HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: RFD Alternative Medicine - need definition
Date: 19 Nov 1992 09:45:27 -0600
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: peaches.cs.utexas.edu

-*----
In article <17508@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
> Well, I think Steve Dyer and Russ Turpin have not promised to
> stay off the alternative group.  You well may still have this
> sort of debunking going on.  I'm the only one who promised
> to leave them alone if they went there.

Personally, I view the alternative group as providing a space for
a lot of the crap that parades under the label of "alternative"
medicine.  I suspect it would be futile, and even
counter-productive, to hound in that group the many egregious
examples it will soon display.  But in this group, when someone
asked about evidence for their notions starts blathering about
"alternative paradigms," we can fairly say "take that crap over
there where it belongs."

I view this as an issue of the desire to speak sensibly about
science, *not* as an issue of orthodox vs.  non-orthodox views.
Bernie Simon, for example, has read about homeopathy, has thought
about the evidential issues, and presents his case cogently.  I
think this kind of argument belongs in sci.med.  Similarly, Chuck
Forsberg's contributions have been valuable, even though I
sometimes find him strident and extreme.  (Of course, Steve Dyer
and I have our strident days, also.)

But there are other writers, such as the one who has traveled
back in time from the 24th century, who are just clueless.  They
repeat (and repeat and repeat) lies that are easily exposed
through the smallest amount of research, they fall back on silly
pop philosophy when asked about evidence, they know nothing about
science or how to think about science, and they show no desire to
grow and learn.  Dedicated ignorance is impossible to fight and
irritating to be around.  Let them go rot their brains in peace. 

Newsgroups: sci.med
From: glp@fig.citib.com (Greg Parkinson)
Subject: Re: What homing device does a virus use?
Originator: glp@merlin
Organization: Citibank IBISM
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 15:20:49 GMT


In article <1992Nov18.153257.1352@ircam.fr>, francis@ircam.fr (Joseph Francis) writes:
|> 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.

You of course meant to type "semen retention" here.  

-- 
Greg Parkinson                  Phone: 212-657-7814  Fax: 212-825-8607
Citibank,111 Wall Street        E-Mail: glp@fig.citib.com
New York, New York  10043
The opinions expressed are my own and not those of the big 'ol bank.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: ghica@fig.citib.com (Renato Ghica)
Subject: Re: Circumcisions as Medical Fraud
Originator: ghica@duck
Keywords: circs
Organization: Citibank IBISM
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 17:53:48 GMT


In article <2168@hsdndev.UUCP>, rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu (David Rind) writes:
|> In article <gdavis.722200408@griffin> gdavis@griffin.uvm.edu
|>  (Gary Davis) writes:
|> > Why would anyone want to be circumcised? I can't image a ligitimate
|> >reason...
|> 
|> Gee, how about because someone is Jewish (or a member of any other 
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|> religion that practises ritual circumsision).
|> 
|> -- 
|> David Rind
|> rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu



That does not mean the want to, it means they are forced to because the
"elders" know better, or they are doing it because "everyone else" has
done it.

Show me someone who really WANTS TO mutilate part of their own body,
and I'll show you a masochist.  :-)
-- 

"I am a brain, Watson."
"These views are my own. / Mail me or Flame me"
Copyright (c) 1992 Renato Ghica / ghica@fig.citib.com
From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Circumcisions (Are they ever performed on adults ?)
Date: 16 Nov 92 17:08:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Nov16.044856.1700@ennews.eas.asu.edu>, prado@enuxhb.eas.asu.edu (Louis A. Prado) writes...
>In article <BxsEr1.6DA@acsu.buffalo.edu>, oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown) writes:
>> 
>> Are there any studies regarding decreased sensitivity (or is this 
>> just hearsay)?
>> 
>Just trust me on this one Peggy, sensitivity IS decreased :).
> 
> 
>> >>Anyway, what options are available to adult men who were not circumsized at
>> >>birth. 

>> Leaving it alone, for one.
> 
>Well considering that wives of uncircumcised men are much more likely to
>contract cancer of the cervix, and all the other problems previously
>mentioned, leaving it alone doesn't sound like the best advice.

