Before there were antibiotics ....

[see_change]

We live in a very sheltered environment in Australia . Northern beaches of sydney would have to be one of the most blessed places on this planet ( assuming you want to live in a city ) . Nowadays too many people take their health for granted .

One of my pet frustrations is a reluctance to take antibiotics . Fine they can be over prescribed by some , but ....they're not the evil that it's becoming trendy to portray them as .

Today I had a patient with a badly infected middle toe . Nasty blister on the tip , with most of the toe red , tender and swollen , early cellulitis . Needs antibiotics . But when I suggest this , she baulks ..... No ..... not antibiotics !!! . She then says " what happened before antibiotics ?

" ah ... Before antibiotics , well the risk you ran was the infection would go into your foot , up your leg , into your blood stream , you develop septicaemia , septic shock , then you die ...

I assured her that it didn't happen all the time , but there was a reason ( outside lack of effective birth control ) which Victorian families had 8 kids and three survived to adult hood ....

I gave her a script of antibiotics . I wonder if she'll take them .

.... end rant ....

Cliff

 

[redwing]

In the Bronze Age, average life expectancy was about 18 wasn't it

 

[Spades]

I suspect she's toey see change and she'll go out on a limb not to take them.

 

[superAndrew]

what happened before antibiotics ?

They used garlic and honey and other natural substances with anti bacterial properties.

Cheers

Andrew

 

[see_change]

They used garlic and honey and other natural substances with anti bacterial properties.

Cheers

Andrew

And they died a lot earlier ....

Cliff

 

[Kinnon Bell]

What happens when all the bacteria vairents builds up a resistance to all antibiotics?

 

[chilliblue]

Did you point out your medical degree?

 

[bob246810]

They used garlic and honey and other natural substances with anti bacterial properties.

And if that doesn't work, you can always burn the witch and loot her place.

There are people in this world who believe vaccines are evil and Bush is a lizard man. Someone who doesn't believe in antibiotics is just small fry.

 

[LoneWolf]

What happens when all the bacteria vairents builds up a resistance to all antibiotics?

That is one of the main concern of medical world.
Our bodies are becoming immune to antibiotics

 

[Kinnon Bell]

That is one of the main concern of medical world.
Our bodies are becoming immune to antibiotics

Yep. I remember hearing something about it a while ago on the ABC radio.

I can understand why people are hesitant to take antibiotics for that reason. I'd rather my body try to naturally beat the infection if it's a minor one.

 

[boeman]

Same mindset as those who don't vaccinate their children.

My father is a Microbiologist and my sister a Biochemist and Biostatistician. I prefer to take their advice over Today Tonight/Radio and can assure they believe in the responsible use of vaccinations and antibiotics.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Same mindset as those who don't vaccinate their children.

My father is a Microbiologist and my sister a Biochemist and Biostatistician. I prefer to take their advice over Today Tonight/Radio and can assure they believe in the responsible use of vaccinations and antibiotics.

I said *minor* infection which, I wouldn't call measles or mumps minor. I also never said anything about being against either antibiotics or vaccinations (hopefully the vaccination can of worms stays shut).

Well, you're lucky to have such well educated and informed people in your family, however, I do not. I have to rely on such reports and articles then sort the wheat from the chaff.

I never said anything about believing an ACA article over that of a biochemist. But then again, everyone has their own agenda and will share what they believe.

 

[Spades]

Look up hemp oil rather than use antibiotics...Medical profession don't want you to know the benefits though,i wonder why

http://phoenixtears.ca/articles/hemp-oil-the-real-medicine/

 

[Perp]

That is one of the main concern of medical world.
Our bodies are becoming immune to antibiotics

"Our bodies"? I think you mean "some bacterial strains".

 

[Mooze]

Isn't that why you keep that FB friend? The one who constantly posts anti vax anti non alternative articles yet can't post a single peer reviewed study ? I know I've got one - whatever she posts I know I can automatically discount - makes research easier

 

[Fifth]

I've gone through a fair few doctors over the past 10 years and all of them over-prescribed antibiotics.

I don't think antibiotics are evil, I think they are short of a miracle and that's why their effectiveness should be preserved. There is a real risk of some pretty nasty bacterial strains becoming immune to antibiotics due to both over-prescription and patients not finishing the course of treatment (once you start, finish).

For minor infections, I prefer to let my body do its thing. If it gets worse, then I take antibiotics.

 

[Macca]

<<you develop septicaemia>>

One of my old rellies died of this early 1900's

Of course antibiotics have their place but lazy doc's caused the over use and eventually they get a bad rep and now some people avoid them, some people demand them and the Doc is in the middle

 

[cu@thetop]

Isn't that why you keep that FB friend? The one who constantly posts anti vax anti non alternative articles yet can't post a single peer reviewed study ? I know I've got one - whatever she posts I know I can automatically discount - makes research easier

I had a client once who had three boys. She was a nurse. Boys seemingly normal. Oldest one vaccinated and has an immediate reaction. Goes from an articulate to withdrawn and it turns out autistic kid

2nd kid gets vaccinated. Much the same reaction. Autistic kid number 2.

She doesn't vaccinate the 3rd. That one turns out normal.

This only came up following discussions of another case I was running 18 years ago in which we could not get the medical evidence to support the causation of the autism. This other parent also reported similar sequence of events- normal kid plus triple antigen= permanent behavioural change- overnight.

All anecdotal-no studies. Which drug company would fund research into this one wonders.

 

[superAndrew]

All anecdotal-no studies. Which drug company would fund research into this one wonders.

Those peer reviewed articles that everyone likes to quote don't mean much when they are funded by the drug companies that produce the drugs.

Have to keep in mind that if a drug doesn't have any commercial value then it won't be put on the market. A drug/plant that cures some rare form cancer doesn't have any commercial value and therefore might never be put on the market. It can take up to 10 years to get FDA approval for a new drug and a lot of money. Those investors have to wait for 10 years to get their money back, so they won't invest unless there is a market and money to be made.

Like honey, garlic, hemp oil, etc. no commercial value, no IP, easy to produce, therefore no money to be made.

Personally I would try natural medicine first and if that doesn't work, then use antibiotics and other drugs.

Cheers

Andrew

 

[Perp]

Those peer reviewed articles that everyone likes to quote don't mean much when they are funded by the drug companies that produce the drugs.

There is a huge volume of medical research going on into all sorts of diseases, the vast majority of which is done in universities, hospitals, and research institutes, and has zero funding from private sources.

If you think academics - most of whom are on contracts that don't allow them to benefit financially from their discoveries anyway - would pass up the chance for a Nobel Prize by suppressing a finding that hemp oil can cure cancer (or whatever), then I would suspect you don't know many academics.

They're all about the excitement of solving the problem; money is - for the vast majority - of no concern, or barely registers.