Children

Family practice is both a pleasure and many a times nuisance.One has to be ready to act devil's advocate.If the advice is beneficial to the receiver everything is fine.Else!
Many a time we see young parents pampering their children,yes,babies do need pampering but not to the extent of spoiling them.Most of the times it is exactly this.You know a couple gets a much wanted child and it becomes all important to them.Everything is taken care of.The child starts growing,obviously,and the parents start expecting too much.
The most common mistake that the parents do is ignore the child,in a sense that it is only a child and will understand nothing.Wrong,a small baby of about 6 months starts understanding,I know this as only a family physician can.Immunize a baby at 2 months,it will forget.but when you have administered the vaccine at 6th month you are in trouble.The baby then on will recognize you as an enemy!If a baby can have that long a memory imagine what will be happening to the inaction of the parent!The baby will remember!
Never ever give the baby anything unless you are very sure about the need.If the baby asks for something that you can afford and is reasonable do not refuse.On the other hand if the demand is not reasonable never yield.Still better give the child whatever you can afford and that should be reasonable.
Once the child is old enough to understand, explain whatever you can and if you don't know never lie.Children are very smart and will immediately realize if you do.And once you are caught in a lie the trust is gone and you can't regain it.
Eventually the child starts going to school.Remember your childhood.Every parent wants the child to do well,naturally.But judge your child's capacity.Do not have unrealistic expectations.contemporaries of your child may be scoring well and your child unfortunately may not.Remember, the education is not made to order.One child may have the aptitude for the subjects taught and another not.But in the prevailing circumstances there is nothing that can be done, until university level.Do not lose heart,every child can not become a doctor or engineer and need not be and nothing is lost.Ultimately what is important is that the child should become responsible citizen of the country.
I am not arguing that academic success is not important,but if unfortunately a child is not very good academically all is not lost.
Remember that Bill Gates is a college drop out and so is many important people in the society.
Usually parents want their children to achieve what they wanted and could not.They want their children to fulfill their dreams. Your children can't be you a couple of decades after your childhood.
and never ever decide or dictate to the child what it should do or not do.Let it decide as the generation today is smarter than what it was a couple of decades ago,they have their own wishes,likes and dislikes.
If you decide what your child is going to do or not do you will have a child no better than you!
http://www.medindia.com/medicalwebsite/index.asp

ಇಂಗು ತಿನ್ನಬೇಡಿ.

 ಪ್ರಸಂಗ ಒಂದು.
 ನಾನಾಗ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ  ವ್ಯಾಸಂಗದ ಅಂತಿಮ ವರ್ಷದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೆ,ರಜೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಊರಿಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದವ ನನ್ನೆದುರಿಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ ನನ್ನ ಸಂಬಂದಿಕ ಇಂಜಿನಿಯರಿಂಗ್ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ  ಅಲ್ಲೇ ನಿಂತೆ.ಆರು ತಿಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹತ್ತು ವರ್ಷ ಪ್ರಾಯ ಜಾಸ್ತಿ ಆದವರಂತೆ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿದ್ದವನನ್ನು ವಿಚಾರಿಸಿದಾಗ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ ವಿಷಯವಿಷ್ಟು.ಆರು ತಿಂಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಜ್ವರ ಶುರುವಾಗಿತ್ತಂತೆ.ಆಗ ನಮ್ಮ ಪರಿಸರದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬ ಹೋಮಿಯೋಪತಿ ವೈದ್ಯರಿದ್ದರು.ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದವರಲ್ಲಿ   ಈ ಹುಡುಗ ಒಬ್ಬ.ಅವರೇನೋ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದರಂತೆ ಈ ಕಾಯಿಲೆ ವಾಸಿ ಆಗದ್ದು,ಇನ್ನು ಬದುಕುವ ಸಾಧ್ಯತೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಅಂತ.ಅದನ್ನ ನಂಬಿ ಈ ಹುಡುಗ ವಿದ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾವನ್ನು ಕಾಯುತ್ತ ಕುಳಿತಿದ್ದ.ಅವನಿಗೆ ಆಗಿದ್ದಾದರೂ ಏನು ?ಸುಲಭವಾಗಿ ವಾಸಿಯಾಗಬಹುದಿದ್ದ ಕ್ಷಯ ರೋಗವಷ್ಟೇ.ಇದೇನೂ  ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಕಥೆಯಲ್ಲ.೧೯೭೮ ಇಸವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಘಟನೆ.ನಾನಾಗ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಯಾದ ಕಾರಣ, ನಮ್ಮೂರಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ವೈದ್ಯರ ಮೂಲಕ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಕೊಡಿಸಿ ಕಾಯಿಲೆ ವಾಸಿ ಆದ ಮೇಲೆ ಅವನ ವ್ಯಾಸಂಗ ಮುಂದುವರಿದು ಇಂದು ಒಂದು ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಟಿತ ಉಕ್ಕು ಕಾರ್ಖಾನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಉನ್ನತ ಹುದ್ದೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಾನೆ.ಆ ಹೋಮಿಯೋಪತಿ  ವೈದ್ಯ ಮಹಾಶಯನ ಮಗ ಅಪ್ಪನ ವೃತ್ತಿ ಮುಂದುವರಿಸಿದ್ದಾನೆ.ಈಗಲೂ ಇಂತಹ ಸಲಹೆ ಕೊಡುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ ಅಂದರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಜನರ ಹುಂಬತನ ಎಷ್ಟು ಎಂದು ಅಂದಾಜು ಮಾಡಬಹುದು.ಇವರಿಗೆ ಬಲಿಯಾಗುವುದು ಅವಿದ್ಯಾವಂತರಾಗಿದ್ದಲ್ಲಿ ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬಹುದಿತ್ತು.ಆದರೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗುವ ರೋಗಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವಿದ್ಯಾವಂತರೇ ಹೆಚ್ಚು.

