Recent Evolution in Man and Dog

Even if you would rather not agree with the experts in believing in evolution why not consider the following evidence of history before it was written as we can imagine it. I like to start when some humanoid creatures spent most of their time in the trees. Some few might find a source of food on the ground and benefit by it. After thousands of years some may have spent half their time in the forest trees and the others on the ground. Eventually enough found the offerings of food in difficult times to be found far from the safety of the forest and survived living on the ground while others remained tree-bound.

That period would be during millions of years. I like to think of the next periods to be considered in tens of thousands of years. Today in Africa in a course of study about present day African peoples I learned there are over 150 groups scattered over that continent each containing 100 to 200 individuals. Those present day groups may have been due to geographical features such as rivers, oceans and mountains with valleys and plains offering modes of diet and shelter present even today. Today each of the groups have their own language and not until outsiders arrived to do business did the occupants find a second language was important for trading. The slave traders found one language, Swahili to be understood by many tribes. So be it.

During the hundreds of thousands of years our ancestors lived on the African Continent a few individuals would wander north to find areas where humans could survive in spite of preditors
and climatic conditions. The wanders would return and convince a few group members to follow them to the better opportunities. Some wanders must have gradually headed toward what we think of as Eurasia, some around the Mediterranean, some toward China and India but the spread was on and here we are today as a result.

Now we come to thousands of years of speculation as to what traits, both anatomical and emotional those ancestors living under the varied conditions brought with them. I like to make lists. Of the anatomical ones they are obvious as to our features and our arms and legs and our ability to reproduce as well as to the nutritional ability to survive. On such a list is the ability to run for distances that is my hobby.

When it comes to the emotional ones and the mental attributes the overlapping takes place. We inherit the desire to save as with food for times when food is scarce perhaps resulting in those among us who take that feature to extremes with amassing more than is necessary. Is selfishness one? When we see some one in great pain we all feel about it and so empathy is a given trait. Bonding as a mother with child is another trait. How many others can you mention? Enjoyment of music and beauty. Love? Then there are many traits that do not show such as ability to go without food for long lengths of time and to be immune to many diseases. Of course our early ancestors knew nothing about vitamins, minerals, sanitation but fear was entrenched and such as fear of snakes and spiders may be inherited.

In all the tribal societies there must have been some sort of government and they would have each invented some sort of religion to answer so any of the problems and pleasures of nature. Thunder, lightening, rain, snow and floods for example and somewhere along the line the reason for sex and its results became understood rather than from Storks.

For me I like to think of what we are exposed to today that our ancestors could not have been exposed to. When I learn about so many problems of mankind with no answers such as Alzheimer's, ALS and on and on I wonder haw many may be caused by food ingredients about which humans could not have been exposed some of which could be even today as so many new chemicals are produced daily. A serious problem appears with new chemicals that affect say one out of a thousand births.
I shall continue this line of thought in my next blog.

Atomic Energy Waste

There is an overwhelming reason at this time in history to stop the nuclear energy programs of all countries and that is the problem of storage of waste. Who will pay for the storrage of the spent nuclear material for thousands of years? Think about it. Times change. Corporations go out of business and who is left holding such a dangerous bag? Think of even a short time of 50 or 100 years. We know even concrete has a life and little I can think of has a life to compare with that of nuclear waste. What the hell, let our children worry about that? The industry claims the government can solve that with steel drums of the stuff to be buried in a mountain but what when the drums start to leak and pollute ground water? Virtually all water finds its way into a sea and eventually into the sky where as rain it comes to earth again. In thousands of years a lot of spent fuel can be catastrophic to many forms of life. Stop the corporations and their lobbyists who influence our legislators for selfish reasons.

Fuel for the Brattleboro Initiative

Cleaning up the corporation/lobbyist grip on out legislators in Washington, DC is not only possible but remarkably simple. The Brattleboro Initiative speaks to the single issue by being part of a volunteer group that asks only one small requirement of voters- vote only for candidates for public office in DC who will support legislation outlawing the conflict of interest of profit making corporations on our legislators.

