Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site aecom.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!aecom!werner From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: The topics that were requested... Message-ID: <1849@aecom.UUCP> Date: Sun, 11-Aug-85 21:30:27 EDT Article-I.D.: aecom.1849 Posted: Sun Aug 11 21:30:27 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Aug-85 04:00:08 EDT Distribution: na Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY Lines: 118 About a month ago, I asked for topics for future postings to net.med, with the promise that while I couldn't guarantee research into any of them, I would certain keep my eye out for them during the course of my normal reading. Since I'm only one person though, and there are quite a few people on the net who may have expertise in some of these areas, I'm posting an edited list of what I received below (by edited, I mean headers, gratuitous remarks, and complimentary prose have been eliminated, no requests have been omitted): I also thought people might be interested in other people's interests. Craig Werner ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ##################### The most interesting of these have dealt with the interaction of medicine and society (midwives, Herbalife, etc.) According to her, "it takes 28 years to earn back what you lose economically studying to become a doctor in Sweden." I told her about the bumper sticker "starve with dignity, become a nurse" and she wants one desperatly. ##################### The topic most near and dear to *my* heart, er, kidneys, is STONES (calcium oxalate type). ##################### Well, the AIDS thing appears ready to become a first-rate epidemic. A breakthrough cure for pancreatic cancer would be rather nice. ##################### Please write articles on how AIDS is transmitted to people who are not homosexuals, not drug users, etc. A recent LIFE magazine headline - "Now anyone can get AIDS" has me worried. I'm interested in topics like if mosquitoes can pass the disease, ##################### Some topic suggestions: I have a mild comes-and-goes psorisis. I use a cortisone cream, but find that it is much better in the summer (lying in the sun) than the winter. Causes? Cures? Infectious? Long-term dangers? On a completely different topic, My brother is an oncologist. He mentioned that he heard from another doctor at a party that autopsies of Alzheimer's disease patients showed increased levels of aluminum in their brain tissue. "And what do doctors recommend for their oldsters? Maalox, of course." Feel free to take it from there. (My brother was one of the generation that received X-ray treatment for their tonsils. He went through med school on an Air-Force scholarship where he promised to serve after school. At his pre-induction physical, he was asked "Doctor, why do you have a 15% hearing loss on one side?" Turned out to be a brain tumor, which was operated on successfully. He had a thyroidectomy subsequently. (This was over 15 years ago.) This gave him a unique perspective on oncology, of course. I haven't heard too much about the effects of these treatments, though I know three people who had them, all of whom have some ill effects. Most of the net readers grew up after the X-ray treatment era, but a summary/followup might be interesting. When do you have time to study? Ps: all of the above may be quoted/reproduced. ##################### --The science of looking at a person's eyes (at the blood vessels and spots in the white of the eye) to diagnose the person. (Is it called iridology?) --Somebody told me that there is a current study in which they asked women who are having their IUD's removed if they could sample the cells? in their fallopian tubes, and found that 85% of them had scarring of the fallopian tubes, making pregnancy risky for them. Have you heard anything like this? --Osteoporosis ##################### Hi. Since you are looking for topics, I am interested in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I was wondering if any new treatment ideas have come along in the past couple of years? Or any information at all. Thanks. ##################### I'm not sure about topics, but there were two spot radio announcements by Carlton Fredricks, PhD, that I remember. Fredricks is a nutritionist (whatever that means). He has several books published about nutritional deficiencies and/or approaches for treatment/relief of certain conditions. He was sponsored by Lindberg Nutrition which is a chain of Health Food stores in LA. 1. Fredricks claimed that the symptoms of arthritis could be eliminated or substantially reduced by complete elimination of the foods of the nightshade family from the diet. There were 5 items mentioned. Three of them were potatoes, tomatoes, and rutabaga. I don't remember the other two. Potatoes and tomatoes might take a little doing to eliminate (spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, etc.) but it seemed to me that someone in the grip of arthritis would regard that as a small price to pay for substantial relief. The other two items were even less common than rutabaga. 2. Fredricks related the story that if a farmer had a cow that couldn't conceive and called the vet, the first thing the vet would ask is "What's the animal been eating?" But if a woman goes to her doctor to complain about infertility, the *last* thing the doctor asks is "what have you been eating?" (This story obviously doesn't prove anything, but somehow seems to strike a responsive chord in me). -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner "The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"