Question 1:  What are your sources?  (I have heard of this, but 
so often studies are flawed or make incorrect conclusions.)

Question 2:  If indeed this is true, WHY?  Is there a way to 
decrease chances of the spouse getting cancer, without performing 
circumcision?

- Peggy -
From: rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu (David Rind)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Circumcisions (Are they ever performed on adults ?)
Date: 17 Nov 92 16:17:36 GMT
Organization: Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston Mass., USA

In article <BxtEv5.AEH@fig.citib.com> ghica@fig.citib.com
 (Renato Ghica) writes:
>|> In article <BxsEr1.6DA@acsu.buffalo.edu>,
 oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown) writes:
>|> Well considering that wives of uncircumcised men are much more likely to
>|> contract cancer of the cervix, and all the other problems previously

>Is this for real? Please direct us to unbiased medical references.

I have not done an extensive review of the literature, but my impression
is that there are problems with the studies that seemed to show a
link between cervical cancer and lack of circumsision in male partners.

Since a significant portion of cervical cancer cases are probably
attributable to viral infections (papilloma or herpes viruses), cervical
cancer is in part a sexually transmitted disease.  This creates the
possibility for confounding of the studies if being circumsized is
associated with groups that have more or less sexual contacts than
groups that tend not to be circumsized.  There are other confounders
as well, such as age of first sexual contact (where younger seems to
imply higher risk for cervical cancer).
-- 
David Rind
rind@binoc.bih.harvard.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdiffin@crc.ac.uk (Dr. M.C. Diffin)
Subject: Re: Smallpox transmission, Syphilis Origin
Organization: MRC Human Genome Resource Centre
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 12:16:36 GMT

>>2. Has any consensus been reached about whether syphilis originated in
>> the New World? Those same encyclopedias were noncommittal on this.

ry>According to the history books that I read, syphilis was contracted
ry>by Spanish conquistators while conquering the New World.  The
ry>Spanish conquistators brought smallpox to the natives of the New World.
ry>Smallpox had a devastating effect on the natives.

I don't think this is so, although I agree it was the accepted dogma for
many years.  The distribution of syphilis, bejel, yaws and pinta (all
closely related) strongly points to an Afroasian origin.  This theory is
enforced by arhceological evidence - lesions found in human remains
which predate Columbus's little jaunt.  Thus the European pandemic may
just have been manifestation of the organism migrating across Eurasia.


-- 
___________________________________________________________________________
Michael Diffin
JANET: mdiffin@uk.ac.mrc-crc    PHONE: +44 (0)345 333111 Pager No. 0406653
INTERNET: mdiffin@mrc-crc.ac.uk, mcd12@phx.cam.ac.uk
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Status seizure and brain damage
Date: 20 Nov 92 00:30:44 -0600
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <1992Nov19.185108.5491@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>, akins@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (kay.a.akins) writes:

> Anyone have any data on if status complex partial seizures
> can cause brain damage?

The last time I looked at this I couldn't find any good published data.
My suspicion is that it doesn't.  Brain damage associated with seizures
is mainly due to prolonged hypoxia in generalized status, an undiscovered
underlying progressive neurologic condition causing both seizures and
decreased mentation, and anticonvulsant side effects (mainly temporary).

David Nye
nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu
From: carl.camurca@travel.com (Carl Camurca) 
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Hippocratic Oath  (was: C
Date: 21 Nov 92 18:02:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Travel Online / St. Louis Online - St. Louis, MO
Reply-To: carl.camurca@travel.com (Carl Camurca) 

RT>Subject: Hippocratic Oath  (was: Can't Touch This)

RT>It is not clear to me how the Hippocratic Oath applies to this
RT>circumstance.

Isn't it, that the doctor must do all reasonable to save the patients
life? The doctor is a servant, first!

RT>  Regardless, Carl Camurca's suggestion that a
RT>doctor can be sued on its basis is pretty silly.

Oooh, doesn't work this time? I didn't know, there were things in the US
where you could _not be sued for (g).

RT>  o  The law does not bind physicians to the Hippocratic Oath.

How about conscience or ethics?