ಇದೀಗ  ಐದಾರು ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಇದೇ ವೈದ್ಯ ಮಹಾಶಯನ ಸಂಬಂದಿಯೋರ್ವ ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದರು.ಅವರದ್ದೂ ಇದೇ ಕಥೆ.ಬಾಯಿಯಲ್ಲೇನೋ ಹುಣ್ಣು ಅಂತ ಇದೇ ವೈದ್ಯರ ಬಳಿ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ,ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಡಿಮೆ ಎರಡು ವರ್ಷ,ಪಡೆದರೂ ಪ್ರಯೋಜನವಾಗದೆ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಲು ಸಲಹೆ ಬೇಕಾಗಿತ್ತಂತೆ.ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗಿ ತೋರಿಸಿದಾಗ ಬಂದ ಫಲಿತಾಂಶ ನಾನು ಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ್ದೇ ಆಗಿದ್ದು ಮಾತ್ರ ಶೋಚನೀಯ.ಅವರಿಗೆ ಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್ ಆಗಿತ್ತು.ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಬಹಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಆಗಿದ್ದರೆ ವಾಸಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು,ಈಗ ಹದ್ದು ಮೀರಿ ಹೋಗಿದೆ ಅಂತ ತಜ್ಞರು ಅವರನ್ನು ಹಿಂದೆ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿದ್ದರು ಮತ್ತು ಆರು ತಿಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಧಿವಶವಾದರು.ಆಗ ಈ ವೈದ್ಯ ಮಹಾಶಯ ಹೇಳಿದರಂತೆ,ಅವರು ಇನ್ನೂಹೋಮಿಯೋಪತಿ  ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಮಾಡಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೆ ಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್ ವಾಸಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು ಅಂತ!
ಪ್ರಸಂಗ ಎರಡು.
ನನ್ನ ಕುಟುಂಬದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲವು ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ವೈದ್ಯರಿದ್ದಾರೆ.ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಎಲುಬು ತಜ್ಞರೇ.೧೯೩೦ ರಿಂದ ಈ ವೃತ್ತಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದವರನ್ನು ನನಗೆ ನೋಡಿ ಗೊತ್ತು.ಆಗಿನ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಸರಿಯಾದ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಕಾರಣ ಎಲುಬು ನಿಜವಾಗಿಯೂ ಮುರಿತಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾಗಿದೆಯೋ ಎಂದು ನೋಡುವ ಪರಿಸ್ತಿತಿ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ.ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ಈ ವೈದ್ಯರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೇ ನಿಜ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿದು ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.ಎಷ್ಟೋ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಯೂ ಆಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

