Saturday, December 18, 2010
Uncontaminated bread
In about 1950 My first wife, Nancy and I were active in The Cooperative Consumers of New Haven. It has been from day one that our country was settled by those who helped one another be it with sickness or barn building or governing. The Coop movement is in keeping with that spirit and is alive and well here in Brattleboro. With the New Haven Coop the board listened to several members expound on a recipe developed by nutritionists at Cornell University for the best bread possible to make and urged us to have it baked locally and sold in our two stores. A local baker did bake it for us and we sold the best store-bought bread Dorothy and I had ever tasted. We soon found there was a problem with it. More than 24 hours on a store shelf fungi growth was obvious. At home at room temperature we had the same problem. A local bakery baked bread that did not show aging on a store shelf in a weeks time. We never did find what the ingredient was that kept the commercial bread from spoiling but if a blogger has an answer to that question I would like to look into it as a possible cause of health problems.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
The more I think of this subject the more amazed I become. Here we veterinarians have about 24 institutes of higher learning all with teachers teaching genetics that offer degrees in Veterinary Medicine. Also there are college level professors of some of the greatest human institutions of learning who apparently lived with genetics and many of whom must have had a dog of their own with Hip Dysplasia and no one I have heard of suggested that a problem that started with a reported dominate trait in a German Shepard dog spread as through the wind to all breeds of dogs. Unbelievable. I, too am in that designation of ridiculous ignorance.
Archeologists claim there were dogs in Mexico born without hair 6,000 years ago. Some interested parties went to Mexico and combing the villages found 10 hairless specimens and the result was a new bred. That's how a genetic trait spreads and not like some bacterial or virus disease. I want to shout it for all to hear and to cry over. I think of the sadness of veterinarians who had to euthanize so many thousands of cases of dogs in such pain that living with it was asking too much.
I recall one dog brought in for euthanasia and I asked if I might perform surgery as an experiment at my expense. The owners were willing. I went to work as a carpenter with hammer and wood chisel and removed the heads of the two femurs from both hind legs. I recall helping that huge St Bernard to his feet as he recovered from the anesthesia and that dog walked better with his back legs after that brutal surgery than before surgery. He lived out a normal life and when his end came the owners permitted me to perform a post mortum. That dog had two opposing flattened bony areas covered with cartilage with what appeared to me to be joint fluid.
It was as I have said elsewhere one breed that seemed not to be susceptible to Hip Dysplasia until years after all other dogs had had it reported and that was the Greyhound. The reason to me was that the breeders were for years only interested in breeding fast dogs and believed to do that the pregnant bitches had to be run while pregnant for the puppies to be fast. The exercise of running while pregnant flushed the toxic substances from their systems without affecting their puppies as the other breeds failed to do.
I believe we in my profession should be ashamed and immediately identify the substance(s) responsible. When that answer is found we will be ahead of the human medical people who may be permitting non-exercising pregnant humans to be bearing babies who will be born to suffer one or more of the problems without answers such as Autism.
In the veterinary field there are breeding programs to eliminate the problem which in actuality are programs to produce individuals resistant to the causative agent.
Archeologists claim there were dogs in Mexico born without hair 6,000 years ago. Some interested parties went to Mexico and combing the villages found 10 hairless specimens and the result was a new bred. That's how a genetic trait spreads and not like some bacterial or virus disease. I want to shout it for all to hear and to cry over. I think of the sadness of veterinarians who had to euthanize so many thousands of cases of dogs in such pain that living with it was asking too much.
I recall one dog brought in for euthanasia and I asked if I might perform surgery as an experiment at my expense. The owners were willing. I went to work as a carpenter with hammer and wood chisel and removed the heads of the two femurs from both hind legs. I recall helping that huge St Bernard to his feet as he recovered from the anesthesia and that dog walked better with his back legs after that brutal surgery than before surgery. He lived out a normal life and when his end came the owners permitted me to perform a post mortum. That dog had two opposing flattened bony areas covered with cartilage with what appeared to me to be joint fluid.
It was as I have said elsewhere one breed that seemed not to be susceptible to Hip Dysplasia until years after all other dogs had had it reported and that was the Greyhound. The reason to me was that the breeders were for years only interested in breeding fast dogs and believed to do that the pregnant bitches had to be run while pregnant for the puppies to be fast. The exercise of running while pregnant flushed the toxic substances from their systems without affecting their puppies as the other breeds failed to do.
I believe we in my profession should be ashamed and immediately identify the substance(s) responsible. When that answer is found we will be ahead of the human medical people who may be permitting non-exercising pregnant humans to be bearing babies who will be born to suffer one or more of the problems without answers such as Autism.
In the veterinary field there are breeding programs to eliminate the problem which in actuality are programs to produce individuals resistant to the causative agent.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Sucklings
Yesterday the outstanding Senator from my State of Vermont spoke for 8 hours in the U. S. Senate on behalf of We the People. Senator Bernie Sanders pointed out the efforts to increase the incomes of people so wealthy and so few it is unlikely any average citizen will ever see one in person ever in our lives other than in the media. Please listen and watch Senator Sanders on your computer. The super wealthy are people who acquired fortunes that never would have been possible were they not citizens of our country. These super rich should appreciate their country to the extent that half of the money they own when alive should, after their deaths go to their country. I call it patriotism. Some of us go to war and are killed for patriotism but never the super rich. Some of the super rich have made fortunes from profits from war efforts.
Have you heard of any of the wealthy requesting tax brakes? Of course not. Can you imagine Bill Gates asking for tax brakes? Who then are asking for tax brakes for the wealthy? It is the sucklings of the super rich, conservative Republicans. Fat cat Republicans who have made it in wealth themselves who don't give a dam for either their country or the people in it. Unfortunately the people voted against bad times in the last election and no way did they vote in favor of the no, no, no leaches. It appears that among the lobbyists must be included most Republicans bought and paid for by those who want corporations to run our government and not our government. When they say, "get the government off our backs" they are saying clear the way for profit making corporations to run everything. It was Abraham Lincoln who said so many years ago, "With the advent of the corporation will be the end of the Republic."
I believe a wise man who sees the problems has been chosen by we the people to attempt to do something about it. We must all back President Obama and his efforts or the final struggles of our great Democracy will be ended. We should consider the fact that there are over one hundred thousand hired guns, armed and employed by our army to do what the army should be doing who are available to those who can pay for their services. We are at a cross roads and the choices are limited but the road taken soon will determine the life of the Republic. Get mad and get active or bury your head in the sand.
Have you heard of any of the wealthy requesting tax brakes? Of course not. Can you imagine Bill Gates asking for tax brakes? Who then are asking for tax brakes for the wealthy? It is the sucklings of the super rich, conservative Republicans. Fat cat Republicans who have made it in wealth themselves who don't give a dam for either their country or the people in it. Unfortunately the people voted against bad times in the last election and no way did they vote in favor of the no, no, no leaches. It appears that among the lobbyists must be included most Republicans bought and paid for by those who want corporations to run our government and not our government. When they say, "get the government off our backs" they are saying clear the way for profit making corporations to run everything. It was Abraham Lincoln who said so many years ago, "With the advent of the corporation will be the end of the Republic."
I believe a wise man who sees the problems has been chosen by we the people to attempt to do something about it. We must all back President Obama and his efforts or the final struggles of our great Democracy will be ended. We should consider the fact that there are over one hundred thousand hired guns, armed and employed by our army to do what the army should be doing who are available to those who can pay for their services. We are at a cross roads and the choices are limited but the road taken soon will determine the life of the Republic. Get mad and get active or bury your head in the sand.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Another View of Major Medical Problems
Please do not be turned off by the seemingly unimportant nature of the first paragraph but read on. This is perhaps an important observation concerning health for you to have heard articulated here for the first time. The story goes something like this. King Arthur was in his castle dining with all his Knights when the sound of horses' hoves was heard outside the castle. He announced to his Knights that if in the future they ever heard the sound like they had just heard they should think of horses and not Zebras.
My computer tells me that yearly over a billion dollsrs is spent on Autism research with no light at the end of the tunnel. I have to ask, is the research being invested on a zebra hunt here in the U,S? My Mother had Alzheimer's when she died and huge funds are spent to attempt unraveling the cause or causes. Are the scientists looking for Zebras? Go down the list of Autism, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, ALS, late appearing diabetis and other problems with so far, unknown causes all because each is considered a zebra problem?
