# Medical Advice **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 13, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126 "2001-11-13T15:51:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/41 "2001-11-16T18:53:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > **I have asked Mr. Mercotan if he has ever prescribed antibiotics for someone with bronchitis. If he answers ‘no’ then I’ll take the arrows slung my way; but if he answers ‘yes’ then my statement has a ring of truth to it & the issue for me is done.** “Sigh”. All those years at Johns Hopkins, all those patients, and now I’m demoted to Mr. by **handy**. So **handy** , since I freely admit that after taking a medical history, doing an exam, and reviewing pertinent laboratory and x-ray studies, I have indeed provided antibiotics for individuals with bronchitis, does that mean that you do consider yourself qualified to recommend antibiotics? That was my initial assertion, after all. If you still do consider yourself qualified to make that recommendation, then indeed there is no further benefit to discussing this. Qadgop, MD ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/42 "2001-11-16T19:13:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > **then my statement has a ring of truth to it & the issue for me is done.** You _do_ realize that “the ring of truth” means "Well, it _sounds_ right, don’t you? Or are you saying that your standards for truth and accuracy are “it sounds good”? ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/43 "2001-11-16T20:11:54Z")
Too many doctors have been indiscriminate with antibiotic use. It’s not a “might as well take em just to be safe” kind of deal anymore. We’re facing a real crisis with drug-resistant bacterias from this practice. Correct me if I’m wrong, but “bronchitis” describes symptoms, not the actual infection. Some cases may call for antibiotics and some won’t. But most responsible doctors are being more conservative in their treatment (depending on the patient’s other health issues). ---
**Author:** ![Unclaimed\_Fright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c68b51/32.png) [@Unclaimed\_Fright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unclaimed_Fright)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/44 "2001-11-16T20:35:43Z")
That “indiscriminate with antibiotics” stuff seems bogus to me. Every day we all wash our hands. Why, to make the germs go away. And are we thereby generating “super germs”? NO! That’s LeMarkianism, pure and simple, which was disproven centuries ago. Germ’s DNA does not “respond” to environmental influences. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/45 "2001-11-16T20:49:42Z")
**JillGat** , bronchitis describes a condition of inflammation, excess secretions into, and resultant narrowing of, the bronchial passages. Causes are myriad, and include viruses, bacteria, fungus, allergic, irritant, auto-immune, “other” including cheese-washer’s lung (see **Collounsbury** , it’s not all curds and whey), and idiopathic (ie WTF?). One should treat the inflammation and secretions, usually with fluids, steam, sometimes bronchodilators, or even steroids, and other supportive measures. Further therapy should be addressed to the underlying cause. Which means, in the case of viral, there’s not a lot more to do. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/46 "2001-11-16T21:29:38Z")
**Unclaimed Fright:** I don’t know how to say this any other way, so here it is: You are flat wrong. If you want to find out why, I’d recommend you start a GQ thread, rather than sending this one off onto a major tangent. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/47 "2001-11-16T21:33:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Unclaimed Fright \* > \*\*That “indiscriminate with antibiotics” stuff seems bogus to me. > > Every day we all wash our hands. Why, to make the germs go away. And are we thereby generating “super germs”? > NO! That’s LeMarkianism, pure and simple, which was disproven centuries ago. Germ’s DNA does not “respond” to environmental influences. \*\* Here are the facts: 1. Unless it’s an antibacterial soap, soap does not kill bacteria, it merely makes your hands (or clothing or dishes, etc.) slippery so the germs will slide off. Read Cecil’s [column.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_398.html) 2. Antibiotics kill the weaker germs, but not the stronger ones. The survivors breed and the resulting population is stronger than the previous population. Newer and stronger antibiotics are then needed, but even they won’t kill all the germs and the cycle continues, _ad infinitum, ad nauseum._ 3. It’s “Lamarckianism.” ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/48 "2001-11-16T23:03:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\ ***Unclaimed Fright:** I don’t know how to say this any other way, so here it is: You are flat wrong. If you want to find out why, I’d recommend you start a GQ thread, rather than sending this one off onto a major tangent. \*\* Thank you. And for your reading pleasure, UF: [Dangers of Antibiotic resistance](http://www.cdc.gov/antibioticresistance/) Jill [Edited by JillGat on 11-16-2001 at 05:07 PM] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/49 "2001-11-16T23:55:18Z")
Now, now, you realize that the cheesemaking connexion is rather like that of masons to freemasonry. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/50 "2001-11-17T01:03:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > **Montfort, if you have read the board you would have found that people here almost never agree on what a ‘fact’ is. Ask 100 people here a factual definition of ‘love’ you’ll get a 100 answers, which one is right? Is it the one that Montfort gives? Then the other 99% are incorrect. Who wins? No one.** Handy, handy, handy. You’re never going to learn, are you? My dictionary (_Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary_, published by the Riverside Publishing Company in 1984) has several definitions of love, the primary one being: > [@](#): > > An intense affection for another person based on personal or familiar ties Do you differ with that definition? Does anyone else? No. You know why, because **the dictionary defined the word as such**. If you ask what love means to me, then it becomes an opinion, not a fact. Do you understand the difference between an opinion and a fact? Do you agree that green snot is in fact green, and not blue? Do you agree that you are deaf, and cannot hear? Those are all facts. Apparently you gave up the ability to know what a fact is on the day you gave up “childish things.” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/51 "2001-11-17T02:34:11Z")