RT>  o  Given that the traditional Hippocratic Oath is given to
RT>     some Greek gods, it is not clear to me how a physician
RT>     who is not pagan would morally view it.

Don't wiggle out of the duty to serve the people as doctor! Give the
Oath to whatever is holy for you, but I think a doctor should give the
Oath.

RT>  o  Not all of its admonitions are broadly approved by people
RT>     today.

This is open to discussion.

RT>> Angry, Carl.

RT>And silly.  What a combination.

Not silly, I refuse that. But ignorant and willing to learn.

RT>Russell

greetinx, Carl.

 * OLX 2.1 TD * Support medical examiners .. die strangely
                                                                              
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski)
Subject: Re: Circumcisions (Are they ever performed on adults ?)
Organization: The Information Deli - via Netcom / San Jose, California
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 02:05:13 GMT

I haven't seen it, but there is a circumcision FAQ listed in the misc.kids
FAQ index:

>Circumcision			Beth Weiss
>				bweiss@cs.arizona.edu

From the intro to the FAQ index:

>If you are interested in any of the following topics, please e-mail the
>contact person directly, who will then send you a copy of the file.
>Please be specific when requesting files, as some folks maintain more than
>one FAQ file.

>If you ask for an FAQ file and don't get it within a week, it may have
>bounced.  When you ask again, please be sure to include your e-mail
>address in the body of your request, in case 'reply' doesn't work.
From: wolfe@wolves.Durham.NC.US (G. Wolfe Woodbury)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: O+ Father + O- Mother = ? Childs Health.
Date: 17 Nov 92 20:40:10 GMT
Organization: Red Wolfe @ The Wolves Den
X-Md4-Signature: 35d7c1d653f9ab71132887847160589b

In article <1992Nov16.135232.60899@cc.usu.edu> slzh9@cc.usu.edu writes:
>I have a question. Not being a student of biology or medicine, I am wondering
>what the significance of blood types is when determining the health of children
>if the father is O+ and the mother is O-. What are the potential health 
>problems of offspring and what can be done to ensure healthy children. Mostly,
>is this any thing that I should worry about.
>
>Any information will be greatly appriciated and will help me resolve my
>concerns.

THe best that can be said is that there is a >50% chance that the child
will be O+ which *may* produce problems for the child in utero if the
mother gets sensitized to the childs blood antigens.
-- 
G. Wolfe Woodbury @ The Wolves Den, Durham NC	[This site is NOT affiliated  ]
wolfe@wolves.durham.nc.us			[with Duke University! Idiots!]
UUCP: ...!duke!wolves!wolfe      <Standard Disclaimers apply>
    Above All, we celebrate!  --Celebrate the Circle, Statement of Purpose.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Subject: Re: Toradol
Keywords: What is it?
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 19:58:06 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.213350.18584@coplex.com> chet@coplex.com (Chester Massie) writes:
>   My sister just returned from the dentist with a perscription for
>Toradol. Can anyone tell me exactly what it is and can you use achohol
>with it?

It's the latest "hot" NSAID, in the same class of drugs as ibuprofen and
aspirin.  It has unusually strong analgesic activity, however, and certain
studies have demonstrated that it's more effective than oral codeine or
oxycodone combined with aspirin or acetaminophen (and without any sedative
activity or abuse liability.)  It can irritate the stomach, and in high enough
doses contribute to the development of a ulcer.  Since alcohol has somewhat
of a primary irritant effect as well, it might be prudent to use moderation.
However, it's unlikely to have any additive sedative interactions with alcohol,
unlike the oral opiates.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller)
Subject: Re: Toothbrush sterilizers any good?
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:11:47 GMT

In article <1992Nov20.034751.23333@athena.cs.uga.edu> mcovingt@aisun3.ai.uga.edu (Michael Covington) writes:
>In article <curtisg.722196457@sco> curtisg@sco.COM (Curtis Galloway) writes:
>>I almost bought a toothbrush sterilizer the other day.  It has a UV bulb
>>inside a case that holds your toothbrushes, and it claims to kill all kinds
>>of bad germs that can, for example, re-infect you with a cold if you've had
>>one recently.  Is this a waste of money, or are they on to something here?
>>I'd gladly get it if it would make my colds go away one day sooner.
>
>Hmmm... if toothbrushes need sterilizing, why not dunk 'em in rubbing
>alcohol?  
>

