Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site panda.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!mlf From: mlf@panda.UUCP (Matt L. Fichtenbaum) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: Asprirn Message-ID: <334@panda.UUCP> Date: Fri, 1-Mar-85 08:56:16 EST Article-I.D.: panda.334 Posted: Fri Mar 1 08:56:16 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Mar-85 03:29:37 EST References: <887@cbdkc1.UUCP> Reply-To: mlf@panda.UUCP (Matt L. Fichtenbaum) Distribution: net Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass. Lines: 30 Summary: >I hear on the news today that giving aspirin to a child who has the >cold or a flu could result in the child getting reise (sp) syndrom. >...how many people are harmmed each day by proven >forms of medicine, like aspirin in this case. >As an aside, willow bark works like aspirin, it is mild on the stomach >and it is natural. Reye's syndrome (I've heard it pronounced "rye") is a serious, potentially fatal disease/inflammation of the brain. It *appears* that it is more likely to occur in a child who has chicken pox or, I think, the flu, and that giving a child aspirin for these diseases increases the Reye's risk. While the exact cause of Reye's is not yet known, there's enough indication about the aspirin risk to justify printing a warning label. Our pediatrician (and other references) suggest using something like Tylenol in place of aspirin in children. I miss the point with willow bark. It may contain salicylates that give it its anti-inflammatory effect; in that case it's not significantly different from aspirin. And I don't see what its being "natural" has to do with anything. Many common prescription drugs are derived from things that occur in nature; also, many things that occur in nature are demonstrably bad for humans - examples are curare, poison ivy, lions [:-)]. -- Matt Fichtenbaum "Our job is to rescue fires, not put out your cat."