For me as a scientist who has been involved in research it seems of primary importance to examine the most obvious possibilities of causes of the above before looking for zebras. When I realized that Greyhounds did not have the dread dysplasia of all other breeds and recognized that the running exercise of the pregnant bitches when pregnant was a sound reason I concluded the Greyhoounds' exercise eliminaated the toxin(s) that caused the problem it was logical to suspect diet as the cause. Researchers looked for the genomme for the answer not thinking that that was a zebra hunt.
Granted one or more of the unsolved problems above may have predated the food
additive(s) that cause others but it seems almost crininal that food additives and combinations have not been thourghly investigated and that brings up some reasons why.
We live in a fire department culture in which we tend to treat problems as emergencies with heroic effort but if a problem takes long periods of time between cause and effect the answers may be lacking. In the case of the weed or flower in our gardens, lupine eaten at just a short period in the gestation period of a cow her calf will be born defective. If a pregnant woman takes the drug, Thalidimide her baby will often be defective for its life.
With the current situation it was in 1933 that Autism was first reported in humans and in 1935, Hip Dysplasia in dogs. The first food additive that was added in great quantity to both human and dog foods happens to be citric acid. Hundreds of thousands of metric tons each year most of which goes into food. Doesn't it seem like common sense to do long time research if only observational research? As a start have that one item removed from the diets of pregnant woman in one group of volunteers.
As a veterinarian I am confident some enterprising dog food manufacturer could actually produce a citric acid free diet and advertise it as just that, a diet to determine if their diet would be effective in the prevention of that canine problem. Even charging twice the usual cost of dog food there will be enough breeders who would be not only willing but anxious to try it on their pregnant bitches and thus to make it a financial success.
So often members of the Veterinary Medical profession have led the way for progress in the Human Medical profession as with a Dr. Salmon in salmonella and in solving the gastric ulcer problem in humans that was considered a psychiatric problem and a bacterial problem of hogs. We were right there, too. The veterinarians who proved that insects can carry and spread disease to others and orthopedic surgery are all veterinary contributions.
If the most obvious possibility is found lacking then go to the next most obvious and then come the combination's but all should be suspect before the zebras.
My computer tells me that yearly over a billion dollsrs is spent on Autism research with no light at the end of the tunnel. I have to ask, is the research being invested on a zebra hunt here in the U,S? My Mother had Alzheimer's when she died and huge funds are spent to attempt unraveling the cause or causes. Are the scientists looking for Zebras? Go down the list of Autism, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, ALS, late appearing diabetis and other problems with so far, unknown causes all because each is considered a zebra problem?
For me as a scientist who has been involved in research it seems of primary importance to examine the most obvious possibilities of causes of the above before looking for zebras. When I realized that Greyhounds did not have the dread dysplasia of all other breeds and recognized that the running exercise of the pregnant bitches when pregnant was a sound reason I concluded the Greyhoounds' exercise eliminaated the toxin(s) that caused the problem it was logical to suspect diet as the cause. Researchers looked for the genomme for the answer not thinking that that was a zebra hunt.
Granted one or more of the unsolved problems above may have predated the food
additive(s) that cause others but it seems almost crininal that food additives and combinations have not been thourghly investigated and that brings up some reasons why.
We live in a fire department culture in which we tend to treat problems as emergencies with heroic effort but if a problem takes long periods of time between cause and effect the answers may be lacking. In the case of the weed or flower in our gardens, lupine eaten at just a short period in the gestation period of a cow her calf will be born defective. If a pregnant woman takes the drug, Thalidimide her baby will often be defective for its life.
With the current situation it was in 1933 that Autism was first reported in humans and in 1935, Hip Dysplasia in dogs. The first food additive that was added in great quantity to both human and dog foods happens to be citric acid. Hundreds of thousands of metric tons each year most of which goes into food. Doesn't it seem like common sense to do long time research if only observational research? As a start have that one item removed from the diets of pregnant woman in one group of volunteers.
As a veterinarian I am confident some enterprising dog food manufacturer could actually produce a citric acid free diet and advertise it as just that, a diet to determine if their diet would be effective in the prevention of that canine problem. Even charging twice the usual cost of dog food there will be enough breeders who would be not only willing but anxious to try it on their pregnant bitches and thus to make it a financial success.
So often members of the Veterinary Medical profession have led the way for progress in the Human Medical profession as with a Dr. Salmon in salmonella and in solving the gastric ulcer problem in humans that was considered a psychiatric problem and a bacterial problem of hogs. We were right there, too. The veterinarians who proved that insects can carry and spread disease to others and orthopedic surgery are all veterinary contributions.
If the most obvious possibility is found lacking then go to the next most obvious and then come the combination's but all should be suspect before the zebras.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Clues in the Cause of Autism and Hip Dysplasia
It seems to me that all medical trained professionals have to be good detectives to be effective be they in human or veterinary medicine. In veterinary medicine the patient cannot offer many clues via the voice box so it may be we are better suited to arrive at the correct evaluation of important clues. I asked one of Vermont's excellent Senators for help in pursuing my ideas as to the cause of Autism and right from the podium he offered a clue to add to my conclusion as to a possible and likely cause. Senator Saunders proclaimed that huge financial funds have been and are being spent at the present time to find an answer with poor results so far. I shall mention why Senator's remarks amounted to an important clue.
Please follow my reasoning and fault it as favor to me. The first clue comes from an evaluation of a problem you have heard of in our dogs, Hip Dysplasia. Long after retiring and moving to Brattleboro in my bachelor pad and wondering of all things why had that problem effected all breeds of dogs other than Greyhounds. Imagine that was clue one. In the first place my profession has considered Hip Dysplasia to be a genetic defect as some have claimed Autism in humans is. First reported in 1935 and never having existed in nature, at least never reported before that time. Genetic defects do occur in our dogs such as a few puppies born without much hair and were selectively bred to create a new breed of dog, Mexican Hairless. Such a condition does not spread to all breeds of dogs. What else might have caused it? Clue two: some environmental problem. I believe the most obvious cause had to be dietary. What ingredient had been introduced so widely that all breeds of dogs were involved? An ingredient in diets is clue three about which I will comment eventually.
It was that time I began to wonder if some dietary condition affected all of dogdome might it be something that might affect man's best friend? After all dog food is the same as human food only in dehydrated form so that if something was added to a food such as to wheat flour it would be in all dog food as well as most human food such as pastries including breads and pastas.
I began to explore serious human illnesses that had not been reported until the cause of the dog problem and clew four: Autism was first reported in humans in 1933. The next clue came of all places from the fact that Greyhounds, for years appeared never to have been affected by Hip Dysplasia and that involved my own new hobby of running. Studying running I was surprised to find many areas of health in man that resulted in runners being the healthiest part of our population. My detective work in that field resulted in deciding that with running the blood flows through internal organs much more rapidly in runners than in couch potatoes and that seems to clear the system of toxins in runners.There was c;ue five. So what has that to do with Greyhounds? The Greyhound breed was well and growing because the breeders were people who bread and raised them for being fast runners. Those breeders thought that by running pregnant bitches their puppies would be faster at racing. So that concluded the reason for Greyhounds to be free of Hip dysplasia. Racing the pregnant bitches resulted in the elimination of wastes that caused the problem in non-exercising dogs. That was clue five, the food was the problem and if so it may be the problem in the higher animal.
Next comes an answer as to the very material added to food massively at the time the dread problem of crippled dogs appeared. Experiments with vitamins reported on and as information became available they were added to foods and preservatives were important life savers in many cases. Except for biochemists many of the small print chemicals on food labels are unknown as to why they are included.
One additive interested me on a personal level. In my new hobby of running the ads were voluminous in advising athletes to drink athletic formula sports drinks. I found I had to get up mights to urinate and that I had never done before. I wondered about the words citric acid in all sports drinks and asked the head chemist of the Conn Agricultural Experiment Station about it. She informed me that citric acid is a diuretic and incidently is GRAS standing for, "Generally Regarded As Safe."There was clue five.
Studying citric acid on my computer I found there are two strains of it. One strain is found in nature in limes and lemons and the second strain is produced in metric tons by the fermentation of the fungus, Aspirgilla nigri with sucrose. What is citric acid used for? First it is classed as a pesticide. When I was young my mother used to have to strain the flour to get the bugs out of it. With citric acid the bugs are killed so its an insecticide. It is listed in some places as a preservative and a fungicide. I find it has been used in a 16% solution to kill frogs in an outbreak of frogs in Hawaii and is presently used as an insecticide for at least 5 agricultural crops in California. With citric acid there is no need for my late mother to strain the flour.