“Do you agree that you are deaf, and cannot hear?” Montfort you are wrong! Deafness does not mean you can’t hear, I CAN hear; but I’m deaf too, figure it out. ‘Love’ is an excellent example, everyone has an opinion on it. Enough editorializing. Anyway, I have asked Mr. Mercotan if he has ever prescribed antibiotics for bronchitis, to verify the factual information & he said: “handy I’ve prescribed antibiotics for a lot of things, including bronchitis.” So, that wraps this up for me folks. Unless Keven chimes in sometime. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/52 "2001-11-17T02:48:58Z")
[handy]So, Mr. Mercotan, have you quit beating your wife? Yes, or No?[/handy] ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/53 "2001-11-17T11:40:53Z")
Handy, you didn’t answer Dr. Mercotan’s question… because HE (I’m assuming male-ness) has prescribed anti-biotics sometimes (note the word “sometimes”… in other words, not ALL the time), why does that give YOU the authority to do the same? That’s like me reading a post about rocket science and then claiming that I know as much as a NASA engineer. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/54 "2001-11-17T16:26:40Z")
I also doubt Mercotan would prescribe antibiotics over the internet. ---
**Author:** ![daffodil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@daffodil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffodil)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/55 "2001-11-17T17:13:19Z")
That’s right; internet. This is _not_ real life. I really don’t understand the hostility towards a poster who might have been too enthusiastic to help someone. For god’s sake; If someone tells me on the internet to swallow three rabbits droppings a day to keep my skin in perfect condition, I’m not gonna race after some rabbit poop. And the administrator’s remark: “And handy, when a moderator tells you not to do something, for whatever reason, it’s really in your best interest to comply. Period, end of story” ack, ack, ewwwwwwww. Or what? You come and get me? All the way from Holland? I’m not allowed to post here anymore? Pfui. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/56 "2001-11-17T17:57:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by daffodil \* > \*\*I really don’t understand the hostility towards a poster who might have been too enthusiastic to help someone. > For god’s sake; If someone tells me on the internet to swallow three rabbits droppings a day to keep my skin in perfect condition, I’m not gonna race after some rabbit poop. > \*\* It’s not that he’s too enthusiastic, it’s that his “help” often involves taking one or two keywords from the post, typing them into Google and posting the first link or two that show up. And before anyone goes there, **Duck Duck Goose’s** searches are inevitably relevant and accurate. **Handy** , IIRC, due to his quantity not quality method had done stuff like link to hate-sites, porn-sites, etc, presumably (I hope!) because he didn’t check them before slapping up the first link he found. _ **Anything** _ that makes the Signal to Noise ratio worse is something that I applaud the mods and admins for frowning upon. And regarding your last sentence, they can’t come and get you, but they _can_ ban you. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![daffodil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@daffodil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffodil)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/57 "2001-11-17T18:45:40Z")
Fenris; “And regarding your last sentence, they can’t come and get you, but they can ban you.” Aaaaaaaaack! Are you serious? Tsk. Tsk. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/58 "2001-11-17T19:00:16Z")
daffodil–Are you being willfully obtuse? Manhattan said"…when a moderator tells you not to do something, for whatever reason, it’s really in your best interest to comply. Period, end of story." You said, “And what?..You come and get me? All the way from Holland?” Fenris pointed out that while they will not physically “come and get you,” they can ban you. Therefore, the implication is that if **handy** does what the moderator has told him not to do, some action could be taken against him. This action could include banning. What don’t you understand? ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/59 "2001-11-17T19:23:31Z")
[[I really don’t understand the hostility towards a poster who might have been too enthusiastic to help someone.]] There is a difference between “hostility” and pointing out that a post (on a message board dedicated to eradicating ignorance) is _wrong_. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126/60 "2001-11-17T19:26:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by daffodil \* > \*\*You come and get me? All the way from Holland? I’m not allowed to post here anymore? > > Pfui. \*\* The Straight Dope has agents _everywhere_. **Even in Holland** - a notorious biker-type, in fact. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-advice/93126.md?page=4)