ಒಂದು ಬಾರಿ ನನ್ನ ತಂದೆಯ ತಂಗಿ ಕೈ ಮುರಿದುಕೊಂಡು ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದು ನಮ್ಮ ಒಬ್ಬ ದೊಡ್ಡಪ್ಪನಲ್ಲಿ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಕೊಡಿಸಬೇಕೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿದರು.ನಾನೂ ಇದನ್ನೆಲ್ಲಾ ನಂಬುವ ಜಾತಿಯಲ್ಲ.ಅವರೋ ಬಿಡುವ ಜಾತಿಯಲ್ಲ.ಆಗ ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಪದವಿ ಪಡೆದು ಹೌಸ ಸರ್ಜನ್ ಆಗಿ ಕೆಲವೇ ದಿನ ಆಗಿತ್ತು.ಏನೇ ಹೇಳಿದರೂ ಕೇಳದೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಸವಾರಿ, ನಮ್ಮದೇ ಕುಟುಂಬದ ವೈದ್ಯರು,ಅವರ ಬಳಿ ಹೋಯಿತು.ಅವರೇನೋ ನೋಡಿ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿ ಬಿಟ್ಟರು.ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಕೆಲಸದ ಮೇಲೆ ಹಾಸ್ಟೆಲ್ ಸೇರಿದೆ.

ಒಂದು ತಿಂಗಳ ಬಳಿಕ ಊರಿಗೆ ಬಂದಾಗ ನಮ್ಮ ಅತ್ತೆಯ ಕೈ ಬಾತು ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು.ನನ್ನ ಒತ್ತಾಯದ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ಎಕ್ಸ್ ರೆ ಮಾಡಿ ನೋಡಿದಾಗ ಕೈಯ ಎರಡೂ ಎಲುಬು ತುಂಡಾಗಿ ಅಡ್ಡದಿಡ್ಡಿಯಾಗಿ ಇದ್ದದ್ದು  ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.ಆಮೇಲೆ ಸರಿಯಾದ ಎಲುಬು ತಜ್ಞರ ಸಲಹೆ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆಯಾಗಿ ಸರಿಯಾದರೆನ್ನಿ.ಇದೂ ವಿದ್ಯಾವಂತರೇ ಮಾಡಿದ ಕೆಲಸ.

ಪ್ರಸಂಗ ಮೂರು.
ನಾನು ವೃತ್ತಿ ಜೀವನ ಶುರು ಮಾಡಿ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದಿನವಾಗಿತ್ತು.ನನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರೊಬ್ಬರಿಗೆ ನಾಯಿ ಕಚ್ಚಿತ್ತು.ಆಗ ಹೊಕ್ಕಳಿನ ಸುತ್ತೂ ೧೦ ಚುಚ್ಚುಮದ್ದು ಕೊಡಬೇಕಾಗಿತ್ತು.ಈಗಿನ ಹಾಗೆ ಕೈಗೆ ಚುಚ್ಚುವ ಇಂಜೆಕ್ಷನ್ ಅಲ್ಲ.ಅವರೇನೋ ನೋವಿಗೆ ಹೆದರಿ ಹತ್ತಿರದ ನಾಟಿ ವೈದ್ಯರೊಬ್ಬರ ಬಳಿ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದರು.ರಾತ್ರಿ ಸುಮಾರು ಎರಡು ಘಂಟೆಗೆ ನನಗೆ ತುರ್ತು ಕರೆ ಬಂತು.ಅವರು ಏನೇನೋ ಮಾತಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು,ಹುಚ್ಚರ ಹಾಗೆ.ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ನೀಡಿದ ಮಹಾಶಯನ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ನಾಟಿ ಔಶದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊದಲು ಹುಚ್ಚು ಹಿಡಿಸಿ ಆಮೇಲೆ ಬಿದಿಸುವುದಂತೆ!ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ನೋಡಿದಾಗ ರೋಗಿಗೆ ದತ್ತೂರದ ಸೊಪ್ಪಿನ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಕೊಡಲಾಗಿತ್ತು.ಈ ವೈದ್ಯರು ಏನು  ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ ಗೊತ್ತೇ?ಮೊದಲು ದತ್ತುರದ ಸೊಪ್ಪು ತಿನ್ನಿಸುವುದು.ಆಗ ರೋಗಿಗೆ ಮತಿ ಭ್ರಮಣೆ ಆದ ಹಾಗೆ ಕಾಣಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.(ಹಾಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಒಂದೇ ಪ್ರಮಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ)ಆದವರಿಗೆ ಹುಚ್ಚು ನಾಯಿ ಕಚಿದ್ದು,ಇಲ್ಲದವರಿಗೆ ಕಚ್ಚಿದ ನಾಯಿ ಹುಚ್ಚಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ತೀರ್ಮಾನ ಮಾಡಿ ದುಡ್ಡು ವಸೂಲು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ.ಆಮೇಲೆ ಅವರನ್ನು ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಗೆ ಸೇರಿಸಬೇಕಾಯಿತು.ಅಂತೂ ಕೊನೆಗೂ ಇಂಜೆಕ್ಷನ್ ಕೊಡಲೇ ಬೇಕಾಯಿತು.ಅಲ್ಲದೆ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆ ವಾಸವೂ ಆಯಿತು.

