"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." William
Shakespeare, Hamlet.
The ongoing conflict between the medical fraternity and
proponents of alternative medicine does not help the sick
person, who usually simply wants to get well again by the
best possible means. Can one unquestioningly follow one's
doctor's advice or is there a valid foundation for some of
the accusations leveled against conventional medicine? A few
examples can throw some light on this issue:
1) Hormone replacement therapy. Recent studies have
confirmed previous suspicions that hormone replacement
therapy significantly increases the risk of cancer.
Cancer is extremely serious and life threatening, unlike
hot flushes and other symptoms of menopause that are only
temporary and can be alleviated by safe alternative means
such as a controlled diet, herbal supplements and
exercise. But hormone replacement therapy continues to be
prescribed by doctors and marketed by drug companies on a
large scale.
2) Chemotherapy and radiation. In most cases the long-term
survival rate with these therapies is poor. This is not
surprising since chemotherapy is a poison that attacks
not only the tumour but also the whole body, while doing
nothing to eliminate the cause of cancer. It often does
more harm than good. Yet most doctors and oncologists
persist with these treatments only, and do not even
mention simple steps relating to diet, internal
detoxification, exercise and emotional uncluttering that
can at best be life saving and at least do no harm.
3) Circumcision. When carried out in a crude fashion on
young men in third world areas as part of initiation
ceremonies, this is condemned. Yet, under clinical
circumstances, the same procedure is widely inflicted on
babies by western doctors, being offered to parents as an
option. Millions, apart from those for whom it is a
religious rite, have been subjected to this procedure
which has only harmful effects. This obvious abuse of
human rights, where a child's body is mutilated without
him having any say in the matter, has for decades
received the silent approval of medical associations.
These are only some examples showing that there is indeed
cause for alarm. To conclude: one cannot implicitly put
one's health in the care of doctors and be assured of
receiving the best treatment (not necessarily the most
expensive or high-tech one). Consequently each person should
take personal control of his own health, do his or her own
research, and make his or her own decisions.
The rapidly growing move towards alternative practitioners
is a direct result of the fact that: Something is rotten in
the state of Medicine.
Christopher Browne.