Clue six: if it is so versatile and so effective, how come it is listed as gras and as gras not mentioned on many labels on foods? So it was Senator Sanders with his statement of how much effort has been spent on investigating the cause that if so many avenues of investigation have been explored and found to be wanting, perhaps my food additive theory is valid. Senator's statement was clue seven.
Let me make it clear that I cannot accuse citric acid of being involved with the human disease or the canine problem but from the above do you think the evidence is at east valid enough to urge more investigation of the strain of citric acid that may have and therefore perhaps is causing one or both of the problems mentioned?
Finally I lie in bed nights wondering if I am correct and it being known, lives could be spared or at least problems could be prevented and I further think of the many human problems with unknown causes that may come under one umbrella.
Please follow my reasoning and fault it as favor to me. The first clue comes from an evaluation of a problem you have heard of in our dogs, Hip Dysplasia. Long after retiring and moving to Brattleboro in my bachelor pad and wondering of all things why had that problem effected all breeds of dogs other than Greyhounds. Imagine that was clue one. In the first place my profession has considered Hip Dysplasia to be a genetic defect as some have claimed Autism in humans is. First reported in 1935 and never having existed in nature, at least never reported before that time. Genetic defects do occur in our dogs such as a few puppies born without much hair and were selectively bred to create a new breed of dog, Mexican Hairless. Such a condition does not spread to all breeds of dogs. What else might have caused it? Clue two: some environmental problem. I believe the most obvious cause had to be dietary. What ingredient had been introduced so widely that all breeds of dogs were involved? An ingredient in diets is clue three about which I will comment eventually.
It was that time I began to wonder if some dietary condition affected all of dogdome might it be something that might affect man's best friend? After all dog food is the same as human food only in dehydrated form so that if something was added to a food such as to wheat flour it would be in all dog food as well as most human food such as pastries including breads and pastas.
I began to explore serious human illnesses that had not been reported until the cause of the dog problem and clew four: Autism was first reported in humans in 1933. The next clue came of all places from the fact that Greyhounds, for years appeared never to have been affected by Hip Dysplasia and that involved my own new hobby of running. Studying running I was surprised to find many areas of health in man that resulted in runners being the healthiest part of our population. My detective work in that field resulted in deciding that with running the blood flows through internal organs much more rapidly in runners than in couch potatoes and that seems to clear the system of toxins in runners.There was c;ue five. So what has that to do with Greyhounds? The Greyhound breed was well and growing because the breeders were people who bread and raised them for being fast runners. Those breeders thought that by running pregnant bitches their puppies would be faster at racing. So that concluded the reason for Greyhounds to be free of Hip dysplasia. Racing the pregnant bitches resulted in the elimination of wastes that caused the problem in non-exercising dogs. That was clue five, the food was the problem and if so it may be the problem in the higher animal.
Next comes an answer as to the very material added to food massively at the time the dread problem of crippled dogs appeared. Experiments with vitamins reported on and as information became available they were added to foods and preservatives were important life savers in many cases. Except for biochemists many of the small print chemicals on food labels are unknown as to why they are included.
One additive interested me on a personal level. In my new hobby of running the ads were voluminous in advising athletes to drink athletic formula sports drinks. I found I had to get up mights to urinate and that I had never done before. I wondered about the words citric acid in all sports drinks and asked the head chemist of the Conn Agricultural Experiment Station about it. She informed me that citric acid is a diuretic and incidently is GRAS standing for, "Generally Regarded As Safe."There was clue five.
Studying citric acid on my computer I found there are two strains of it. One strain is found in nature in limes and lemons and the second strain is produced in metric tons by the fermentation of the fungus, Aspirgilla nigri with sucrose. What is citric acid used for? First it is classed as a pesticide. When I was young my mother used to have to strain the flour to get the bugs out of it. With citric acid the bugs are killed so its an insecticide. It is listed in some places as a preservative and a fungicide. I find it has been used in a 16% solution to kill frogs in an outbreak of frogs in Hawaii and is presently used as an insecticide for at least 5 agricultural crops in California. With citric acid there is no need for my late mother to strain the flour.
Clue six: if it is so versatile and so effective, how come it is listed as gras and as gras not mentioned on many labels on foods? So it was Senator Sanders with his statement of how much effort has been spent on investigating the cause that if so many avenues of investigation have been explored and found to be wanting, perhaps my food additive theory is valid. Senator's statement was clue seven.
Let me make it clear that I cannot accuse citric acid of being involved with the human disease or the canine problem but from the above do you think the evidence is at east valid enough to urge more investigation of the strain of citric acid that may have and therefore perhaps is causing one or both of the problems mentioned?
Finally I lie in bed nights wondering if I am correct and it being known, lives could be spared or at least problems could be prevented and I further think of the many human problems with unknown causes that may come under one umbrella.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Control Corporations
When Abraham Lincoln stated that with the advent of the corporations will be the end of the Republic, it would seem he was right on the mark and that was in the 1860s. It is obvious that more than half of our legislators in Washington have been bought and paid for by corporations. Even knowing that the boards of directors of most corporations know that they are bleeding the Republic to death they will continue their nefarious activities. I am no political scientist but it seems to me there could be an out not only for the Republic but for the corporations, too. I urge others to take up the results of passing legislation permitting boards of directors of all corporations to be able to be sued for "corporate" miss deeds. Thus if a board member in authority hires a dishonest person who, for example fudges scientific reports to have a drug approved that is found to cause deaths of innocent people, the board should be responsible. When, more than a few years ago a chap named Socrates asked his friend, "If you knew that you would never be found out would you cheat?" His friend said he would have to think about it and gave no answer. We all must admit that perhaps most and maybe all humans are guilty of cheating if circumstances suggest the chance of being discovered is in their favor. Most of our laws are necessary to keep people honest. There are males who will tell a female she is pretty even if she looks like a truck. To one who says, "Get the government off our backs." We should say, "You bastard, you get off our backs. It's my government you are talking about." Corporations have to be controlled. Board members of corporations pay lobbyists to do what the board member would never do himself. It seems imperative that we somehow get the corporations off our governments back.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Why Runers Run, Why Non-runners Don't Run
After reading about why runners run and after asking countless runners that question I have at last surmised the actual answer. The usual answer after moments of considering the question is usually either, "because it makes me feel so great" or "To keep in shape" or all sorts of variations including thoughts such as, "It gets me out of my house." Considering the hesitancy in answering and the variety of answers I think even runners do not know the answer. I'll get to the answer shortly. With the obvious fact that all strains of humans and in all cultures are hard wired to run and must have required running for survival before leaving the African Savannah to populate the earth perhaps hundreds of thousands of years ago. Aside from the interesting question as to why all have the ability, developed or not, it is inherited as are such things as fear, pain, the ability to bond, to think, to walk upright, for better health as well as longer life are reasons to name a few.
Science does not seem to accept the obvious fact of inherited running perhaps because even scientists may not like the idea of the necessity of exercise for the healthy human so they may not like the idea that all humans also inherit the desire to run. It was estimated by the USATF that in 2007 there were at least 30 million runners in our country who run at least once a week. If they have inherited the desire to run why not all those who do not run? The answer lies in the fact that we are inundated by work saving devices and work has acquired a bad name. "It sounds like work to me" is common and the labor saving devices that save time and are an important part of the good lives we lead all form a barrier to the exercise that running is.
Sigmund Freud suggested the sub conscience ability of our brains and it is my thesis that the sub conscience desire to run is also inherited. That would answer why 30 million run in spite of the fact that running is one of the most intense exercise we humans can indulge in. In spite of the electric tooth brush culture we live in, the over 30 million do run for good reason. Please, friends and all others, tell me how my reasoning is faulty since it is a new idea. With love, George
Science does not seem to accept the obvious fact of inherited running perhaps because even scientists may not like the idea of the necessity of exercise for the healthy human so they may not like the idea that all humans also inherit the desire to run. It was estimated by the USATF that in 2007 there were at least 30 million runners in our country who run at least once a week. If they have inherited the desire to run why not all those who do not run? The answer lies in the fact that we are inundated by work saving devices and work has acquired a bad name. "It sounds like work to me" is common and the labor saving devices that save time and are an important part of the good lives we lead all form a barrier to the exercise that running is.
