Or nothing like evangelical extremism to muddy the waters of a complex debate.
Homeopathy. Hmm. A few years ago there was a panic over MMR which led directly to an outbreak of measles in my area. The Evening sub-Standard had an article about some arsehole artfarty so-called 'concerned' parent who tried to cure her son's measles with aromatherapy candles, yet another example of how people are allowed to abuse their children and get away with it, regardless of the consequences for the child and the wider community.
On the other hand, modern Scientific Western medicine has been proved over-and-over again to be fallible in its dishing out of clinically tested pearls of wisdom. Thalidomide to cure morning sickness; Valium for depression; Termazepan for insomnia.
No one now will take tablets for morning sickness. 'Dry toast' is what everybody's told. There is an increasing understanding of the role of diet and exercise in treating some forms of depression and insomnia.
The Lancet firmly comes down against homeopathic remedies. QED, the Science has spoken. But amidst the rhetoric, one major fact goes unnoticed - for centuries and intuitively we have treated the symptoms of many problems in a complementary manner. When stressed we turn to alcohol or aromatherapy baths. I do not suppose there is any evidence that either of these relieves stress. I am certain that neither removes the cause. But at the end of a stressful day at work, isn't it nice to sink into the bath with a glass of wine and unwind.
Scientific trials tend to focus on the effect that a chemical has upon a group of cells, which is crucial for treating cancer, for example. But there is little systematic examination of the psychological causes and effects of a myriad of low-level but limiting and ennervating malaises.
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