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From: carter@gatech.UUCP (Carter Bullard)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Asprirn
Message-ID: <12308@gatech.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Mar-85 18:42:59 EST
Article-I.D.: gatech.12308
Posted: Sat Mar  2 18:42:59 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 4-Mar-85 04:07:21 EST
References: <887@cbdkc1.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: School of ICS, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
Lines: 29

> As an aside, willow bark works like aspirin, it is mild on the stomach
> and it is natural.  I use it occationally and it works very well (I
> never use aspirin).  Has your doctor ever recommended willow bark for
> a headache?
> 
> 	{allegra|ihnp4}!cbdkc1!tjs

Actually, willow bark contains Salicylin, which is converted to salicylic
acid in the liver.  Commercial aspirin is acetyl salicylic acid, which is
degraded to salicylic acid in the stomach.  In effect, everytime your doctor,
mother, priest or local witch doctor prescribes aspirin, they are actually
prescribing willow bark.  

The history of the discovery of aspirin-like compounds is actually quite
fascinating.  The pharmacologic philosophy that was employed to discovery a
natural substance for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis was that 'the cure
for an illness would be found in close proximity to the cause of the disorder.'
So it was thought that the cure for rheumatism would be found in damp, cool
boggy areas, since, at that time, it was thought that this type of environment
was the cause of the disorder.  Lo and behold, the willow tree, which happens 
to have an an uncanny habit of growing in swappy bogs, just happened to be 
the largest producer of salicylin in the free world, which in the early 
1800's quickly replaced the popular dietary therapy, which was completely 
ineffective. 
-- 
Carter Bullard
ICS, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA 30332
CSNet:Carter @ Gatech	ARPA:Carter.Gatech @ CSNet-relay.arpa
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