Re: What is Quackery?

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
 John 'the Man'  <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Once upon a time, our fellow Orac
>    rambled on about "Re: What is Quackery?."
> Our champion De-Medicalizing in sci.med.nutrition retorts, thusly ...
> 
> >but many alternative medicine writings that use 
> >mysticism and the "vital force."
> 
> I write about the "vital force."  :)

Exactly what I was saying about others outside of homeopathy writing 
about the "vital force" and invoking mysticism.


> And, it is not bunk.

Really? I'll judge that for myself.


> Just thought that you might want to know. :)
> 
> Here, is another one for you, Orac.
> 
> I am a published author.

That's nice. Am I supposed to be impressed?


> I have published my seven principles of natural health.

Where?


> I have a published health and longevity program.

Where?


> I have two diet programs, both of which have been published.

Where?


> I have defined both 'natural health' and 'natural therapies.'

That's nice.


> I am working on the definitions of a number of other health terms.
> All of *my* definitions will soon be published.  Many, already have
> been.

I did a Medline search on your name and turned up no hits; so presumably 
none of your publications were in peer-reviewed scientific journals. I 
also did a search of Amazon.com with your name and turned up no books 
written by you in or out of print. Perhaps you can tell me the names and 
publishers of a few of your books, because I can't find them. They 
wouldn't happen to have been self-published, now, would they? ;-)


> My slanted history of Western Healing Practices is approximately 25
> printed pages long.
> 
> What have you ever done, Orac, besides complain?

Heh, heh. I love it when they try to pull this one on me! You have no 
idea what how funny that is, but I'll try to tell you anyway. Let's see. 
Treated thousands of patients over my training and career. Published 
around 18 scientific articles thus far (with two more in press and two 
others being written right now). Published a chapter in a scientific 
treatise on gene therapy. Identified and characterized a new gene. Ah, 
but why waste my time? You almost certainly won't believe me anyway. 
But, if you e-mail me with a real nice, sincere request (if you dare), I 
might actually show you. No doubt, then you'll just castigate me as a 
representative of the eeevvvillll conventional medicine that you 
apparently detest. ;-)

-- 
Orac        |"A statement of fact cannot be insolent."
            |
            |"If you cannot listen to the answers, why do you
            | inconvenience me with questions?"