Sigmund Freud suggested the sub conscience ability of our brains and it is my thesis that the sub conscience desire to run is also inherited. That would answer why 30 million run in spite of the fact that running is one of the most intense exercise we humans can indulge in. In spite of the electric tooth brush culture we live in, the over 30 million do run for good reason. Please, friends and all others, tell me how my reasoning is faulty since it is a new idea. With love, George
Monday, July 5, 2010
Almost Any Normal Human Can Learn to Run
Having been running and investigating running for over 10 years I have come to realize that all normal people of virtually any age can learn to run just as we can learn to reason and to talk. It may take a bit more effort to get started when old but not as much effort as with an infant that has not learned to walk and granted, a senior past the ability is an exception. Age has little to do with the capability. I had run a little as a youngster and if your memory is even partially intact you recall that as a youngster you too ran if only a little.
I have written a book that has not been published yet that I hope will start a fad of running for seniors 65 years of age and up. It becomes obvious that it will be necessary to convince seniors of the fact that they have the ability to learn to run for the fun of it as well as for the good of it. Once even a few accept the idea and pursue the exercise necessary to relearn and actually do it, others will emulate the early learners and in trying appreciate the sense of well being that running accomplishes. No book has been written by a 91 year old who started when 80 years of age. The working title is, "Come Run with Me." Think for a moment of the significance of seniors learning to run in large numbers as I predict will happen.
Runners have lower blood pressure than non-runners and so no medicine. Runners usually have only an excess of good cholesterol and so no medicine. Runners rarely have sleepless nights and so no medicine. Runners have stronger bones and so rarely break bones requiring surgery and so less medication and less hospitalization and so less cost. An insurance estimate of 750,000 elderly people are admitted to hospitals yearly in our country due to injuries around homes. For those of us who have personally experienced a loved ones with Alzheimer's, discovering that runners have a much lower incidence of Alzheimer's than non runners is significant. The list of improvements and preventions goes on but the frosting on the cake is that runners live an additional 2 or more years than non-runners. There are unexpected results along the way of running for seniors such as a reason for living and less boredom that is often foisted on seniors resulting in better well being and happiness. How about you joining me in starting the fad. If I am correct in my thinking imagine the changes resulting if only in the happiness resulting with better health and the savings in expenditures. Finally by joining the action you will do more of what we all should do more of and that is to help others.
I have written a book that has not been published yet that I hope will start a fad of running for seniors 65 years of age and up. It becomes obvious that it will be necessary to convince seniors of the fact that they have the ability to learn to run for the fun of it as well as for the good of it. Once even a few accept the idea and pursue the exercise necessary to relearn and actually do it, others will emulate the early learners and in trying appreciate the sense of well being that running accomplishes. No book has been written by a 91 year old who started when 80 years of age. The working title is, "Come Run with Me." Think for a moment of the significance of seniors learning to run in large numbers as I predict will happen.
Runners have lower blood pressure than non-runners and so no medicine. Runners usually have only an excess of good cholesterol and so no medicine. Runners rarely have sleepless nights and so no medicine. Runners have stronger bones and so rarely break bones requiring surgery and so less medication and less hospitalization and so less cost. An insurance estimate of 750,000 elderly people are admitted to hospitals yearly in our country due to injuries around homes. For those of us who have personally experienced a loved ones with Alzheimer's, discovering that runners have a much lower incidence of Alzheimer's than non runners is significant. The list of improvements and preventions goes on but the frosting on the cake is that runners live an additional 2 or more years than non-runners. There are unexpected results along the way of running for seniors such as a reason for living and less boredom that is often foisted on seniors resulting in better well being and happiness. How about you joining me in starting the fad. If I am correct in my thinking imagine the changes resulting if only in the happiness resulting with better health and the savings in expenditures. Finally by joining the action you will do more of what we all should do more of and that is to help others.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
wind energy for the average citizen
Perhaps it is our location on a hill that wind is often noticeable. Is wind in the news only to sell large wind generators? When I have tire trouble I note the wrenches used to remove the lugs on the wheel are powered by air pressure. Could our wasted wind be of use in pumping air pressure to be stored until needed? Here is another "What if" consideration. Could air pressure be used to power the tools in a home machine shop and to operate the compressor in my refrigerator? or a central vacuum? I do know that it takes little pressure to pump up a tire- even a car tire that I have hand pumped in days gone by so the question is presented, would it be possible to use a residential wind turbine to pump up the air in a tank or tanks to be used at a later date? It makes sense to me. The tank or tanks needed for the energy required could be figured and a device with blades that the wind turns might be a foot and a half in diameter and placed on a garage or house roof. If the cars of the future are electric or even partially electric, couldn't the wind charge batteries? Even trickle charging that requires longer periods of charging would be acceptable for reserved batteries. One major problem is the storage of energy for future use and the wind should not be over looked as a source not only for a major source with huge wind machines but also for small machines for small amounts for comparatively small needs. Of course that stationary bicycle in the basement could be wired to a battery charger, too.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Has our Army Changed?
Over the past months I have learned that the Army has virtually no more M P s. No more Military Police? Oh we still have them but not in U S uniforms. In this progressive period of history we are told by many that to privatize is the future of success in all endeavors, so we now hire private gun carrying individuals to handle the police work our Army used to do. Fortunately we tax payers do not pay these hired guns because they are paid by the companies they work for. These hired guns are paid three and four times as much as we pay our soldiers. Since the companies are paying their soldiers, it is no doubt a tax deductible item. Come to think of it we tax payers pay the corporations so I guess we do pay the bill.I read a figure of tens of thousands of these special forces. Another advancement in our Army is the companies taking over the duties of the Quartermaster Corps and for feeding the troops there is no longer KP duty because instead peeling potatoes etc. the food is no longer provided by our Army but it is all catered. I presume the officers have a menu to select proper choices for proper officers. The new recruits have never heard of K rations and no longer will the troops have Spam to criticize when and if they return home. There is something awfully wrong with that situation and nobody asked my opinion of all the changes that have been made and I doubt that the Army High Command was asked either. Some garues who want to privatize everything have crammed it down the Army's throat. We all should consider President Lincoln's statement about the advent of corporations being the end of the Republic.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
IT SEEMS TO ME
This is an essay concerning Homo sapiens and his inherited trait of the potential of running and its significance for health.
First some comments about inherited traits. Traits may be divided between Mendelein and hard-wired traits. The former are such as right and left handedness, skin color, hair color and texture, baldness, eye color and so many more. Hard wired inherited traits are such as finger nails, eyes, noses, appetites, ability to see and hear, sex and I believe running should be included among the hard wired traits. These traits are what make humans human as are the ability to bond, to love, to reason and to fear.
Even without scientific reasons for the better health of runners it was reported by the USATF that in 2007 there were approximately 30 million runners in our country who run at least once a week. Race directors have reported increasing numbers of contestants in race after race every year since. One must wonder if the two to two and a half years longer of runners’ lives are most of the reason for the increase in the life expectancy of the general public.
It seems to me that science has not generally accepted that man is a running animal and if I am correct, a great deal of science that, through investigation of non-runners results in misleading information. The subject of why runners are healthier than non-runners has not been given the devotion of scientific investigation it should have. It should be kept in mind that with the obvious inheritance of the potential for running what other hard wired traits are also inherited but not identified by science?
Here then are some additional questions I would like to have addressed that require little investigational cost and if the results do not indicate that running is necessary, so be it. Knowing that statistics indicate that runners have much less Alzheimer’s than non-runners I should think the question, “Why” should be high on the question list. I would like to know if pregnant women runners produce children with less autism than non-runners and if so, “why?”
The host of human problems with no scientific explanation such as Parkinson’s, MS, MD, ALS, Alzheimer’s and many others should have the incidence in runners as compared with non-runners, published. If in any of those problems there are differences, research should start with the running normal subject and not the indolent part of the population.
Somewhat current investigation of brain chemistry concerning the production of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin among others is challenging investigators. The very act of the thumping of the brain in running with each time a foot strikes the surface, being normal in humans could have critical significance in runners as compared to non-runners. That’s another area for investigation since running exercise has been found to enhance the production of new neurons as well as chemistry.