Hmm.  How about whiskey or gin?  Be a bit more tasty than isopropyl
I would think.  :-)
From: woodson@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (Charles Woodson)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Red neck
Date: 19 Nov 92 00:11:41 GMT
Organization: University of California
NNTP-Posting-Host: dewey.soe.berkeley.edu

My brother reports to me that he has for some weeks had a red neck,
it looks somewhat like a sunburn, but it does not follow a shirt pattern.
It is not painful and his GP says don't worry about it.

What could it be?
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo)
Subject: Re: Myopia
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 18:37:14 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Keywords: Myopia, lenses, close work

In article <1992Nov16.195854.2329@draper.com> storch@draper.com (Joel Storch) writes:
>I have been sufferring from myopia since my college days and now at age 43 it 
>still is progressing. It has been my experinece that after each increase in 
>the lens prescription, my eyes accomodated and my vision deteriorated 
>further. This vicious cycle continued each year until I took matters into my 
>own hands. I decided to only use the full correction for distant vision 
>switching off to the old prescription for reading and other close work. When 

Did you ever consider bifocals?  Or have you made a conscious choice
to avoid them?

-- 
 Ralph Yozzo (yozzo@watson.ibm.com)  
 From the beautiful and historic Mid-Hudson Valley area of NY state
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: cmriggin@iastate.edu (Christin M Riggins)
Subject: Re: mental abuse
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 18:17:53 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.221955.2394@europa.asd.contel.com> draper@gnd1.wtp.gtefsd.com writes:
>Does anyone know if there is a group that talks about mental health issues?
>Or a community group in Northern Virginia that I could go to?  I'm in an
>emotionally abusive relationship and need help to gain the strength to get
>out of it.
>
>Any help would be appreciated.
>

     I know of one usenet gropu that deals mostly wiht sexual abuse, but
victims of other forms of abuse are pretty common on it.  The group is
"alt.sexual.abuse.recovery" I get a lot out of it and there's usually quite
a bit of "life wisdom" floating about that you might be able to make use of.

Marie :)

     

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 C. Marie Riggins          |    The people who walked in darkness have seen a
 cmriggin@iastate.edu      | great light.  They lived in a land of shadows, but
 TYAU7@isuvax.iastate.edu  | now the light is shining on them.  -Isaiah 9:2-
From: sander@contrast.wlink.nl (Sander Davidson)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: 2 year old traumatizes front teeth
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1992 12:19:03

In article <92318.151348MBS4@psuvm.psu.edu> you wrote:

 > On tuesday, my not quite 2 year old son had a bad fall at daycare and
didn't
 > catch himself in time with his hands.  He ended up mouth-first into the
 > floor which is indoor/outdoor carpet with no padding on top of cement.  He
 > ripped that piece of skin between the upper gum and upper lip ( name ?)

This attachment is called frenulum in Latin. I can't find the word in the
Oxford English Dictionary.

 > and had a bloody nose and big fat lip for 3 days.  This morning we had his
 > 2 year check and the pediatrician looked more closely in his mouth.  His
 > front teeth are not loose, but the gum above them is purple-black as well
 > as the inside of his lip.
 > The pediatrician said don't be surprised if in 2-4 weeks his teeth start to
 > turn gray.  He said that the roots of baby teeth are very shallow and it
 > does not take much to damage them.  This was a pretty severe trauma to his
 > mouth.

Yep, it doesn't look very pretty and parents are naturally very worried when
this happens. However, I speak from experience (I'm a dentist myself in The
Netherlands) when I tell you it happens quite frequently and that in most cases
it looks worse than it is.

 > Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening?

No. In case the nerve and blood vessels entering the teeth at the root tip were
damaged, there's nothing that can be done to prevent the teeth from turning
gray. The change in color is caused by the disintegrating nerve and blood
vessels inside the tooth that were cut off at the root tip.
You have to keep in mind that dead teeth don't have to be a problem, even if
they don't get root canal treatment. They'll fall out anyway in 3 or 4 years.