ಇಲ್ಲೊಂದು ತಮಾಷೆ ಏನು ಗೊತ್ತೇ?ಹೀಗೆ ಇಂಗು ತಿಂದ ಮಂಗನಾದ ವಿಷಯ ಯಾರೂ ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಹೇಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ಇಂತಹ ವೈದ್ಯ ಮಹಾಶಯರ ವ್ಯವಹಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಏನೂ ತೊಂದರೆಯಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.ಅದೇ ಒಬ್ಬ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಕಲಿತ ಆಧುನಿಕ ವೈದ್ಯ ಪದ್ದತಿಯವರಲ್ಲಿ ಹೀಗಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೋರ್ಟಿನ ಕಟಕಟೆ  ಹತ್ತುವ ವರೆಗೆ ಅಥವಾ ಅವನ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರಗೆ ಬೆಂಕಿ ಹಾಕುವ ವರೆಗೂ ಜನ ತಯಾರು.

ಪ್ರಸಂಗ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು.

ಇಲ್ಲೊಬ್ಬ ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬ ಪಂಡಿತ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ.ಇವ್ರು ಕಾಮಾಲೆ ರೋಗ ತಜ್ಞ.ಕಾಮಾಲೆ  ರೋಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಎ,ಬಿ,ಸಿ,ಡಿ ಮತ್ತು ಇ ಎಂಬ ವಿಧಗಳಿವೆ.ಸಾಮನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಬರುವ ಕಾಮಾಲೆ ಎ  ಜಾತಿಯ ವೈರಸ್ನಿಂದ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ,ಇದು ಸುಮಾರು ಆರು ವಾರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಮಟ್ಟಿನ ಆಹಾರದ ಪಥ್ಯದಿಂದ ತಾನಾಗೇ ವಾಸಿಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.ಆದರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಜನ ಕೇಳಬೇಕಲ್ಲ.ಕಾಮಾಲೆಗೆ ಆಧುನಿಕ ಪದ್ದತಿಯ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಕೊಡಿಸಬಾರದು,ನಾಟಿ ಮದ್ದೇ ಸರಿ ಎಂಬ ಒಂದು ತೀರ್ಮಾನ ಅಕ್ಕ ಪಕ್ಕದವರೆಲ್ಲಾ ಸೇರಿ ಮಾಡಿರುತ್ತಾರೆ.

ಈ ಎ ಜಾತಿಯ ರೋಗ ಪ್ರಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಅವರು ಮದ್ದು ಮಾಡುವುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಎತ್ತಿದ ಕೈ.ಹೇಗಾದರೂ ಗುಣವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.ಮತ್ತೇನು?ಅದೂ ಎಂತಹ ಪಥ್ಯ?ತಲೆಗೂ ಎಣ್ಣೆ ಹಾಕಬಾರದು.ಹಲಸಿನ ಮರದ ಮಂಚದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂಡ ಮಲಗಬಾರದು!ಹಣ್ಣು ತಿನ್ನುವುದು ಬಿಡಿ,ಹಳದಿ ಬಣ್ಣ ಯಾಕೆ ಇಷ್ಟು ವರ್ಜ್ಯ ಎಂದು ಮಾತ್ರ ಯಾರೂ ಹೇಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

