I know of some work that has been done in the research of decompression 
sickness that involved cobra venom factor.  The researchers were examining
the interaction between the nitrogen bubbles and the blood complement
system (alternate activation pathway), using rabbits.  Apparently, CVF
suppresses complement activation in rabbits (which significantly alters
the rabbits' responses to compression profiles).

C.A. Ward et al., "Complement activation involvement in decompression
	sickness of rabbits".  Undersea Biomed Res 1990; 17(1):51-66.

---
Thomas Gee  -=-  S/W Development  -=-   gee@dretor.dciem.dnd.ca
Aerospace/Biosciences, DCIEM, CFB Toronto, DND, Canada
Disclaimer: the previous is solely the opinion of the author.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: bhjelle@carina.unm.edu ()
Subject: Re: Adiposity 101
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 18:53:25 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <17878@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>In article <1992Dec13.000934.28433@omen.UUCP> caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg) writes:
>>>>
>>
>>The new methods are already far better for those with adipocyte
>>hyperplasia.  At least they haven't been shown to increase the
>>severity of adipocyte hyperplasia by 10 per cent per treatment.
>
>Excuse me?  What new method are you referring to in which
>changes in adipocytes were measured?  I'm not familiar with
>any such treatments.
>
"Adipocyte hyperplasia" is another politically-correct phrase
for obesity. Chuck's diatribes are full of PC jargon, but
you have to know what to look for in order to recognize it.

I would suggest "metabolically different" but apparently
that phrase is already reserved for the life-impaired
(ie, dead people).

Brian




Newsgroups: sci.med
From: gasman1@netcom.com (David A. Silva)
Subject: Re: Nicotine Withdrawal Help Needed
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 09:37:33 GMT

>From:das@canctr.mc.duke.edu
>I see her in March or I might get thrown out of the health program I'm
>involved in.  I guess they figure that info will motivate me or
>something.

I doubt this - highly unconstitutional.

I can suggest talking to your doctor about Nicoderm or Habitrol patches.
Then you don't have to chew Nicorette, and you can bring yourself down
more gradually. Also, eat lots of candy - Lifesaver Holes do the job for
oral craving and aren't much in calories.


From: Doug.Platt@f595.n106.z1.fidonet.org (Doug Platt)
Sender: Usenet@f-454.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Tuberculosis
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 19:26:22 -0600

 
Hi
 
I posted some questions several days ago about tuberculosis and have
had no response.  Can someone PLEASE help me?
 
 
                        Doug
From: ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Kitchen)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Dysautonomia questions
Date: 31 Dec 92 18:12:09 GMT
Reply-To: ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Kitchen)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin
Originator: ifaq570@happy.cc.utexas.edu


	Can anyone tell me anything about Dysautonomia, which is the 
missregulation of the heart by the autonomous nerve system?  

	Specifically, I would like to find out what different kinds of the
condition there are.  I also would like to know the side affects of the 
drugs used for treatment, as well as their effectiveness.

	Disclaim:  I don't have the condition, and I am not "barracks 
doctoring" anyone.  Just collecting data for a relative who has the condition.


Allen Kitchen
ifaq570@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
From: rbennet1@neumann.une.edu.au (Robert Bennetts.)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Essiac Recipe????
Date: 2 Jan 93 13:04:16 GMT


	Can somebody supply me with a detailed recipe for Essiac?

	I know the major ingredients:
		Sheeps Sorrell  (Rumex acetosella)
		Turkish rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum)
		burdock root  (Arctium lappa)
		inner bark of slippery elm (Ulmus fulva)

	but how should this be prepared, and in what quantities etc?

	Is there a newsgroup for herbal medicine etc?

	Any thanks would be gratefully appreciated...


          ----------------------------------------------
          |rbennet1@neumann.une.oz.au|   __    The Fish|
          |Ross Bennetts             |  /. \/| In The  |
          |Alstonville,NSW Australia |  \__/\| .sig    |
          ----------------------------------------------
From: rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu (David Rind)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Electrocardiogram question
Date: 3 Jan 93 16:48:59 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston Mass., USA

In article <72807@cup.portal.com> amigan@cup.portal.com (Mike - Medwid) writes:
>noone contacted her about the results that everything's ok.  Still the
>comments on the printout appear ominous and I was hoping to receive
>some sci.med wisdom to pass along as reassurance.  

The original comments (sinus arrhythmia and non-specific ST-T changes)
wouldn't count to my mind as "ominous".  In young, healthy people
getting EKG's for screening, most people with NSST-T changes would
have nothing wrong with their hearts.  Some would have cardiac disease,
however (as would some of the people with completely normal EKG's).



-- 
David Rind
rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med