Astrology with needles

It argues that if the effects of “real” and “sham” acupuncture do not significantly differ in well-conducted trials, it is because traditional theories for selecting points and means of stimulation are not based on an empirical rationale, but on ancient cosmology, astrology and mythology. These theories significantly resemble those that underlined European and Islamic astrological medicine and bloodletting in the Middle-Ages. In addition, the alleged predominance of acupuncture amongst the scholarly medical traditions of China is not supported by evidence, given that for most of China’s long medical history, needling, bloodletting and cautery were largely practiced by itinerant and illiterate folk-healers, and frowned upon by the learned physicians who favored the use of pharmacopoeia.

Heaven is covered with constellations, Earth with waterways, and man with channels.

Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Medicine (黄帝内经, huang di nei jing)¹

Acupuncture is presumed to have its origins in blood ritual, magic tattooing and body piercing associated with Neolithic healing practices.

See Science-Based Medicine for the full post.

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Oriental Medicine or Medical Orientalism?

The following is the second adapted excerpt of an upcoming article called “The Untold Story of Acupuncture.” It is scheduled to be published in December 2009 in Focus in Alternative and Complementary Therapies (FACT), a review journal that presents the evidence on alternative medicine in an analytical and impartial manner. This section argues that the current flurry of interest in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine stems predominantly out of postmodern opposition to Enlightenment rationalism, and bears witness to Orientalism and consumerism in contemporary medicine.

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=930

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Why "wellness" is a crock of sh*t

 

It's the new buzz word around town. No company or government department today is now complete without a "wellness program".

 

Some of it is harmless, you know, those stupid signs telling you to wash your hands in the toilet or to take the stairs near the lifts.

 

But much of it is actually based upon highly dubious pseudo-science or very poor quality studies with weak findings that are only a step or two up from pseudo-science.

 

As a general resource on this and other health and diet matters, check out Junkfood Science.

 

But recently it's been noted that the left-wing blog The Huffington Post has taken a strange and disturbing direction in promoting all kinds of crackpot medical and health ideas that have no actual scientific evidence to support them, such as conspiracy theories about vaccines.

 

Now we know why.

 

It has a "wellness editor".

 

Here are her "qualifications":

Patricia Fitzgerald is a licensed acupuncturist, certified clinical nutritionist, and a homeopath. She has a Master's Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Doctorate in Homeopathic Medicine. She is the founder and Medical Director of the Santa Monica Wellness Center and the author of the best-selling, award-winning The Detox Solution: The Missing Link to Radiant Health, Abundant Energy, Ideal Weight, and Peace of Mind. You can learn more at TheDetoxSolution.com.

 

Her mission is to inspire others to live their passion, while creating and enjoying optimal physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Oh dear, so much stupidity and snakeoil compressed into so few words.

 

And for fuck's sake, isn't having a "mission" so friggen last century?

 

In response to the question "what is a docorate in homoepathic medicine," a comment left on the Pharyngula blog gave the perfect definition:

...a doctorate in homeopathic medicine would be a blank piece of paper soaked in a 1:10,000,000 tincture made from the ink of an actual doctor's diploma.

As Mike the Mad Biologist says, it's "...like having a creationist as the science editor. And it explains quite a bit about The Huffington Post's War on Medicine."

 

 

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Homeopathy at work - baby dies

IN the last months of her life, baby Gloria Thomas suffered such terrible eczema her skin would weep and peel, sticking to her clothing when she was changed. Despite her bleeding, crying and malnutrition, her mother and homeopath father failed to get conventional medical help before she died a painful death, a Sydney jury has been told. Full article here   Good grief, this poor little girl's parents were both highly educated people! Intelligence apparently is no guarantee against superstition and foolishness.   Obviously confronted with a choice between their own child's health and the stark reality that homeopathy had failed (as it always does), they put their belief ahead of the welfare of the child.   These people should be sent to jail.

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