ಇತ್ತೀಚಿಗೆ,ಯಾವಾಗಲೂ,ಮಗುವಾಗಿದ್ದಲ್ಲಿಂದ,ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ,ಈಗ ಇಂಜಿನೀರ್ ಆಗಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಒಬ್ಬ ಹುಡುಗ ಇದೇ ವೈದ್ಯರಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದ.ಆ ಮಹಾಶಯನೋ,ಒಂದು ತಿಂಗಳ ಕಾಲ ಔಷಧಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟದ್ದೇ ಕೊಟ್ಟದ್ದು.ನಡೆಯಲೂ ಕಷ್ಟವಾಗುವಂತಹಾ ಸುಸ್ತು ಅಂತ ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದಾಗಲೇ ನನಗೆ ಈ ವಿಚಾರ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಿದ್ದು.ಏನೋ ಆ ಹುಡುಗನ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಮೊದಲು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದ ಕಾರಣ ದುರಂತವೇನೂ ಸಂಭವಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ನಾನು ಖಂಡಿತವಾಗಿಯೂ ಆಯುರ್ವೇದ ಅಥವಾ ನಾಟಿ ಮದ್ದಿನ ವಿರೋಧಿಯಲ್ಲ.ಆದರೆ ನಾಟಿ ಮದ್ದಿನ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಜನರನ್ನು ವಂಚಿಸುವ ಜನರ ವಿರೋಧಿ,ಅಷ್ಟೇ.ಈಗೀಗ ನಾಟಿ ಮದ್ದಿನ ಹೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ ಆಗುವ ಮೋಸ  ನೋಡಿದರೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಬೇಜಾರಾಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕಾದರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ವೃತ್ತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದವರಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸಾಧ್ಯ.ತೂಕ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕೆ,ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಖಾಯಿಲೆಯೇ,ರಕ್ತದ ಒತ್ತಡವೇ.ಎಲ್ಲದಕ್ಕೂ ನಾಟಿ ಔಷಧಿ ಕೊಡುವ ಜನರಿದ್ದಾರೆ.ಆದರೆ ಅವರ್ಯಾರೂ ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಇರುವ ಅಧುನಿಕ ಪದ್ದತಿಯ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆಯನ್ನ ಬಿಟ್ಟು,ಔಷಧಿ ಕೊಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.ಹಾಗಾದರೆ ಅವ್ರು ಯಾಕೆ ತಾನೇ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಕೊಡಬೇಕು?

ನಮ್ಮ ಜನರಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ತರನಾದ ಭಾವನೆ ಇದೆ.ಯಾವುದೇ ವಿಷಯವಿರಲಿ,ತಮಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.ಎಲ್ಲದಕ್ಕೂ ತಮ್ಮದೇ ಅರ್ಥ,ಪರಿಹಾರ ಹುಡುಕುವ ಜನ ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಕೈ ಮೀರಿ ಹೋದಾಗ ಪರಿಣಿತರ ಬಳಿ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾರೆ.ಅದರ ಬದಲು ಆವುದೇ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ ಇರಬಹುದು,ತಜ್ಞರ ಸಲಹೆ ಪಡೆದರೆ ಹಣ,ಶ್ರಮ,ಚಿಂತೆ ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಉಳಿಸಬಹುದಲ್ಲಾ?