To me the evidence of the value of running is becoming almost overwhelming and I expect the idea has been accepted by many but there are barriers to its general acceptance. One barrier being that we as a society have thought that work is to be shunned and that running is the most strenuous work readably available to us humans. Even many investigators are discouraged by the thought they might have to run to be as healthy as possible.
With the above said I would appreciate any pro and or con comments.
3/23/2010
First some comments about inherited traits. Traits may be divided between Mendelein and hard-wired traits. The former are such as right and left handedness, skin color, hair color and texture, baldness, eye color and so many more. Hard wired inherited traits are such as finger nails, eyes, noses, appetites, ability to see and hear, sex and I believe running should be included among the hard wired traits. These traits are what make humans human as are the ability to bond, to love, to reason and to fear.
Even without scientific reasons for the better health of runners it was reported by the USATF that in 2007 there were approximately 30 million runners in our country who run at least once a week. Race directors have reported increasing numbers of contestants in race after race every year since. One must wonder if the two to two and a half years longer of runners’ lives are most of the reason for the increase in the life expectancy of the general public.
It seems to me that science has not generally accepted that man is a running animal and if I am correct, a great deal of science that, through investigation of non-runners results in misleading information. The subject of why runners are healthier than non-runners has not been given the devotion of scientific investigation it should have. It should be kept in mind that with the obvious inheritance of the potential for running what other hard wired traits are also inherited but not identified by science?
Here then are some additional questions I would like to have addressed that require little investigational cost and if the results do not indicate that running is necessary, so be it. Knowing that statistics indicate that runners have much less Alzheimer’s than non-runners I should think the question, “Why” should be high on the question list. I would like to know if pregnant women runners produce children with less autism than non-runners and if so, “why?”
The host of human problems with no scientific explanation such as Parkinson’s, MS, MD, ALS, Alzheimer’s and many others should have the incidence in runners as compared with non-runners, published. If in any of those problems there are differences, research should start with the running normal subject and not the indolent part of the population.
Somewhat current investigation of brain chemistry concerning the production of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin among others is challenging investigators. The very act of the thumping of the brain in running with each time a foot strikes the surface, being normal in humans could have critical significance in runners as compared to non-runners. That’s another area for investigation since running exercise has been found to enhance the production of new neurons as well as chemistry.
To me the evidence of the value of running is becoming almost overwhelming and I expect the idea has been accepted by many but there are barriers to its general acceptance. One barrier being that we as a society have thought that work is to be shunned and that running is the most strenuous work readably available to us humans. Even many investigators are discouraged by the thought they might have to run to be as healthy as possible.
With the above said I would appreciate any pro and or con comments.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Canine Evolution
When Homo came down from the trees that no doubt took countless thousands of years and eventually found living to be improved and stood up to see the view and perhaps view the sea he slowly found he had company. Wolf like animals of those days were perhaps pack animals as they are now but once in a while a few wolves out of the pack over came fear of humans because of several observations. From the wolf's point of view, it found an advantage in waiting near the humanoid family to wait for the eventual food from man's leftovers. Gradually the fear left an occasional one who followed the man-like creature who had to hunt for part of his livelihood finding that at the end of the hunt the man would "dress out" his game, leaving the offal or innards rather than carrying them for miles back to his home. Moreover a few wolf-like animals returned to feast on the leftovers. It must have been rewarding or it would not have happened and the strain that had lost enough fear gradually entered the hunt to the advantage of the human. Those camp follower-dogs actually entered into the hunt by following the particular game the human was running down. He could trail an antelope-like creature right through a heard of antelopes and the predator human could, with his slowly developed anatomy run with the dogs trailing the prey until it was exhausted and killed. One reason the fear was lessened was that eventually over, as I should repeat more often, over years of realization that the dog became an important part of the chase. It may have been a question of synergism by happenstance that the two creatures survived by cooperating in the acquisition of food in times of little plenty and of predators man could protect the dog from and the dog could warn the human of the approach of danger when man was sleeping.
As to the variation in our dogs the individuals with the scenting advantage was important as was the ability to run the distances required to run down game. We know man can run down most heard animals such as horses and we know dogs and modern wolves can do the same thing. Perhaps some isolated clans of humans found dogs that would point game and the hunter could approach and, with sling shot or arrow or whatever could capture the game. A dog with that capability would be of more value than used for food. Thus we have the pointing breeds of bird dogs for example. Our retrievers have traits that could have been of vital help in retrieving wounded game.
The treeing hounds could have been of great value in trailing and treeing game and announcing the capability by barking up the tree that had needed food for the human.
Slowly, with the human trait of bonding as with mother and her child came bonding of humans with dogs that were part of the bread winning of the partnership. Think of it, when a starving man is able to get food only with the help of a dog a gradual bonding was a most natural result. With bonding still an important human trait the Chihuahuas and so many others with the only reason for existence is the emotional and not the utilitarian side of the relationship.Too bad our ancestors took so long to learn to record the past for us. Medical science recognizes that sudden tranquility in humans can lower our blood pressure as watching an aquarium of tropical fish or by petting a dog. Amen for now.
As to the variation in our dogs the individuals with the scenting advantage was important as was the ability to run the distances required to run down game. We know man can run down most heard animals such as horses and we know dogs and modern wolves can do the same thing. Perhaps some isolated clans of humans found dogs that would point game and the hunter could approach and, with sling shot or arrow or whatever could capture the game. A dog with that capability would be of more value than used for food. Thus we have the pointing breeds of bird dogs for example. Our retrievers have traits that could have been of vital help in retrieving wounded game.
The treeing hounds could have been of great value in trailing and treeing game and announcing the capability by barking up the tree that had needed food for the human.
Slowly, with the human trait of bonding as with mother and her child came bonding of humans with dogs that were part of the bread winning of the partnership. Think of it, when a starving man is able to get food only with the help of a dog a gradual bonding was a most natural result. With bonding still an important human trait the Chihuahuas and so many others with the only reason for existence is the emotional and not the utilitarian side of the relationship.Too bad our ancestors took so long to learn to record the past for us. Medical science recognizes that sudden tranquility in humans can lower our blood pressure as watching an aquarium of tropical fish or by petting a dog. Amen for now.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Health Science Must Wake Up
The evidence becomes more and more obvious that man is a running animal and that observation requires that human investigations take that into consideration with many studies. Assuming that couch potatoes are normal can be misleading when exercise of unknown degree is necessary for being normal. It is research on the 30 million or so runners in our country who are closer to normal in physiology that results become most meaningful. Recentaly an ongoing billion dollar study of pregnant women and their offspring until 21 years of age is underway with your and my tax money. If the study concerned normal women the results would be more meaningful. Normal being running.
For example without proper exercise toxic materials ingested by unsuspecting women that may cause problems in couch potatoes could be eliminated by running pregnant woman. A question arises, could in any of a particular type of malady such as autism in the offspring be eliminated in a woman who runs once a week in at least part of her pregnancy?. That example is admittedly not an accepted fact but the question demands exploration.
The question of how much exercise presents itself and the literature is full of opinions as how little is necessary. Runners would be more apt to ask how much is too much? Watching the winter Olympics and the conclusion of events such as male and female cross country races, bodies are seen lying in many positions, panting before finally arising usually with laughter. Was that experience, excessive? I don't think so. I recall a race I ran in Trumbull, Conn. where at the end a police car followed along my side with bells and horn and flashing lights to indicate the arrival of the last contestant. In that excitement along with cheering friends I started my, "sprint" too soon and literally one step before the finish line I collapsed, and helped to my feet by medics on hand for such a case who walked me to their ambulance where in less than 5 minutes I thanked them and left for the after-race festivities. Was that over doing exercise for my 85 year old body? I was in proper condition and suffered not one iota of injury so I don't think that event was overdoing as far as my health was concerned. As far as my ego, that was a different matter. Perhaps the experts will define,"over doing" one day.
For example without proper exercise toxic materials ingested by unsuspecting women that may cause problems in couch potatoes could be eliminated by running pregnant woman. A question arises, could in any of a particular type of malady such as autism in the offspring be eliminated in a woman who runs once a week in at least part of her pregnancy?. That example is admittedly not an accepted fact but the question demands exploration.