The reasons for the overwhelming opinions of the voters against the present corruption among voters varies over a broad spectrom of issues. Here are a few. To make an improvement on gas millage for gas burning vehicles is almost impossible because of corporate lobbyist pressure on legislators. Another? To stop hill top destruction of coal mining is prevented by corporate lobbyist pressure on legislators. Another? To reduce the numbers of U.S. military troups on foreign soil is all but impossible due to the pressure of corporation lobbyists pressure on our legislators. More? Corporations paid lobbying interests $3.47 in 2009 that is a cost of doing business and therefore a deduction in income tax to the IRS because of corporation lobbyists. Then to slow down and to stop pouring carbondioxide into our atmosphere contributing to human-caused global warming is impossible with the power of the corporation lobbyists influence on our legislators. Also, to offer the voters a program of health care similar to all other advanced countries is almost impossible with the private profit making corporations and their lobbyists' control of so many of our legislators. The list is endless when the tax breaks for the wealthy and the corporations and their lobbyists are factored in.

Never overlook that those of us who want to do something about the corporation are in good company as it was a past President who said that with the advent of the corporation will be the end of the republic. Abraham Lincoln.

Is the point obvious and who can be against the effort that can change the corporation influence? It is granted that corporation research has brought forth great advances in human welfare usually with the financial backing of our government but with the selfishness of many humans the Corporations must be controlled. The Brattlleboro Initiative can and will accomplish just that. Stand up and be counted. SUABC.

Strange Advice-15

Animal Anecdote 15

The animal in this one is about me and concerns an expert’s unexpected opinion. With the disease, infectious hepatitis having run a 2 week course with no known treatment and my having lost 20 pounds and turned almost a daffodil yellow a friend from the Yale Medical School asked if he might visit and make some suggestions. My father brought a Dr. John Paul who was at the time the Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Jaundice to see me. What better credentials could a human physician have for one with my problem?

After a friendly chat about my disease Dr. Paul made the two following suggestions: first, don’t take vitamins. Second, don’t let them get you into a hospital. That was all and he bid me good bye and they left. I was aware there was no treatment but wouldn’t you be surprised at those two recommendations?

On the way back to the Medical School Dr. Paul told my father the reasoning behind the suggestions. Statistically, patients who do not go to a hospital have a higher survival rate. Also those who take vitamins or who have vitamins administered by injection have a significantly higher death rate.

I’ve thought a lot about that episode in my life and I recall the time when physicians of certain human problems would tell those around the patient even when death seemed eminent that the patient had, “Passed the crisis.” Those doctors knew that with certain problems if the patient could survive long enough he or she would survive from past experience with similar cases.

It seems to me that even the virus that causes Infectious hepatitis has certain nutritional requirements itself. If the affected person does not eat as with this disease and the levels of a vitamin such as vitamin B1, thiamin chloride drop to levels incompatible with life, life has to soon end. The same may be said of the needs of the virus. In my situation the human has the ability to live longer without B1 than the virus.

Was there not an old expression, “Feed a fever and starve a cold?” It seems to me that for some diseases it may be therapeutic to deprive the disease of some necessary nutrition. What do you think of that?

Next time an unsung friend and hero.

Sleep with a Python?

Animal Anecdote 13.

My next client’s chart indicted the patient to be a 3 year old Burmese Python. I recognized the client’s name because 3 years before I had sold it to her. I had a clutch of 28 eggs hatch and she had had an early choice of the brood. This snake was obviously a female as with snakes the female of the species is considerably larger than the male of the same age. This beautiful specimen had not one blemish and was about the same size as her 10 year old father.

I don’t recall why she brought the snake in but during our conversation I wondered how she kept the snake warm since snakes are cold blooded and this species is a tropical one. The snake had the “run of the apartment” and when in need of heat she crawled up on the electric blanket that was kept on constantly. Then my client leaned toward me and in a lowered voice she confided that the snake slept with her every night. Smiling she said, “I’ve never told anyone that before but we do get along so well together.”

This client was and is a very attractive woman and many thoughts came to my mind in a flash as I presume have come to you in reading this. Doesn’t she date? How would she work out a relationship with a husband? Suppose somebody wanted to crawl into bed with her as a surprise? Or suppose there was a fire in the middle of the night. Would she be able to get the 55 pound snake over her shoulders and rush outside in her nightgown to some surprised firemen? Then I held my curiosity by not asking what would happen if her snake rolled over and crushed her in her sleep?

