2015-08-21
769
TEXT 1. SCIENTIFIC MEDICINE AND NATURAL HEALING
Some 50 or 60 years ago there was general belief that "scientific medicine" would in short order obliterate just about all disease. Optimism continued to mount as new antibiotic and tranquilizers were discovered, new surgical procedures devised and perfected. For a while it seemed that if we could live just a few more years, new discoveries might make us immune to death itself.
It was not just an innocent burst of enthusiasm. Real harm was done. Drugs, we all learned, sometimes have side-effects. Needless X-rays were thought to promote cancer. Even when done correctly, the medical approach to disease is incomplete. Wonderful, yes. But not quite the whole answer.
What is ignores is the dimension of natural healing: strengthening the body's immune system through nutritional and other natural means; physical therapies; stress reduction; diet improvement. And even when extensive medical treatment is required, the battle against disease cannot be won by medicine alone.
Some people reacting against what they see as overdoctoring have rejected the technological approach almost completely. They have returned, in effect, to the 19th century, relying on herbs, untested diets and unscientific procedures.
But there is no need to reject all of modern medicine because of its occasional excesses. Today, we are in the unique position of being able to take advantage of the best technological medical care and the best natural healing techniques.
By using both approaches, as dictated by good sense, we can enjoy the best of two worlds.
Exercise 1. Find statements in the text you agree and disagree with and say why.
Exercise 2. Speak for or against:
a) scientific medicine;
b) natural healing.
Exercise 3. What do you know about the alternative approaches to medicine: herbalism, homeopathy, ostoepathy, faith healing, acupuncture, dietetics?