The question of how much exercise presents itself and the literature is full of opinions as how little is necessary. Runners would be more apt to ask how much is too much? Watching the winter Olympics and the conclusion of events such as male and female cross country races, bodies are seen lying in many positions, panting before finally arising usually with laughter. Was that experience, excessive? I don't think so. I recall a race I ran in Trumbull, Conn. where at the end a police car followed along my side with bells and horn and flashing lights to indicate the arrival of the last contestant. In that excitement along with cheering friends I started my, "sprint" too soon and literally one step before the finish line I collapsed, and helped to my feet by medics on hand for such a case who walked me to their ambulance where in less than 5 minutes I thanked them and left for the after-race festivities. Was that over doing exercise for my 85 year old body? I was in proper condition and suffered not one iota of injury so I don't think that event was overdoing as far as my health was concerned. As far as my ego, that was a different matter. Perhaps the experts will define,"over doing" one day.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
What If Running is Necessary to Be Normal?
Let it be known that I think running in humans is necessary for a human to be normal.
In science there is nothing wrong with such an assumption as long as the mind is kept open for evidence to verify such a statement or to refute it. The reasons for belief are interesting in themselves as is the science that explores questions and finds answers. There have to be enough evidence to make a position worth exploring. Here then is, in my opinion, why and and the how to determine the validity of the statement, "humans must exercise as much as running provides to be normal." The question arises, are human non-runners either abnormal or subnormal?
What if statistics indicate that runners rarely get Alzheimer's as has been reported and that runners live on an average of two to two and a half years linger than do non-runners as has been reported? And what if problems without published causes such as ALS, MS, Cystic Fibrosis, Parkinson's and other problems are shown to be rarely found in runners, would science be interested in searching for why?
I suggest a crash program of statistical analysis be undertaken immediately to determine if running is the answer to such important tragic maladies of so many humans. A friend of mine who was perhaps the last person Dr. Kovorican helped end her life had Parkinson's and did not want the lingering disease before normal death. The haunting question I personally have over her early death is, "what if she had been a runner?" I have a guilty conscience over believing about the need of running in humans that if known by others would save unbelievable unnecessary suffering not with drugs but with running.
In science there is nothing wrong with such an assumption as long as the mind is kept open for evidence to verify such a statement or to refute it. The reasons for belief are interesting in themselves as is the science that explores questions and finds answers. There have to be enough evidence to make a position worth exploring. Here then is, in my opinion, why and and the how to determine the validity of the statement, "humans must exercise as much as running provides to be normal." The question arises, are human non-runners either abnormal or subnormal?
What if statistics indicate that runners rarely get Alzheimer's as has been reported and that runners live on an average of two to two and a half years linger than do non-runners as has been reported? And what if problems without published causes such as ALS, MS, Cystic Fibrosis, Parkinson's and other problems are shown to be rarely found in runners, would science be interested in searching for why?
I suggest a crash program of statistical analysis be undertaken immediately to determine if running is the answer to such important tragic maladies of so many humans. A friend of mine who was perhaps the last person Dr. Kovorican helped end her life had Parkinson's and did not want the lingering disease before normal death. The haunting question I personally have over her early death is, "what if she had been a runner?" I have a guilty conscience over believing about the need of running in humans that if known by others would save unbelievable unnecessary suffering not with drugs but with running.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A Veterinarian's View on the Control of Human Hospital Related Infictions
First we must define the problem. It is that an estimated 2,000,000 patients who enter human hospitals as patients contract an infection not present prior to their admission. Of those patients in one year in our country 90,000 actually die of their infection. The following adresses only those infections that are the result of bacterial infections that are the major problem. I have been informed that that figure may underestimate the problem as many of the smaller human hospitals do not report on this situation.
Next we should consider some of the efforts made so far in the unsuccessful effort. 1. Sick leaves for all hospital employees obviously affected by symptoms. 2.Hand washing. 3. Constant testing of premises including heating and air conditioning ducts. 4. The use of proven more and more effective bactericidal agents used in cleaning and disinfecting. 5.Other efforts such as discouraging the wearing of long neckties in favor of bow or no ties. Hmmmm.
It seems to this veterinarian that the more dangerous killing organisms are the most difficult to control in human hospitals. To locate the source of these dangerous agents should be a major effort in the eventual control of such a serious problem.
In consideration of potential sources the medical profession has decided that human hands are a major source. That effort, having been tried without improvement the other sources should be investigated. What are they? 1. There is a question as to the more obvious source but I shall put down as source in no order of importance,1. The human mouth. 2.The filth walked into hospitals on shoes. 3.Sanitation of the premisis.
Next logically come the attempts to control this problem. First the for the human mouth. An experiment for a hospital-wide examination of every mouth that enters the establishment should be instigated by requiring everyone to spit into a container for bacterial examination. This experiment should be for a 24 hour period. The hunt would be for specific bacterial organisms most frequently associated with the diseases contracted in that specific hospital. Admittedly this requires a massive temporary enlargement of the bacterial effort with both facilities and the expert bacteriologists searching for the culprits. Ideally each specimen would be examined immediately and after incubation.
Another volunteer human hospital could study the other source of filth and that is the shoes of everyone admitted through the doors. Disposable sterile "booties" or shoe coverings should be handed to all to be worn over shoes. Each pair of "booties" would be removed, folded and placed in an envelope marked with name and address for bacteriologists to seek the bacteria involved. The debris from the shoes would indicate information of public health importance if a pattern of infection was to be found on shoes from a specific geographic area or places of employment.
For another experiment, in one small surgical facility a culture of harmless organisms, perhaps yeast could be sprayed over the facility to try to introduce an agent that would overcome the dangerous bacteria. Very few bacterial organisms can survive in the presence of yeast. After 100 or so procedures were performed in such z facility the effectiveness or not of the attempt could be evaluated.
As a veterinarian, I see another area of perhaps even more potential for good than the above and that is the encouragement of the human immune system. There is much statistical evidence that runners have stronger resistance to many infections than non-runners. For perhaps a volunteer hospital could refuse to permit the entry of any patient who did not run at least once a week. That experiment should be done by a hospital in a large metropolitan area or as part of a huge establishment as the Mayo Clinic, or the Columbia Medical Center facilities. The USATF(Track and Field) approximates 30 million runners who run at least once weekly and it would take a facility in a heavily populated area to find enough runner-patients in need of surgery to fill beds to make it worthwhile.
On visiting the Hog Farm at the University of New Hampshire some years ago to purchase a piglet for a pet a sterile white outer clothing was issued with plastic boots for our shoes, masks and hats and that was not to protect us but to protect the pigs from contracting diseases from us. Wouldn't you think the human medical profession would do as much for their patients as the veterinary profession is capable doing for pigs? Or shouldn't the two professions work together as all medical professions should do?
Next we should consider some of the efforts made so far in the unsuccessful effort. 1. Sick leaves for all hospital employees obviously affected by symptoms. 2.Hand washing. 3. Constant testing of premises including heating and air conditioning ducts. 4. The use of proven more and more effective bactericidal agents used in cleaning and disinfecting. 5.Other efforts such as discouraging the wearing of long neckties in favor of bow or no ties. Hmmmm.
It seems to this veterinarian that the more dangerous killing organisms are the most difficult to control in human hospitals. To locate the source of these dangerous agents should be a major effort in the eventual control of such a serious problem.
In consideration of potential sources the medical profession has decided that human hands are a major source. That effort, having been tried without improvement the other sources should be investigated. What are they? 1. There is a question as to the more obvious source but I shall put down as source in no order of importance,1. The human mouth. 2.The filth walked into hospitals on shoes. 3.Sanitation of the premisis.
Next logically come the attempts to control this problem. First the for the human mouth. An experiment for a hospital-wide examination of every mouth that enters the establishment should be instigated by requiring everyone to spit into a container for bacterial examination. This experiment should be for a 24 hour period. The hunt would be for specific bacterial organisms most frequently associated with the diseases contracted in that specific hospital. Admittedly this requires a massive temporary enlargement of the bacterial effort with both facilities and the expert bacteriologists searching for the culprits. Ideally each specimen would be examined immediately and after incubation.
Another volunteer human hospital could study the other source of filth and that is the shoes of everyone admitted through the doors. Disposable sterile "booties" or shoe coverings should be handed to all to be worn over shoes. Each pair of "booties" would be removed, folded and placed in an envelope marked with name and address for bacteriologists to seek the bacteria involved. The debris from the shoes would indicate information of public health importance if a pattern of infection was to be found on shoes from a specific geographic area or places of employment.
