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Not exactly what they were traditionally used for, but interesting. In traditional "Christian medicine" they were used to reduce blood in patients who were deemed to have too much and they probably cost quite a few lives.
"tradtional Christian medicine" was a horror show.
yup, yes king henry. A great king broken, in art, by the medicine of the day.
"There are several situations in which leech therapy may be used. People who may benefit include those who risk limb amputation due to the side effects of diabetes, those who have been diagnosed with heart disease, and those who are undergoing cosmetic surgery in which they risk the loss of some of their soft tissue. The therapy has also been recommended to treat blood clots and varicose veins, treat circulatory disorders and cardiovascular disease.
"Chemicals derived from leech saliva have been made into pharmaceutical drugs that can treat: hypertension, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, skin problems, arthritis.
"Clinical trials suggest that leech therapy is an appropriate treatment for the common joint disease osteoarthritis. The anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties in the leech’s saliva reduce pain and tenderness at the site of the affected joint
"Cancer treatments using leech therapy are being explored because of the platelet inhibitors and enzymes contained in leech saliva. While people with certain blood cancers are not advised to use leech therapy, it has been shown to slow the effects of lung cancer. Animal testing also shows that directly injecting leech saliva into mice helps prevent the colonization of cancer cells."
Not exactly what they were traditionally used for, but interesting. In traditional "Christian medicine" they were used to reduce blood in patients who were deemed to have too much and they probably cost quite a few lives.
"tradtional Christian medicine" was a horror show.
Actually leech therapy is used at many research hospitals around the world today.
I know it seems horrific to most folks but it's a very effective therapy as is Medical Maggot Therapy for hard to heal wounds.
And, as I said a far cry from the way leeches were used in "Christian medicine" throught the ages. Maybe
Tzaphkiel was thinking of traditional medicine like herbs and such, stuff Christians called witchcraft.
And, as I said a far cry from the way leeches were used in "Christian medicine" throught the ages. Maybe
Tzaphkiel was thinking of traditional medicine like herbs and such, stuff Christians called witchcraft.
Gaylen uses the phrase "witch doctor."
Nate uses the word "witchcraft" and introduced "leeches" into the conversation.
I have been clear and consistent in talking about the principles and laws of nature that are the foundation of Chinese medicine and some martial arts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tzaphkiel
"Any system that is in harmony tends towards health, well being, and sustainability. A system that is in disharmony tends towards illness, disease, suffering, and collapse. A system is comprised of everything that creates and sustains it. Everything is interconnected and interdependent. If all of the parts of a system are in harmony with one another, then the whole system is in harmony. Disturb one thing and you create a disturbance that ripples through the whole system.
This principle applies to any and all systems. For example, it applies as equally to a human being as it does to a family, community, or the environment. So we must take care to consider our actions and to take things as a whole.
Qi is energy in the very broadest sense possible.
Qi is universal.
Qi embraces all manifestations of energy, from the most material aspects of energy (such as the earth beneath your feet, your computer, and flesh and blood) to the most immaterial aspects (light, movement, heat, nerve impulses, thought, and emotion).
Life, it is said in the Chinese medical classics, is a gathering of Qi. A healthy (and happy) human being is a dynamic but harmonious mixture of all the aspects of Qi that make up who we are.
Qi is in a state of continuous flux, transforming endlessly from one aspect of Qi into another. It is neither created nor is it ever destroyed; it simply changes in its manifestation.
In order to talk about the relationships between the various aspects and manifestations of Qi within a given context, Chinese philosophy employs the concept of yin and yang."
...
"Any system that is in harmony tends towards health, well being, and sustainability. A system that is in disharmony tends towards illness, disease, suffering, and collapse. A system is comprised of everything that creates and sustains it. Everything is interconnected and interdependent. If all of the parts of a system are in harmony with one another, then the whole system is in harmony. Disturb one thing and you create a disturbance that ripples through the whole system.
This principle applies to any and all systems. For example, it applies as equally to a human being as it does to a family, community, or the environment. So we must take care to consider our actions and to take things as a whole.
Qi is energy in the very broadest sense possible.
Qi is universal.
Qi embraces all manifestations of energy, from the most material aspects of energy (such as the earth beneath your feet, your computer, and flesh and blood) to the most immaterial aspects (light, movement, heat, nerve impulses, thought, and emotion).
Life, it is said in the Chinese medical classics, is a gathering of Qi. A healthy (and happy) human being is a dynamic but harmonious mixture of all the aspects of Qi that make up who we are.
Qi is in a state of continuous flux, transforming endlessly from one aspect of Qi into another. It is neither created nor is it ever destroyed; it simply changes in its manifestation.