If any interested young men would like to know her name and address, don’t call me. I’ll call you.

Next will be about an unusual pet.

327 words

Animal Anecdote 14.

The cat carrier was like many on my examining table for my next appointment. Without checking the record made out by a receptionist I opened the container and there were two of the most unusual creatures I had ever seen. Looking up at the client I asked what I was looking at. To describe, they weighed about 4 pounds, the color of a woodchuck but with large dark eyes, larger than any animal their size I had ever seen. The client said they were Pottos. Pottos are prosimian nocturnal African tree living animals.

They had not taught us about Pottos in Veterinary School and I had never even heard of them. This is a good example of why the veterinary profession is both so challenging and interesting. I admitted my ignorance and suggested someone familiar with the species be consulted. It seems nobody knows much about them and it was decided that I be their “doctor.”

Studying the books and phoning a friend at the Bronx Zoo in New York I found that other than being vegetarians, living in trees and after dark coming to the jungle floor there was little known about them. They had never been successfully propagated in captivity. With that to go on I became the veterinarian for a small colony of them brought by a Yale scientist from Africa to study them.

It was satisfying to me that with every medical problem they had my treatment seemed specific with prompt recoveries. Eventually with the help of a bacteriologist, Professor Lawrence Penner of U. Conn. we discovered these animals had infections from bacteria that had never been exposed to all the antibiotics and medications that local creatures had and so the bacteria had no immunity and most any medication prescribed would kill most infections.

It was no wonder my record of success of treatments was so good. I also suggested that perhaps they were not strict vegetarians and why not try some animal protein in their food. A phone call arrived telling me they wanted me to see something about the Potto colony and asked me to stop by. I did and the head of the project opened a refrigerator and removed a paper cup full of dead newborn mice. The cup of “pinkeys” were offered and several of these nocturnal animals awakened, crawled out on a tree limb in their cage and, reaching into the cup grasped a pinkey and ate it as we might a candy bar- a bite at a time.

We proved for the first time as far as I know that Pottos are omnivorous as they began reproducing as most mammals do. These little creatures are gentle to handle and have opposing thumbs as we do and use them as we do.

A human doctor’s strange recommendation next time.

Dog Lobotomys

Animal Anecdote 12.

It would seem that we humans go through periods of fads like hula hoops and the like and even the human medical profession can be included. One such “fad” was the treatment for special disorders called prefrontal lobotomies. I knew nothing about the details of such surgery and had not even considered such surgery for any of my patients.

The owner of a Great Dane that had bitten several people and who was being sued over it asked if, instead of euthanizing his dog would I consider a lobotomy operation? I said I would do some inquiring and get back to him. A few days later a Boxer owner presented his dog for euthanasia with a similar history as the Great Dane. I mentioned that Great Dane problem and that I planned to do some inquiring about lobotomy surgery and would get back to him.

It had always been my policy to ask members of the human medical profession for advice where I thought they might contribute. Being near the Yale University Medical School, I phoned and asked to speak with one of their brain surgeons. I was surprised at his response that of course he knew about such surgery, that research was ongoing that included changing dog personality with it. He would be delighted to come to my veterinary hospital and perform it at my convenience. I would be his assistant.

It was an interesting procedure that took only about an hour of my day off for the Great Dane and the same for the Boxer the following Wednesday. A week after surgery The Great Dane’s stitches were removed and the owner said he was a different dog. He was very quiet and remained in one position for hours. The next week found his dog still remaining in the same position but he had bitten the wife who was his feeder while being fed. Euthanisia was performed.

The week after when the Boxer’s owner returned for an exam and stitch removal by the owner he brought a neighbor to hold a leash to prevent the master’s being bitten and the master held another leash to prevent the neighbor’s being bitten. After a few days of quiet after the surgery the Boxer became more violent than previously. We euthanized the Boxer. As a comment, in my experience the prefrontal lobotomy was not a successful procedure in dogs in my hands. 413words

Dog Lobotomies

Unwanted Children

One of the most important issues and one that is conveniently overlooked by journalists and other media outlets is that of unwanted children. Of those who think about having children and what is required to be good parents there are many more who enjoy sex and realize that children can be a result of sex and produce children without wanting them. With the past family experience all couples are expected to take good care of babies when they happen but that is not to say they are wanted. When they come there is usually a bonding that takes place but not always. Even the bonding does not underline a wanting of the child.