-- 

weigh option

An eminent surgeon of Karnataka and a great teacher to boot,that was Dr.R.H.N.Shenoy in the late 70s.I remember him saying"had only streptomycin been discovered 800 years earlier than it actually was............."The great sage Shankaraacharya was supposed to have died of Tuberculosis and he I mean our teacher, always used to stress that the sage could have lived longer.It is supposed to be the case with Swami Vivekananda too. It was a dreaded disease for which there was no cure back then.I agree with him and have more to add.
Imagine a world with no modern medical science no matter what is said against it.
Had Edward Jenner not discovered vaccine against smallpox hundreds of thousands would have died of the dreaded disease every year.Imagine a world without Alexander Fleming's discovery of the antibiotic Penicillin!(we may argue about India having ideas about inoculation against diseases or about the soil containing some thing with which infections could be cured(look at Wikipedia,i can provide link if any one is interested)
Whether it is antibiotics or vaccines , insulins, anti hypertensives, hormones,antivirals or the surgical procedures,the list is endless for the invention of which we stand at the feet of modern medical science.
Since the beginning of human existence in India thousands of years ago till about 1930
the population of India was about 300 millions.It jumped to 1.2 billions in 2009 in spite of the population control measures.
The most sensitive health index-the infant mortality rate which was around 345 per 1000 live births in 1940 came down to around 15 to 25(lowest in Kerala and higher in states like Bihar).Maternal mortality came down to less than one per thousand deliveries.Diseases like Polio were almost eradicated with smallpox being totally eradicated from the face of the earth.Life expectancy at birth increased from 40 years in 1940 to 67 years today.It is no coincidence that this happened as the modern medicine developed the above mentioned tools like drugs and surgical procedures.
The much maligned Cesarean operation has reduced the incidence of would be mother dying at delivery to almost zero.And the greatest culprit of all as the various reports in the media would suggest,cardiac surgery has increased the quality of life of people who have had cardiac problem.
One may claim diseases like diabetes and heart ailments are on the increase.Yes,that is not because of medicine but because of reason beyond the control of doctors in the sense that the people themselves are responsible.Changed lifestyle is the primary reason for this spectacular increase.But it is still modern medicine that can do something to keep these under control and the patient from harms way.
I know defenders of alternate system of medicine will be at my throat for this,but let me assure you, without modern medicine which I refuse to call allopathy,we would be miserable.
There will be this matter to argue-modern medicine is too commercial.Yes,then which system is not?The basic idea behind practicing what you study is to earn a living.Just because I happened to study medicine i can not go for social service with no concern for my stomach.One can not work on empty one.
Whenever a new disease is discovered the market is flooded with cures from quacks and from alternate systems.And the discovery is by modern medicine and the miracle cure from the alternate system!If this is not because of commercial reason then what is? At least modern medicine is held responsible for commissions and omissions,alternate system is not.
Recently in this part of India we had an epidemic of chikungunya.We,practitioners of modern medicine know exactly what it is and how it can be managed.But no,we need this half baked systems telling us how to manage that particular problem!This year we have some cases of viral fever and again the press and these very same people are at it again.
OK,we have no proper cure for each viral disease(We do have anti viral treatment for many a virus) but if any branch of medicine can handle it modern medicine can.For the simple reason that it is the discovery of this system.
The so called defenders of Indian system including some Swamijis talk about the superiority of Indigenous medical practice being safe for all ailments!Without basic understanding of the issues involved they advocate the methods that suits their ulterior motives. And do you believe any medicine is free from side effects?Don't,because above normal even daily food has side effects.Try eating a couple of hundred grams of the commonly used Garlic!Or even quarter Kg. of sugar!
Do you know most of these practitioners use drugs like antibiotics and alarmingly, very potent steroids,of which they hardly have any knowledge, to achieve dramatic cures in all these viral disease?Isn't there any adverse outcome?Certainly there are but they go unreported!The reason is simple,
You know you have been foolish enough to approach quacks or people who are not supposed to use these drugs and you will hardly admit it was disastrous.And the person responsible is no way harmed.
In contrast if the outcome is adverse if a qualified person is involved people gang up and the person is harassed even if he did everything that could be done.People jump into concluding how greedy and careless the doctor was and so on and so forth.Newspapers immediately jump into the fray to condemn the person involved.What do these people know about modern medicine?Nothing.But they do have an opinion no matter what.
But ultimately it is the modern medicine that has the last laugh because it is the only system that tries to understand diseases.Modern medicine has description if not cure for all ailments.
The so called practitioners of alternate system study it not because they want to, but because of their inability to study modern medicine as the opportunity in India is limited.To establish a modern medical school it requires an elaborate infrastrucure in contrast to alternate system.The so called institutes teaching alternate systems are so numerous I wonder from where they even get faculty to teach!
Think about a patient with chest pain going to an Ayurvrdic physician.He is immediately sent to a cardiologist.That is when common sense should dictate that you go to a qualified modern medical practitioner for your needs.And if he decides it is nothing serious one can get treated by any system.
The standard explanation handed out by these alternate system is that for emergency modern medicine is needed and then they can take over.Why?Once the emergency is past there is no need for other system to take over.
In fact the proper alternate is that one should practice what is taught during studying and nothing else.And people with no qualification should be barred from declaring themselves"doctor"
The common man has to be vigilant.

