para-1 or par-
pref.

1. Beside; near; alongside: parathyroid.
2. Beyond: paranormal.
3. Incorrect; abnormal: paresthesia.
4. Similar to; resembling: paratyphoid fever.
5. Subsidiary; assistant: paraprofessional.
6. Isomeric; polymeric: paraldehyde.
7. A diatomic molecule in which the nuclei have opposite spin directions: parahydrogen.
8. Of or relating to one of three possible isomers of a benzene ring with two attached chemical groups in which the carbon atoms with attached groups are separated by two unsubstituted carbon atoms: para-aminobenzoic acid.

quack2
n.

1. An untrained person who pretends to be a physician and dispenses medical advice and treatment.
2. A charlatan; a mountebank.

adj.
Relating to or characteristic of a quack: a quack cure.

intr.v. quacked, quack·ing, quacks
To act as a medical quack or a charlatan.

[Short for quacksalver.]
quacker·y n.
quackish adj.
quackish·ly adv.

Guess which one this post is about. Go on, just try.

Well, actually it's about both cos they seem to go really well together. And yes, this is a sort of reprise of a post I made a few months ago. I never said I didn't repeat myself occasionally.

Quack - untrained person who pretends to be a physician and dispenses medical advice and treatment
Para - Near; beyond; resembling; assistant; another 4 good words that go nicely with quackery. Eh.

I attended the opening for Deb's new healing rooms last night and as I expected there were a few representatives for varying disciplines of complementary or alternative health practices. But one stood out in my vision as someone representing something I ranted about earlier - complementary (or the less acceptable word, alternative) medicine and in this case, the sellers thereof.

This has gotta be a major growth industry, dunnit? All those myriad (cool word that, myriad... it's right up there with panoply) little bottles of potions and pills, all proclaiming their own unique and natural importance in the fight to be healthy in this modern world.

And mostly being sold and/or recommended by people who have no medical training, in shops boasting cool crystals and geodes and nice herbal smellies and maybe the odd interesting orthotic device that carries the caution "Read the user manual before operating".

Those ones scare me.

Anyway, last night this purveyor was there and he was talking about the daughter of a doctor who had consulted with him (the daughter, not the doctor) and had told him what she was feeling and how he had offered her some more symptoms that she was suffering and was able to tell her, just like that, what was wrong with her and why hadn't her doctor father done that? and I thought to myself "you arrogant prat".

I know, that was norty of me wasn't it. But at least I didn't say it out loud.

Then I had this discussion with Deb on the phone today when she rang to tell me about something she read in her new book about the symptoms of food allergies and how Adam had three items in this list of shitloads things that he could have if he was allergic to something he was eating. I wasn't particularly receptive, pointing out that this sort of self disgnostic activity was at the very thickest end of the wedge to over compensate for every little physical foible without having any clear guideposts as how to accurately and effectively achieve the identification of a food allergy without going completely fucking nuts in the process. And taking into consideration that all three of Adam's health issues are very similar, almost identical to the things that bothered me at the same age.

Maybe I had food allergies, too? Or maybe I was just exhibiting things common to many kids at that age and so is he.

Or words to that effect.

The gist of the point of the conversation was that 1) I had no faith in any branch of alternative therapy provided by people armed with no credentials, no qualifications trotting out propaganda-ish information provided by people armed with research findings sometimes? frequently? unknown and/or unaccepted by the Western medical community, with an eye to making a buck. A quick one cos this shit ain't cheap. And 2) I don't think muscle stress testing diagnostics is anything more than another piece of quackery. Especially at $50/hr.

These people aren't doctors. Not even pretend ones. But they know what's wrong with you and they know what's good to help fix it.

I still think that they are dangerous.

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