You know how ICUs came about?
Polio causes paralysis of muscles, and in case of an attack on the chest muscles, patient can die because loss of breathing. But these attacks are also known to retreat spontaneously, and hence doctors came up with the idea of `just keep'em breathing and we might save them`. And to cater to this need was born the Intensive Care Unit.
Just one of the interesting tidbits from Ben Goldacre's Bad Science (which I finished reading recently). But this book is far from just a collection of interesting stories (of which it contains many). It is a serious attempt at public education about science focusing on the medical domain. There is a highly readable discussion of how clinical trials are conducted (and what does a double-blind-placebo-controlled study means). We learn about the caveats in conducting and interpreting these studies (something to which even the researchers are not immune sometimes). We meet some high profile new age health gurus (not local to this land, but you might be able to draw parallels). But probably the most important part of the book is about statistics (note: it's good but could've been better) and how to use it to 'read' news. We are constantly bombarded with miracle cures (and no, not the jaduii pendants (we all are too smart for those) but pills for concentration, creams for bedaag gorapan and not to mention, machines with which you can lose weight (our public seems to be obsessed with this one issue) without exercise). Next in line are health drinks which help your kids grow dugani teji se and even garmiyo me. Next, a drink which has both nature aur science ke guun. Well, my friend, science is not a substance, it's a process so you can't put that in a product [and also, having a robot as mascot for science doesn't help, that's technology]. I can go on, and you can come up with your own list, but that isn't helpful. What this book sets out to do is develop a more sceptical, more rational outlook. And that makes it a must read. Ben (himself a doctor) appears as a supporter of a normal healthy diet, something your mom told you about; and it's a piece of advice soarly missing in our supplement obsessed world, I think.
I am more than willing to share my copy of the book so if you are interested, let me know. Also there is a lot of good stuff on the author's website. Do check it out.
Enjoy!!
P.S. Trick or Treatment would be nice complementary reading to this. You can find my review of it here.
Polio causes paralysis of muscles, and in case of an attack on the chest muscles, patient can die because loss of breathing. But these attacks are also known to retreat spontaneously, and hence doctors came up with the idea of `just keep'em breathing and we might save them`. And to cater to this need was born the Intensive Care Unit.
Just one of the interesting tidbits from Ben Goldacre's Bad Science (which I finished reading recently). But this book is far from just a collection of interesting stories (of which it contains many). It is a serious attempt at public education about science focusing on the medical domain. There is a highly readable discussion of how clinical trials are conducted (and what does a double-blind-placebo-controlled study means). We learn about the caveats in conducting and interpreting these studies (something to which even the researchers are not immune sometimes). We meet some high profile new age health gurus (not local to this land, but you might be able to draw parallels). But probably the most important part of the book is about statistics (note: it's good but could've been better) and how to use it to 'read' news. We are constantly bombarded with miracle cures (and no, not the jaduii pendants (we all are too smart for those) but pills for concentration, creams for bedaag gorapan and not to mention, machines with which you can lose weight (our public seems to be obsessed with this one issue) without exercise). Next in line are health drinks which help your kids grow dugani teji se and even garmiyo me. Next, a drink which has both nature aur science ke guun. Well, my friend, science is not a substance, it's a process so you can't put that in a product [and also, having a robot as mascot for science doesn't help, that's technology]. I can go on, and you can come up with your own list, but that isn't helpful. What this book sets out to do is develop a more sceptical, more rational outlook. And that makes it a must read. Ben (himself a doctor) appears as a supporter of a normal healthy diet, something your mom told you about; and it's a piece of advice soarly missing in our supplement obsessed world, I think.
I am more than willing to share my copy of the book so if you are interested, let me know. Also there is a lot of good stuff on the author's website. Do check it out.
Enjoy!!
P.S. Trick or Treatment would be nice complementary reading to this. You can find my review of it here.
2 comments:
hmm..seems to be interesting...
lesse...once my current stock is over..i'll borrow it frm ya :)
It is.. yep anytime.. :)
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