Dear Ela,
 
My reply to you is probably going to bounce from the FML since I was
blasting it with "sections" of that big post earlier today, but I wanted
you to hear it anyway.  (in fact I hope he doesn't post just the first
2/3 of it... oh dear..)
 
I am glad that you took what I wrote in the vein it was intended.  Like I
said, if one of my fuzzies were sick, I for sure would try ANYTHING, once I
ran out of "reasonable options."  And I am ever so glad that your little
Paddington is still with you!
 
Still, I do have a few comments.  I'm NOT flaming, just talking, I hope we
can show everyone else that this sort of thing can be discussed rationally.
 
>jargon".  For one thing, I did my own original research, from multiple
>sources.
 
I know.  The problem is that just because it's multiple resources and
original research, does not necessarily mean that it's valid.  I'm not
saying it's NOT valid, either... just that there are a few more levels to
medico-scientific objective criticism to research than what you are
currently applying.  I don't blame you; it's an esoteric subject.  But if
you really want to get into this, then you had better know.  If you like, I
will make a post to the list that talks about some ways to judge a research
article on its merits.  I am not an expert in this arena, either...it's a
VERY difficult subject and the kind of thing that gets academicians'
collars hot and their palms sweaty...but I can certainly draw you a diagram
of the basics, and that should serve you well.
 
>I know others on this list have had similar experiences, and most of them
>(except for Gary Holiwicki, with his Timmy) are reluctant to speak about
>them because of the strongly hostile atmosphere that occurs when you do
>speak of them here.
 
I hope you realize I am not being hostile.  Just terribly, terribly
dubious.  There is a big difference there.  (I know I sometimes come across
as grouchy via email, but believe me, its not intended that way.  "True"
Hostile Megan appears very rarely and generally has a verbal impact of
about 100 lbs of TNT.  I ain't being hostile, honest!  ;-)) And quite
frankly, if I run into a totally intransigent infection in one of my
fuzzies, I might well try it...but only as a completely last-gasp resort,
because I am not convinced of its safety.
 
And as for running into hostile atmospheres... well, for one, I'm a
chiropractor, trying to compete in the medical world, I deal with that all
the time.  And I do understand it.  For two, I /also/ feed my ferrets mice,
and that isn't taken too well on the FML, either, so I understand that,
also.
 
>I, however, am not reluctant to share my experience ..  just immensely
>grateful that the colloidal silver seems to have done so
 
DO share your experiences, by all means.  I do NOT want you to "be quiet"
or anything like that.  Talking about "alternative" cures are one way they
turn into non-alternative cures, if they deserve the appelation... but
while they are in the alternative stage, imho, we need to refer to them AS
that.  Your opinions and experiences are data, though on the "quality"
scale of data they rank relatively low.  I do NOT mean to imply you are
lying or anything like that, I'm talking about something totally different,
has to do with weighing scientific validity.  Please don't get upset; like
I said, if you want me to post about judging articles, I'll try.  Can't
promise how coherent I'll be, but I'll try!  (Though I suspect there are
others in the FML audience who can probably do far better job than I can.)
 
Again, I can totally understand the depth of your convictions, and can only
imagine your relief when little Paddington pulled through, having not had a
fuzzy emergency of that scale before.  But the rather obstinate scientist
in me can't take that for a good enough answer.  Time will tell (or rather,
research will) and we and others can toss this back and forth until we are
all sick of it, probably.  I suggest that rather than us doing that, we
both do something positive for the FML as a whole by laying the argument to
rest for the meantime, as both sides have their posts and their websites,
etc... and instead turn to something more generally applicable, such as how
to understand a medically-related journal article and guage how valid it
might be.  I'd love to describe how to do a N=1 time-series design study
(now wouldn't /that/ be cool, everyone on the FML adding to the body of
ferret research!!!!) but I'm not sure how doing a human study would
translate into veterinary terms, some DVM/DVM student want to tackle it?
 
Megan
 
--
Megan O'Shaughnessy, D.C.       | North Cascades Chiropractic Clinic
360-853-9023                    | Concrete, WA
[Posted in FML issue 2565]