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From: jcp@osiris.UUCP (Jody Patilla)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Re: Where are drugs (antibiotics) legal?
Message-ID: <700@osiris.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Mar-86 09:26:47 EST
Article-I.D.: osiris.700
Posted: Tue Mar  4 09:26:47 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Mar-86 05:45:28 EST
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Organization: Johns Hopkins Hospital
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> 	Certain antibiotics (like PenicillinV, which is orally active) are
> available over the counter in Europe, where it is frequently misused, and
> where the incidence of Penicillin-resistant strains of common pathogens
> is much higher than in the United States.
> 	Of course in the US, the most common use of antibiotics is to add it
> to cattle feed, and several epidemics of meat contaminated with resistant
> Salmonella have recently been described.  Many doctors wish that this use too,
> would be curtailed.

	Americans are far too antibiotic-happy as it is to allow OTC sales. More
and more people want to go to the doctor and get a pill for a quick fix, and
even seem disappointed when they don't. The fewer antibiotics you take, the
better off you are, since when you *really* need them, they will be most
effective. As Craig points out above, we are already getting anitibiotics
in our diet by eating meat (beef, pork, chicken, lamb). Animals which have
small amounts of antibiotics added to their feed gain weight faster and can
go to market sooner. Because there are NO CONTROLS on how much antibiotics
a farmer can buy or how he administers them, you have no idea what you are
getting in your meat. (There is an excellent book out by Orville Schnell on
this subject, tho I forget the title). If there are farmers in your area who
guarantee antibiotic and hormone-free meat, you should patronise them, and
avoid eating alot of supermarket meat.

-- 
jcpatilla
..{seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!aplcen!osiris!jcp 

Look for beauty in all things; let the fountains of delight refresh your heart.