For another experiment, in one small surgical facility a culture of harmless organisms, perhaps yeast could be sprayed over the facility to try to introduce an agent that would overcome the dangerous bacteria. Very few bacterial organisms can survive in the presence of yeast. After 100 or so procedures were performed in such z facility the effectiveness or not of the attempt could be evaluated.
As a veterinarian, I see another area of perhaps even more potential for good than the above and that is the encouragement of the human immune system. There is much statistical evidence that runners have stronger resistance to many infections than non-runners. For perhaps a volunteer hospital could refuse to permit the entry of any patient who did not run at least once a week. That experiment should be done by a hospital in a large metropolitan area or as part of a huge establishment as the Mayo Clinic, or the Columbia Medical Center facilities. The USATF(Track and Field) approximates 30 million runners who run at least once weekly and it would take a facility in a heavily populated area to find enough runner-patients in need of surgery to fill beds to make it worthwhile.
On visiting the Hog Farm at the University of New Hampshire some years ago to purchase a piglet for a pet a sterile white outer clothing was issued with plastic boots for our shoes, masks and hats and that was not to protect us but to protect the pigs from contracting diseases from us. Wouldn't you think the human medical profession would do as much for their patients as the veterinary profession is capable doing for pigs? Or shouldn't the two professions work together as all medical professions should do?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
A Letter from a Member of the Veterinary Profession to Members of the Human Medical Profession
From recent visits to human hospitals the efforts to control hospital related infections have really gone a little far in the wrong direction. In that effort human doctors were instructed to wear bow ties or no ties rather than dangling ties that may be related to HRIs (hospital related infections). Recently it seems more time is spent rubbing stuff into hands than is spent with the patients. Is that a Madison Avenue effect? It comes to mind that one human hospital should have adopted that hand "sterilization" before equipping all hospitals with dispensers and antiseptics deemed necessary. Then when that effort was found to be less than effective only one hospital would have borne the expense. From the veterinary point of view we wonder why veterinary surgery virtually never results in a HRI? Could it be that in attempting to sterilize the environment in human facilities the harmless organisms are killed and the deadly ones are left? In other words the stronger the attempts, the worse the infection rates. Human doctors say that digs do not operate om dogs implying that it is tie surgeons who spread infections. In our veterinary facilities we cannot afford the extremes of the control that human physicians attempt. Could the human medical profession be barking up the wrong tree? We know that in bacterial cultures in the laboratory we find one organism will out grow all others in time. Why not take that knowledge further and apply a harmless easily-grown organism to be used with cleaning agents to control the serious ones. A vat of yeast could be growing that for little or no cost could supply all the yeast necessary for every operating room in a large hospital. Actually it could be adequate for the whole hospital. About the vogue of hand washing and application of chemicals to sterilize them, why not attack the most obvious area of potential infection and that is the human mouth? Ask any bacteriologist and she or he will tell you that the human mouth is, bacteriologically crawling with all kinds of organisms with the potential of causing damage to humans. It is not only in sneezing and coughing but in just breathing that infective organisms can contaminate the environment. I would think shoes would carry more problems into hospitals than hands. Perhaps the above suggestions are too drenched with common sense to be considered by the human profession.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Dogs and Man's Evolution
It has been said that you can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps. Come along with me for an adventure concerning that idea. Step back and wonder about two animals who seem to have survived for millions of years. Our adventure takes us to, of all things, a dog show. Do you know that these humans we are considering seem to have kept dogs near them for as long as they started to become dog-like and human-like?
Come on, now, what could have been some of the circumstances for that speedy looking Greyhound to be a friend of man? Another dog with lop ears and obviously no speed-deamon called a Treeing Walker is on a bench nearby next to a red dog called an Irish setter. So many strange creatures to have followed the development of this strangest creature of them all called Homo sapiens. Do you suppose some of the humans migrated from the African forests to flat plains taking dog-like creatures with them.
It is said these human creatures were hunter-gatherers and the speedy dogs were helpful in running down game like rabbits and hares that both the human and the dog could eat. How about that lop eared hound they call a Treeing Walker? What use could that creature be in helping to feed the hunter? Well suppose that dog could trail eatable creatures until the food climbed a tree and the dog sat barking up the tree until the human-like creature arrived to harvest that crop. But the red setter doesn't bark much and only finds game to point at and not to attempt to catch? Perhaps our hunter-gatherer ancestor went hunting with that dog, how would the dog help? Imagine those so called bird dogs would point out the game hiding in the vegetation so the hunter could approach close enough to dispatch the bird before it flew away.
OK but how about those smallish white muscular looking dogs, how could the human use such a creature that obviously couldn't run fast? If the humans that spread out hunting for a source of food found themselves in an area with many creatures like bears that were difficult for the human-like creature to subdue, what type dog-like partner would be best for hunting them? With the Treeing Walker to trail the bear and the Bull Terrier to fearlessly attack the bear could be the difference in survival for both the dogs and master.
Then when we consider the many strange breeds of dogs we have to wonder about some such as the Yorkshire terrier for example. It seems to me even before recorded time the human animal was breeding dogs for other than utilitarian use and these perhaps may be called, like car license plates, vanity breeds. All the traits in all breeds that can be helpful to man are found in the Timber Woolf and genetic studies indicate that the Chihuahua and the Great Dane are both related to the Woolf and to each other. Since all creatures seem to change during millions of years, what the predecessors of the Woolf was like would be interesting to know.
So,having come this far I see more questions than those answered among which is why we are such a violent animal and then why we are such peaceable animals at other times. To survive in the environment that we can surmise existed during the domestication of humans required us to be ruthless insofar as we were hunters and shouldn't we all carry such traits in our genes? But the affection, love and devotion we show with our dog pets with bonding as well as with our offspring tend to bring out the peace-loving side of many of us. That conflict has to work its way through evolution and may the better of the two survive as the result of reasoning and not blind luck.
Come on, now, what could have been some of the circumstances for that speedy looking Greyhound to be a friend of man? Another dog with lop ears and obviously no speed-deamon called a Treeing Walker is on a bench nearby next to a red dog called an Irish setter. So many strange creatures to have followed the development of this strangest creature of them all called Homo sapiens. Do you suppose some of the humans migrated from the African forests to flat plains taking dog-like creatures with them.
It is said these human creatures were hunter-gatherers and the speedy dogs were helpful in running down game like rabbits and hares that both the human and the dog could eat. How about that lop eared hound they call a Treeing Walker? What use could that creature be in helping to feed the hunter? Well suppose that dog could trail eatable creatures until the food climbed a tree and the dog sat barking up the tree until the human-like creature arrived to harvest that crop. But the red setter doesn't bark much and only finds game to point at and not to attempt to catch? Perhaps our hunter-gatherer ancestor went hunting with that dog, how would the dog help? Imagine those so called bird dogs would point out the game hiding in the vegetation so the hunter could approach close enough to dispatch the bird before it flew away.
OK but how about those smallish white muscular looking dogs, how could the human use such a creature that obviously couldn't run fast? If the humans that spread out hunting for a source of food found themselves in an area with many creatures like bears that were difficult for the human-like creature to subdue, what type dog-like partner would be best for hunting them? With the Treeing Walker to trail the bear and the Bull Terrier to fearlessly attack the bear could be the difference in survival for both the dogs and master.
Then when we consider the many strange breeds of dogs we have to wonder about some such as the Yorkshire terrier for example. It seems to me even before recorded time the human animal was breeding dogs for other than utilitarian use and these perhaps may be called, like car license plates, vanity breeds. All the traits in all breeds that can be helpful to man are found in the Timber Woolf and genetic studies indicate that the Chihuahua and the Great Dane are both related to the Woolf and to each other. Since all creatures seem to change during millions of years, what the predecessors of the Woolf was like would be interesting to know.
