[WikiEN-l] Read what the homeopaths are writing

Sun Jul 3 14:45:26 UTC 2005

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Haukur Þorgeirsson wrote:
> Yes, I see. I suppose that's a fairly typical
> introduction to homeopathy. It sounds sort of
> plausible and somewhat interesting. Here's a
> sample pro-homeopathy article that starts like
> this:
> 
> http://www.betterhealthchannel.com.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Homeopathy?OpenDocument
> 
> "Homoeopathic medicine deliberately mimics or provokes the symptoms of a
> patient's disease to strengthen the body's ability to heal itself."
> 

Ah! So by setting fire to myself, I can heal my burns? Or by amputing a
limb, it will cause another one to grow back? Wonderful!

> Sounds plausible but read a bit further down
> and see the actual basis of the method:
> 
> "Modern homoeopathy was founded in the 18th Century by a German physician,
> Dr Samuel Hahnemann. He believed that:
> 
> * Disease stemmed from a disturbance to the energy field of the body,
> which he called the 'vital force'.
> 
> * The best cure could be achieved by using 'energised' medicine.
> 
> * As the size of the dose decreased, the potency of the substance increased."
> 

Wow... so taking no cocaine at all should get me infinitely high! I
don't want some!

> Anyone familiar with science or medicine should
> be raising eyebrows at this point - but the best
> is yet to come.
> 

Science? We have no need of science when not taking drugs and
self-mutilating will cure all our ills!

> "These medicines then undergo a progressive series of dilutions, which
> includes shaking the bottle between each dilution.
> ...
> After the twelfth dilution, the homoeopathic medicine goes beyond what is
> called 'Avogadro's limit' and there is no discernible trace of the
> original substance left in the medicine."
> 

Um, no, that depends how much you are diluting it. Of course, leaving
the lid off while shaking will greatly speed up the process of dilution...

> Note that this is from a *pro-homeopathy* article.
> They freely admit that the purported medicine is
> completely diluted out of the solution. They claim
> that it works anyway:
> 
> "Although conventional scientific methods cannot explain how they work,
> many clinical trials have found homoeopathic medicines to be effective in
> treating a range of disorders."
> 

Like [[Hyperchondria]]? Um... I think that's how it's spelt... hmm...

> Science can indeed not explain how something like
> that would work. If someone did prove it to work
> it would be a huge development in physics, chemistry
> and medicine. A Nobel prize would be guaranteed.
> 

Yes, the pharmicutical companies are so horrified by the fact that
people won't ever need to take drugs again...

> But it hasn't been proven to work, despite their
> claim to the contrary. In *properly conducted*
> clinical trials it fails every time. But in studies
> conducted by homeopaths it always seems to work
> - and how could it fail to work with these kinds
> of criteria:
> 
> "Sometimes, symptoms get worse before they get better. This may be a sign
> that the medicine is working, and that the body is strengthening its
> efforts to fight the disease..."
> 

They have learnt the fine game of Calvinball, eh? So have we :)

> So, if you get better it's working and if you get
> worse, well, it's probably working anyhow.
> 

In other news, hell has frozen over.

> And look at these homeopaths' attitude to boring
> old conventional medicine:
> 
> "According to the homoeopathic philosophy, conventional drugs that
> suppress symptoms are only driving the disease deeper into the body."
> 

Really? I'd like to see them find where it has gone.

> Of course they have the requisite disclaimers about
> consulting with your regular doctor but they're still
> giving out harmful medical advice.
> 

"Yes, the multinational pharmicutical companies will definately stop
price gouging once a few thousand children die because the medicines are
too expensive..."

> But don't take my word for it. Read this homeopathy
> page for yourself (it's short) and then tell me if
> there's still doubt in your mind as to the pseudoscientific
> nature of the discipline and whether you think it is
> reasonable for an encyclopædia to entertain such doubts
> in its category system.
> 

Argh my eyes...

- --
Alphax
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There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,'
and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.' - C. S.
Lewis
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