werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (10/10/86)
> > I just saw an ad for a health food supplement intended to help > fight diseases (get rid of a cold faster, etc.) which includes a > substance called "Immunogen" which the footnote says "is a natural > complex rich in the immune stimulators Thymosin, Interleukin-2, and > Agglutinins". > Sounds like bovine thymus or spleen extract. The word immunogen is a technical term meaning anything that the immune system responds to. Here, of course, it is a brand name. Agglutinins is an archaic (pre-1950s) term for antibodies, otherwise known as immunoglobulins. Thymosin and Interleukin-2 are indeed immune stimulators. AND ALL OF THESE WOULD BE DESTROYED BY THE STOMACH ON INGESTION. Advertised as such, it is a ripoff of tremendous proportions. Even if it weren't destroyed, exogenous thymosin has no therapeutic effect and Interleukin-2 is found in such extracts in such small quantities that I, for one, would doubt it would be even detectable. I would like to laugh at such things, but then I remember that people who unlike myself, lack a graduate degree in Immunology, collectively spend millions of dollars on such concoctions. That bothers me. Now a word of defense: I am not paid to say any of this. I say critical things about "health-food" and "holistic" practices, because frankly, someone has to to do it. And everytime I do, I get accused of being brainwashed and a pawn of the AMA. Well, I am neither, thank you. But I know when claims contradict fact. And remember - in regards to "unproven" treatment - the burden of proof lies on proponents to prove it really works, not to me (and medicine and science) to prove it doesn't. -- Craig Werner (MD/PhD '91) !philabs!aecom!werner (1935-14E Eastchester Rd., Bronx NY 10461, 212-931-2517) "The proper delivery of medical care is to do as much Nothing as possible"
abc@brl-smoke.ARPA (Brint Cooper ) (10/19/86)
In article <516@aecom.UUCP> werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) tells of what most folks don't know about how the human body really works. Then he writes: > Now a word of defense: I am not paid to say any of this. I say >critical things about "health-food" and "holistic" practices, because >frankly, someone has to to do it. And everytime I do, I get accused of >being brainwashed and a pawn of the AMA. Well, I am neither, thank you. >But I know when claims contradict fact. And remember - in regards to >"unproven" treatment - the burden of proof lies on proponents to prove >it really works, not to me (and medicine and science) to prove it doesn't. Perhaps we've been taking Craig Werner too much for granted. I can think of only two others whose postings to this "net" are as informed and useful as his. Neither of them posts with the frequency and length of Craig's articles. Indeed, were Craig Werner to cease his contribution to net.med, I would immediately unsubscribe. Craig, I'm happy to thank you publicly for your contributions to my understanding of my own body, its functioning, and its diseases. I hope you remember that detractors usually speak up about ten times as often as supporters. -- Brint Cooper ARPA: abc@brl.arpa UUCP: ...{seismo,unc,decvax,cbosgd}!brl-smoke!abc
root@shuksan.UUCP (Operator <often mikey>) (10/23/86)
> In article <516@aecom.UUCP> werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) tells > of what most folks don't know about how the human body really works. > > > Perhaps we've been taking Craig Werner too much for granted. I > can think of only two others whose postings to this "net" are as > informed and useful as his. Neither of them posts with the frequency > and length of Craig's articles. Indeed, were Craig Werner to cease his > contribution to net.med, I would immediately unsubscribe. > > Craig, I'm happy to thank you publicly for your contributions to > my understanding of my own body, its functioning, and its diseases. I > hope you remember that detractors usually speak up about ten times as > often as supporters. > > -- > Brint Cooper > > ARPA: abc@brl.arpa > UUCP: ...{seismo,unc,decvax,cbosgd}!brl-smoke!abc I second that!! I find most of the information here fascinating. 'nuff said. Thanks Mikey (yes "he likes it!") My job is so secret even I don't know what I'm doing =============================================================================== email: real person: Life: ssc-vax!fields (206) 251-4638 [work] Mike Fields ssc-vax!shuksan!mikey (206) 821-3492 [home] 12022 N.E. 138th Pl. Kirkland, Wa. 98034 ===============================================================================