In order to talk about the relationships between the various aspects and manifestations of Qi within a given context, Chinese philosophy employs the concept of yin and yang."
=Chinese medicine principles used for over 3,100 years.
"Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.”
― Albert Einstein. (born 139 years ago)
When discussing concepts outside of mainstream science, I personally find it helpful to reference sources that at least attempt to translate the ancient and/or "paranormal" concepts into the terms of modern science. Here, for example, are two articles that attempt to do this:
I cannot vouch for the scientific validity of either of these articles (I'm sure that Trans and others will probably regard them as "woo"), but they at least provide some meat to chew on, rather than vague references. The second article summarizes a video that I have not watched.
I'm fairly confident that what is being discussed in these articles is, essentially, the Unified Consciousness Field that MPhD is trying to explain (or they are, at least, they are roughly shooting at the same target). As Trans will no doubt want to point out, most of these issues - if they have any legitimacy - basically just pointing to gaps in our current knowledge into which lots of people will want to fit "God"*. I've tried to outline my own reasons for being convinced that current physics is incomplete in some deeply significant ways, and I suspect that something of significance will eventually emerge from studies of "psi" types of phenomena, but I find it all a bit too vague at the moment. I keep looking for better ways to tie this stuff together.
*My suspicion: Perhaps not "God" exactly, but the holistic and subjective qualitative nature of Reality will eventually either prove to be beyond scientific models, or else the models that are needed in order to account for these aspects of Reality will constitute a paradigm shift in the way that science goes about its business. (And, again, this is why I've recently been pointing to phenomenology - which attempts to be a "science of subjectivity". If we really can have a genuine science of subjectivity via something like Husserl's "phenomenological reductions" then this could have a significant impact on how we view the world. But perhaps I should point out that phenomenologists, generally speaking, tend to be atheist or agnostic and/or Existentialist - although Søren Kierkegaard is an example of a Christian Existentialist.)
Last edited by Gaylenwoof; 04-24-2018 at 07:35 AM..
I know it seems horrific to most folks but it's a very effective therapy as is Medical Maggot Therapy for hard to heal wounds.
Yes. This a good point. Sneering at 'using leeches' has a meaning in not going back to old and dubious remedies simply because they are antique or traditional or fell out of favour. Though in fact leeches can be used in particular circumstances and maggots are handy at clearing necrotic tissue, the point of sneering at leechcraft is valid in calling for an old technique to show its' value before being accorded any credibility. The believers may hate it (as they always do) that their claims are not accepted at face value, but have to prove their worth under scientific scrutiny. This is why Pseudo science relies so heavily on accusations of closed minded materialism and anecdotal claims or miracle - cures.
Homeopatheic medicine and Acupuncture have not made a case even for working in practice (a double -blind study on Homeopathy showed little or no result other than a tiny percent, which at best might merit more testing) while the mechanisms sound asolutely whacky.
It's a wrong -headed theistic view to think that 'science' operates on materialist denial and the 'Alternative' is more open -minded.
In fact science, if any stuff turns out to be true (whether Quinine or Quales, Plate tectonics or Prayer, Archaeology or Acupuncture) will accept it. It the Faith -based Believer who operates on accepting claim (a) as true on faith while dismissing ass alternative faith -claims, never mind science. We all know they do this and it has been seen here. "Open mindedness" really is selective gullibility, while the mind is totally shut against anything else, no matter how well attested.
I won't post qualiasoup's 'Open minded' you tube, yet again, but it should be requires watching for anyone posting on this forum.
YThe believers may hate it (as they always do) that their claims are not accepted at face value, but have to prove their worth under scientific scrutiny.
This is key for me. A lot of ancient beliefs and folk remedies, etc., are rooted in valid effects, but some are not. The scientific method gives us the most efficient way to separate the babies from the bath waters. Also, researching the mechanisms can improve the effects far beyond anything known in the ancient formulations. But, just for clarity, I will admit that sometimes the modern approach actually loses ground because sometimes the context is critical and modern science labs don't always provide the proper context to investigate the effects. E.g., the double-blind method is incredibly powerful and downright essential for teasing out most kinds of knowledge, but there are a few situations in which it might, by its very nature, "toss out the baby," as it were. These cases are relatively rare, but I think a more holistic/nuanced approach to science can be helpful to guard against this. (Unfortunately, the requisite subtlety is hard to achieve in some cases, due to the practical realities stemming from the nature of funding in competitive social/political environments, dominant social and scientific paradigms, etc.)
Bottom line: Science is an amazingly powerful hammer, but not every problem is a nail. As profoundly useful as it is, science is not infallible, and it is not the only valuable path to understanding and wisdom.
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