 > If they start to turn gray, is this permanent even if he gets a root canal?

Root canal or any other treatment on 2 year olds is nearly impossible. They're
just too young and too small, and that goes for the teeth as well.

 > Is there a risk of losing the teeth completely?

In 3 or 4 years, yes. :-)  If a tooth is dead this only has consequences for
the inside. Maybe, if you had root canals yourself, you know that you can't
feel a tooth is dead, until we start drilling in it. The root-jaw attachment is
not affected.

 > If they do not turn gray within 4 weeks, does this mean that they won't due
 > to this incident?

Hard to say. What your pediatrician said is an average period and because we're
dealing with nature almost any deviation is possible.

 > Any help or common experiences will be appreciated.

Hope this helped.

Cheers,
Sander.
[sander@contrast.wlink.nl]

P.S. In what newsgroup(s) did you crosspost your message?

Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.med.nutrition
From: souchay@CAM.ORG (Francois Souchay)
Subject: Re: Royal Jelly
Organization: Communications Accessibles Montreal, Quebec Canada
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 01:21:37 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.215956.18502@newshub.ccs.yorku.ca> tony@nexus.yorku.ca (Anthony Wallis) writes:
>
>Female reproductives have, of course, larger ovaries than their sterile
>sisters.  They also have _smaller_ brains.   This latter fact is not
>well-known outside hymenopteran research circles.  It certainly is not
>going to be publicised by promoters of "royal" jelly. 
>
Gee, and Ronald Reagan ate this stuff regularly? Hmmmmmm......

Francois.
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Summary of evidence for homeopathy
From: RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg)
Date: 23 Nov 92 07:34:42 EDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Philosophy Dept., Wesleyan University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20In-Reply-To: dank@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov's message of Sun, 22 Nov 1992 23:42:03 GMTLines: 16

In <dank.722475723@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov> dank@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov writes:
> rollo@xylogics.com (Dena Rollo) writes:
> >I have resisted getting involved in this discussion, simply because I don't 
> >think most of the participants are capable of real discussion of anything 
> >that conflicts with their very narrow vision.
> 
> It's a real problem- worse when everybody is an armchair philosopher
> & unwilling to research the issue.              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Harrumph!  Excuse me whilst I return to my armchair to pout!


------------------------
Ruth Ginzberg <rginzberg@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
Philosophy Department;Wesleyan University;USA
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: fulk@cs.rochester.edu (Mark Fulk)
Subject: Re: What homing device does a virus use?
Organization: University of Rochester
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 19:30:58 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.171408.10863@cbfsb.cb.att.com> kja@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (krista.j.anderson) writes:
>In article <17518@pitt.UUCP>, geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>> Just so the virus.  It either "bumps" into a cell that is "receptive"
>> or it doesn't.  The virus has no intelligence.  It depends on
>> physics to encounter a suitable host.  If it doesn't, it dies.
>
>How does it die?  I mean, I know the immune system would kill it,
>but is its lifespan otherwise limited?  For example, outside the
>body, what happens to a virus?  Do airborn microorganisms
>metabolize its protein coat or does it have any metabolic needs
>without which it spontaneously decomposes or what? 

A variety of mechanisms can destroy a virus: UV radiation, including
sufficient exposure to sunlight; dessication, in some cases; consumption
by bacteria; chemical destruction (by oxygen or detergents).  Some viruses
are stable when desiccated; in fact, some have been crystallized.  I believe
that the world's remaining stocks of smallpox virus are being stored in
freeze-dried form (they are also frozen).  Generally speaking, most viruses
survive only a few hours or days when left on an exposed surface.

Viruses, pretty much by definition, don't have a metabolism, and hence
have no metabolic needs, independently of the cells they subvert.

Mark
-- 
Mark A. Fulk			University of Rochester
Computer Science Department	fulk@cs.rochester.edu
From: ted@hpkslx.mayfield.HP.COM (Ted Johnson)
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 18:35:56 GMT
Subject: Re: Contact lenses and blood vessels in the eye!?
Organization: HP Response Center Lab