Another large percent of the child bearing population may claim to want a child or children but as time goes by there are other desires more important such as making money and being involved in all sorts of things to do “while we are still young.” I have used the example of the couple sitting in their comfortable living room watching TV while there two boys are in the garage making bombs. These are unwanted children.

I see unbelievable sadness in so many wrong doers as featured in our publications and other media, all of whom I suspect were unwanted children.

Two recently released prisoners who stalked and killed three of a family of four in a neighboring town were apprehended and their photos shown to all. I think we can all guarantee that those pathetic humans were unwanted victims of our society.

A major problem in many of our cities are gangs . We read more and more about them and there is a good example of children who had no family life and join the gang to be part of a family. It seems fair to me that all such were unwanted children.

Let’s make haste to say that many unwanted children mature to be

successful adults who contribute to the well being of society but I believe the overwhelming number of criminals, both petty and major, were first unwanted children.Let’s talk about solutions. One answer that is so obvious it should be necessary to mention but all couples, married and unmarried, too, should have detailed instructions in not only child bearing but in child rearing. The male should have spelled out in detail what is expected of him in this the most important commitment of the pairs’ lives.

I think of two families who have children who are all achievers and let me mention some of the facts I have seen in their rearing of the children.The first was the family of an engineer who worked up to a responsible position in an aircraft company. He and his wife had 5 children, three boys and two girls. In spite of the fact that the children were spaced a year and a half or so apart. There was virtually never a time when one of the parents was not waiting for the school bus to drop the children off. Each had a paper route and had to deliver papers in different areas of town. As they grew the younger children would help an older one. If one had extra curricular activities after school the mother was there to pick the child up. All excelled scholastically and all have become graduates of prestige universities and have good jobs or marriages.

The second family also had five children and coincidentally three boys and two girls as in the first family. The father was a plumber and a good one who never advertised as he was in demand for the quality of his reputation. Once again the formula for the children was similar with the children being where they were supposed to be every moment of their lives until they each left the warmth of their family. I recall a time when the plumber took his last high school aged boy all over New England to play hockey. Time after time when I tried to contact the father he was away to take the boy to a hockey game. One day I tried to comment in as gentle way as possible that if the boy spent some of his hockey time with books he would shine. The father casually mentioned that the boy had been among the top students in his high school for four years. He was a scholar athlete and went on to college where he continued his high scholastic standards but elected not to play hockey.

One of the daughters is a successful lawyer. The youngest son has elected to take over his Dad’s business and he is a top artisan in his trade.

So one feature of developing successful adults is in the rearing of the children.youngsters and apparently knowing where and what they are doing every minute of their young lives. Perhaps these parents in retirement should become instructors to couples who should be taught of the dos and don’ts of bringing up children.

There is the other side of the coin and that is to prevent unwanted children in the first place. Beginning 15 years after Roe vs. Wade in the Supreme Court a strange thing happened. The crime rate in the City of New

York began dropping and for 5 years it continued to drop. The crime rate in Chicago continued to rise during the same years. Two enterprising lawyersstudied that situation and found that after that Supreme Court decision the

City of New York supported poor women financially to have abortions of unwanted children. The City of Chicago refused to offer financial aid for abortion. It does seem that the reduction of unwanted children was a major reason in the crime rate reduction.

It seems like common sense to not only encourage but to pay those who do not want a child to have an abortion. The savings in the tragedies of crime would be significant both financially and in reducing the emotional entanglement of members of society.

In my state a plumber, steam fitter, electrician, hu

One of the most important issues and one that is conveniently

overlooked by journalists and other media outlets is that of unwanted

children. Of those who think about having children and what is required to

be good parents there are many more who enjoy sex and realize that children

can be a result of sex and produce children without wanting them. With the

past family experience all couples are expected to take good care of babies

when they happen but that is not to say they are wanted. When they come

there is usually a bonding that takes place but not always. Even the bonding

does not underline a wanting of the child.

