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From: jhull@spp2.UUCP (Jeff Hull)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.africa,net.med
Subject: Re: Re: Is there any benefit in African Medicine
Message-ID: <596@spp2.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 17:50:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: spp2.596
Posted: Mon May 13 17:50:20 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 16-May-85 07:46:46 EDT
References: <397@bbnccv.UUCP>
Reply-To: jhull@spp2.UUCP (Jeff Hull)
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Organization: TRW, Redondo Beach  CA
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Xref: linus net.nlang.africa:34 net.med:1349
Summary: Western medicine is more than conservative.

In article <397@bbnccv.UUCP> sdyer@bbnccv.UUCP (Steve Dyer) writes:
>"Western" medicine is a profession rooted in humanistic values of
>service and aid to the sick and dying, but its strongest tool since the
>19th century has been the scientific method--a therapy must produce
>repeatable beneficial results in order to be accepted by the medical
>community.  ...  Medicine, ... , is fundamentally conservative.  It
>prefers to treat patients with therapies it knows to be of value, or at
>least, as the maxim says, to do no harm.

With all due respect to Steve, & to the many honest & dedicated
medical practicianers in the US & elsewhere, this is not my experience
with Western medicine.

The US physician's first interest is to avoid running afoul of the
AMA, then to avoid malpractice suits (which is inextricably
intertwined with the first), then to help the patient (as he sees fit)
while making money.  I am not belittling those dedicated people who
work long hours for low pay; I am taking aim at the medical
establishment in the US & the policies it has set up.

One example of this is the current state of pre- & post-natal care for
women & current birthing practices in the US.  Another is cancer
treatment.

The basic orientation of natural medicine is to prevent disease by
keeping people healthy; the basic orientation of the AMA seems to be
alleviate the symptom & ignore the disease.

-- 
 Blessed Be,

 Jeff Hull            {decvax,hplabs,ihnp4,scdrdcf,ucbvax}
 13817 Yukon Ave.         trwrb!trwspp!spp2!jhull
 Hawthorne, CA 90250		34o3'15" N  by  118o14'28" W