So,having come this far I see more questions than those answered among which is why we are such a violent animal and then why we are such peaceable animals at other times. To survive in the environment that we can surmise existed during the domestication of humans required us to be ruthless insofar as we were hunters and shouldn't we all carry such traits in our genes? But the affection, love and devotion we show with our dog pets with bonding as well as with our offspring tend to bring out the peace-loving side of many of us. That conflict has to work its way through evolution and may the better of the two survive as the result of reasoning and not blind luck.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Birth Control
At a holiday gathering recently my son who was born in 1950 remarked that in his lifetime the world's population had doubled in size. Isn't it wonderful how fertile and productive we humans are? I am reminded of the problem with rabbits where the bunnies ate everything planted until the humans devised a plan of rabbit control. A rabbit control day was declared and hundreds of us gathered with about half with shot guns. The people made a huge circle and at a signal slowly walked toward the center. When close enough at another signal those with guns turned and backed in and as the rabbits ran out between the members of the circle the gunners had a wonderful time killing rabbits. What will one day happen to the over population of humans? Is it possible that before the world population is approaching too many those excessive ones will have to be eliminated? Is it possible that we humans may come to our senses soon and practice birth control before we have to eliminate fellow humans. It comes to mind that those who are against abortion for example are in favor of young children dieing of starvation. Also those against abortion favor unwanted children. It is the unwanted children who enter schools so ill prepared that they can never aspire to the level of education necessary for even a lowly lifelong job. These are the members of gangs in all our major cities and of the red necks who take on any cause and scream about no Holocaust and down with Catholics, Jews and blacks. An unwanted child is one of the saddest creatures on earth and those against abortions are the parents of the unwanted children. We who think of the future should get behind birth control the world over to save ourselves if for no other reason. This is such a great problem it seems remarkable that thinking humans don't respond to the obvious. I suspect those who would accept jobs in a mercenary army as so any have done in Afghanistan and Pakistan, thousands, were unwanted children who will one day be available to enforce enemies to challenge our Democracy.
A New Army
This is an elaboration on a previous thought. It seems to me that throughout history armies with killing in mind have really accomplished little. On the other hand there may be another way only tried in a very limited way and that is a peace army with no arms and ammunition other than arms with which to embrace old and new friends. It might go like this. Where we now have military locations in over 700 locations of our earth, gradually replace our military with unarmed teachers to attempt to help those desiring help in education. Each outpost would address the needs of the surrounding area such as a need of education. There would be peaceful military bases in our country that would send teachers to fill the need. For example a school house is needed. A mason would be assigned the teaching position of teaching locals how to construct a suitable school house for the situation. Perhaps a teacher of brick building would be necessary before the idea could proceed. So teachers would teach locals how to make bricks and another teacher would teach locals how to lay up the bricks an build a school house. For the need of radio repairing could result in a trade school specializing in teaching radio repair providing a qualified student to go to the area of need and give a course of radio repair to locals to teach the subject to those who are in need of that ability. Granted the logistics may seen over whelming but we put men on the moon and a space station high in the sky and working out the needs of such a worldwide education system is just the thing we are good at. But think of the good in so many ways. Here at home institutions of teaching could be earmarked as qualified to prepare the man and woman power for teaching any subject in demand by any need on earth and when in action the friends made would be emissaries of good will and therefore peace. Countries who decline the offer would see the advantages and eventually accept the free offering making more friends. Friends are less likely to become enemies and the results might be world peace. One hard and fast rule would be no teaching of religion or conducting espionage in any form. Such an army should not be a political tool. In conclusion think about it. Never has an army of do gooders ever been tried other than our Peace Corps and that has made nothing but friends. It has been on such a limited basis but so far proof of the pudding is that it has been a resounding success. Think of how much less expensive to have such an army to make peace rather than war. I say, let's start a movement in that direction. Where there is a need of interpretors our students could be assigned to study conversational language in a country with a need after which to be able to teach teachers of a given specialty. Here too is a job creation idea as a secondary pluss. Graduallly military uniforms would be replaced by civilian dress in the over 700 locations. Read, "Nemesis" by Chalmers Johnson before it is too late.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A New Idea re Therapies
Here are the ideas developed leading up to the new idea at the conclusion.
1. Man is a running creature and for Long distances. 2. Runners are healthier than non-runners. 3. Runners have little or none of some debilitating problems of non-runners. 4. Exercises from other activities than running do not have the favorable effect that running has. 5. Of the exercise while running the brain is jolted slightly with each stride. 6. The jolting releases one or more chemicals such as endorphins responsible for the better health in humans who run than in non-running humans. 7. The new idea is when a health problem that rarely occurs in runners is diagnosed in non-runners could instigating running as a therapy be helpful? 8. Should running as a therapy be tried on human conditions that have no identified cause? MS, ALS and Parkinson's come to mind as well as breast cancer in women and Alzheimer's that are less common in runners? The weaknesses in that thinking are, 1. The jolting of the brain may not be related to the better health of the runners. 2. Is there a chemical cause for better health in runners? 3.How can members of the human medical profession be alerted to the new idea that has a potential for saving misery and worse in humans?
1. Man is a running creature and for Long distances. 2. Runners are healthier than non-runners. 3. Runners have little or none of some debilitating problems of non-runners. 4. Exercises from other activities than running do not have the favorable effect that running has. 5. Of the exercise while running the brain is jolted slightly with each stride. 6. The jolting releases one or more chemicals such as endorphins responsible for the better health in humans who run than in non-running humans. 7. The new idea is when a health problem that rarely occurs in runners is diagnosed in non-runners could instigating running as a therapy be helpful? 8. Should running as a therapy be tried on human conditions that have no identified cause? MS, ALS and Parkinson's come to mind as well as breast cancer in women and Alzheimer's that are less common in runners? The weaknesses in that thinking are, 1. The jolting of the brain may not be related to the better health of the runners. 2. Is there a chemical cause for better health in runners? 3.How can members of the human medical profession be alerted to the new idea that has a potential for saving misery and worse in humans?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
One Reason for the Economic Downturn
One cause is so evident and virtually never mentioned it is a caution. It was pure and simple a conspiracy that had to be recognized by all the money players. It went like this:We will put up the cash to purchase mortgages and encourage bank loan officers to get the money out regardless of any ability to make payments. We, the crooks will gather the loans we purchase and sell stock based on the value of the total group we call the Star Properties Corp. or something like that. We will pay 15% interest on such groups of mortgages and do it until there is a huge amount of investment that we pocket and run. Billions are in off shore banks and suddenly those who invested heavily in the 15% interest had no inkling that the crooks were minding the office.No doubt those who were left to regulate were making the 15% and who wants to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? It could be that those banks who were in on the scheme did not invest in the bundled mortgages so you and I can assume that those banks,were, 1. Part of the ripoff or 2. The only honest bankers on the scene. Can't honest bankers get together and admit that is the scheme whether or not they were knowledgeable and suggest how we can get to the bottom of such a devastating scheme? Good Lord, we put people in jail who shop lift. I usually do not believe in capitol punishment but if we insist the punishment fit the crime as in Gilbert and Sullivan then they should be eliminated as the least punishment of that crime.Could the truth be that our legislators have reason not to investigate or to have investigators who are compromised? I am reminded of a chess pool. How about you?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Get the Military Off Our Backs
Bill Moyers commentated that the most important book he had read recently is C. Johnson's "Nemesis." That was enough for me to buy a used copy from the Internet. If for nothing else than a reference book naming names and deeds that had somehow eluded me in the past while reading and viewing the media this book is important. Did you know you and I have over 700 military installations scattered over the globe? Put yourself in the other fellows shoes. How would you like military uniformed personnel wandering around your neighborhoods? Representatives of any other country? Would you accept them as a friendly gesture? All told the author estimates we, you and I, have a thousand properties outside our country. Among my friends including legislators I happen to know only people who talk peace and helpfulness for others and love. Most publications are full of that kind of information. We think of ourselves as a peaceful nation but in reality we have a world-wide reputation of the opposite. For shame. It's one thing to carry a big stick but to constantly shake it in faces all over the world is not in the best interest of all excepting the military industrial complex. There are places where it is "cute" to show our strength but we would be better off most in most places to show the feelings of most of us by our employees wearing anything but military costumes. I have mentioned a solution in a previous blog in the proven success of our Peace Corps. There is a proven good will effort that only needs implementation. First, get the military uniforms out of our foreign properties. Second gradually replace military personnel with our representatives who will offer to help those who can benefit by the education. All subjects that we can provide to improve the lives of others and without charge could be offered. Teaching English might be high on the list. Locals could teach their language on location to visiting students of our land. We have the agricultural part of such education well established by past Peace Corps workers and using that success,utilizing the principal, "Do unto others as they would be done to," provide teachers in the desired subjects. You must appreciate that by doing good to others also does good for ourselves. It is actually not a new way of thinking as most people I know agree right now. It is a new way of demonstrating the true values of we the people all over the globe. I urged Mrs. Obama to take this plan on as a First Lady project. Would that she would.
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