Another large percent of the child bearing population may claim they

want a child or children but as time goes by there are other desires more

important such as making money and being involved in all sorts of things to

do “while we are still young.” I have used the example of the couple sitting

in their comfortable living room watching TV while there two boys are in

the garage making bombs. These are unwanted children.

I see unbelievable sadness in so many wrong doers as featured in our

publications and other media, all of whom I suspect were unwanted children.

Two recently released prisoners who stalked and killed three of a family of

four in a neighboring town were apprehended and their photos shown to all.

I think we can all guarantee that those pathetic humans were unwanted

victims of our society.

A major problem in many of our cities are gangs . We read more and

more about them and there is a good example of children who had no family

life and join the gang to be part of a family. It seems fair to me that all such

were unwanted children.

Let’s make haste to say that many unwanted children mature to be

successful adults who contribute to the well being of society but I believe the

overwhelming number of criminals, both petty and major, were first

unwanted children.

Let’s talk about solutions. One answer that is so obvious it should not

be necessary to mention but all couples, married and unmarried, too, should

have detailed instructions in not only child bearing but in child rearing. The

male should have spelled out in detail what is expected of him in this the

most important commitment of the pairs’ lives.

I think of two families who have children who are all achievers and let

me mention some of the facts I have seen in their rearing of the children.

The first was the family of an engineer who worked up to a responsible

position in an aircraft company. He and his wife had 5 children, three boys

and two girls. In spite of the fact that the children were spaced a year and a

half or so apart. There was virtually never a time when one of the parents

was not waiting for the school bus to drop the children off. Each had a paper

route and had to deliver papers in different areas of town. As they grew the

younger children would help an older one. If one had extra curricular

activities after school the mother was there to pick the child up. All excelled

scholastically and all have become graduates of prestige universities and

have good jobs or marriages.

The second family also had five children and coincidently three boys

and two girls as in the first family. The father was a plumber and a good one

who never advertised as he was in demand for the quality of his reputation.

Once again the formula for the children was similar with the children being

where they were supposed to be every moment of their lives until they each

left the warmth of their family. I recall a time when the plumber took his last

high school aged boy all over New England to play hockey. Time after time

when I tried to contact the father he was away to take the boy to a hockey

game. One day I tried to comment in as gentle way as possible that if the boy

spent some of his hockey time with books he would shine. The father

casually mentioned that the boy had been among the top students in his high

school for four years. He was a scholar athlete and went on to college where

he continued his high scholastic standards but elected not to play hockey.

One of the daughters is a successful lawyer. The youngest son has

elected to take over his Dad’s business and he is a top artisan in his trade.

So one feature of developing successful adults is in the rearing of the

youngsters and apparently knowing where and what they are doing every

minute of their young lives. Perhaps these parents in retirement should

become instructors to couples who should be taught of the dos and don’ts of

bringing up children.

There is the other side of the coin and that is to prevent unwanted

children in the first place. Beginning 15 years after Roe vs. Wade in the

Supreme Court a strange thing happened. The crime rate in the City of New

York began dropping and for 5 years it continued to drop. The crime rate in

Chicago continued to rise during the same years. Two enterprising lawyers

studied that situation and found that after that Supreme Court decision the

City of New York supported poor women financially to have abortions of

unwanted children. The City of Chicago refused to offer financial aid for

abortion. It does seem that the reduction of unwanted children was a major

reason in the crime rate reduction.

It seems like common sense to not only encourage but to pay those

who do not want a child to have an abortion. The savings in the tragedies of

crime would be significant both financially and in reducing the emotional

entanglement of members of society.

In my state a plumber, steam fitter, electrician, human physician,

veterinary physician and dentist as well as realtor, nurse and beauty expert and a

myriad of other disciplines all have to pass written examinations before they

can practice their professions. AND can you imagine that to produce a baby

is done with absolutely no training or knowledge. The most important

endeavor in life and no guidance by society. Not even a suggestion!

Once again, it is a time for a

man physician, veterinary physician and dentist as well as realtor, nurse and beauty expert and a myriad of other disciplines all have to pass written examinations before they can practice their professions. AND can you imagine that to produce a baby is done with absolutely no training or knowledge. The most important endeavor in life and no guidance by society. Not even a suggestion!