Confusion surrounding the term “autism” is surely nothing new. The word was first used in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, who presumably invoked the Greek autos, meaning “self.” Continue reading
Author Archives: Michael D. Shaw
Switching To A True Health Care Model
With the IRS scandal shining a much-needed light on the miserable agency that would be the majordomo of Obamacare, we should also examine the preposterous “reasoning” at the heart of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)… Continue reading
Double Helix Double Cross
For a kid growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, especially as American schools tried to close the perceived science and math gap after Sputnik was launched, a nearly constant refrain was the wonderful promise of DNA and the Watson-Crick double helix molecular structure. As it happens, there is a wee bit more to the story… Continue reading
Putting A Stake Through The Cholesterol Theory Of Heart Disease
The cholesterol theory of heart disease continues to be under attack—and rightly so. The overwhelming evidence against this theory is widely available, but here are a few key points:
Ubi Caritas Est Vera, Deus Ibi Est
The title of this piece refers to the first line of an ancient hymn: “Where true charity is, there is God.” Health care—from the earliest times—has been at the nexus of organized religion, charity, and the community… Continue reading
Anxiety, Depression, and Drugs, Oh My
Based on the popularity of my recent posting on meds, I offer the following for your reading pleasure…
Meds Aren’t Always The Answer
My late father-in-law practiced psychiatry in the Midwest, and was—by any standard—brilliant. For one thing, he never received a grade lower than “A” from grammar school, all the way through his medical education… Continue reading
Posted in Health, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals, Psychology, Public health miscellany
Tagged meds, psychiatry
You Don’t Need The Food Police
Although New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s notorious limit on the size of sugary drinks was struck down on March 11th, proponents of the Nanny State are not backing off. Far from it… Continue reading
Gun Control–Demystified
As expected, in the wake of the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, the gun-grabbers have reared their heads once again. So far, they have made only limited progress. No doubt, gun control posturing provides feckless politicians with a means of distracting the public from the pressing issues of the day … Continue reading
One More Bad Idea: The Medical Device Tax
It may well be a fool’s errand to determine the worst provision of the mammoth Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), but this one surely belongs near the top of any list: Section 1405, the Excise Tax On Medical Device Manufacturers… Continue reading
A year-end look at Obamacare and the Supremes (So you won’t forget)
The heralded Supreme Court decision, in which a supposedly conservative chief justice would tie himself in legal knots to affirm the constitutionality of the biggest tax increase in US history, has surely been over-analyzed. But, here’s a different take… Continue reading
Latest stupid vitamin D study
While there is no shortage of phony baloney “natural” remedies out there, there is also a tendency for mainstream allopathic medicine to dismiss—out of hand—any claims made for non-prescription remedies. And, since the drug companies own most of the medical journals, such put-downs appear in the “scholarly” literature from time to time. Continue reading