(A bad case of smallpox)but for modern medicine some of us would have been like this had we survived an attack of smallpox!

Alternate Medicine

Quacks are at it again.Modern medicine discovers disease and these self styled doctors, the appropriate treatment.Don't you think they are great?(or cheats)

Homeopathy or Ayurveda knows no Chikungunya ,Dengue or Swine flu.I am sure all decent practitioners will agree with me.Right or wrong,safe or dangerous,it is modern medicine that describes all these diseases.And it is for them to find solutions for the same.And let me assure you, we are almost there.The day is not far when we will have vaccines for all these disease.

In fact a vaccine a vaccine was invented for chikungunya.Unfortunately for us, it was the naval infectious diseases research centre of the United States that did it.But, for the U S of A, a small epidemic in this part of India is not serious enough and there was no funding for human trial.The project was abandoned some time in 1999-2000.

Meanwhile the quacks will be at it again.Miracle cures,oils and injections will do rounds again.Remember some unscrupulous practitioners use steroids in the form of injections and that does all kinds of damage.Both literally and physically.

Beware,don't go to a doctor no known to you because a friend recommends.If a doctor has a miraculous cure for these fevers probably he is a fraud.Because medicine is not one persons monopoly.If one has all have access to that invention.Probably it is not safe and not used by all.

P.S:A quack is the one who practises medicine without studying it-like an Ayurvedic physician practising modern medicine or vice versa.(The picture on the left top is the Aedes mosquito that causes chikungunya)

Demanding

Like every other profession medicine also is commercialised.Otherwise why do you think people will practise it?Any professional has to live. Doctors have more responsibility than any other and how they work under pressure is unimaginable.The work load is so heavy and the schedule sometimes is so cramped that they have no time for personal life.And to add to this they are not allowed to make a single mistake.And the expectation is sky high.But they are also human beings and there is only so much that they can do.

People especially the media keeps on blaming doctors and the frequency is increasing these days.but what these people know about medicine?Nothing.And they write passing judgement without trial-guilty!

A lot has been written and is still being written about unnecessary Cesarean section operation.Does any body know what kind of responsibility a doctor has while having a pregnant woman on his hands to deliver her of the baby?The tension can be killing.You are bringing a life to the earth and the doctor has to take decision with making no delay.It is a no win situation.If it is a successful delivery,what's great about it?It happens every day.If it is not,you know what will be the outcome, irrespective of the reason,the doctor will be held responsible for the failure.Newspapers will be filled with the lapses on the part of the doctor.

The relatives concerned will question the decision for and against the particular procedure adopted.So the doctor rarely has many option in such situations.They go for Cesarean operation.And the procedure is very safe.Then where is the harm in opting for the safest alternative?It is always said in medicine that one should err on the safer side.

Take another example.Say, heart attack.Can anyone predict what will happen in the next hour when a patient has a cardiac problem?The answer is, no.what is the option in front of the treating doctor?Of course investigations.The technology is so advanced that it costs money.Medical proffesion is not about charity and they charge the patient,who else?And give value for money.more than value as one can not buy a life with the money paid to the doctor.

Let me explain,,recently I witnessed a free medical examination organised by a charity organisation.In a small village of about 5000 people, 4-5 thousand people had gathered.you know why,it was free and if required they were promising investigation and free surgery!No body said anything about the investigations were unnecessary, no, not even journalists.On the other hand i saw a couple of them opting for free investigation!

Now tell me whether it is spending money people are against or the investigations as such?

Just think of a person working for six and half days in a week and anticipating some or the other emergency on the other half day for week after week and thinking of the holiday that never comes?And the public expects no delay in getting treatment.You need superman not a doctor to work according to lay expectation!

Give them a break my dear friends.

And then there is the topic of money.With all the specialisations a doctor will be 30+when he/she starts earning and he/she has to make money.Nobody will look after a doctor simply because he did not save money while he could.Doctors like you and me can not work till eternity even though they need not retire.But when they can not work?When a doctor is ill who will spend for the treatment?Nobody will come to rescue.and for this they need money.

Don't ever think doctors are greedy.They too have needs like everyone else.

Before passing judgement on doctors think about the things you know nothing about.At least the lay man knows nothing about medical profession and they don't care to know.At least not in India where doctor bashing is becoming the order of the day.

Life of a doctor is not a bed of roses as is the general perception, except, in their own family.