Bizarre By-ways in the Search for Good Health

  • Roy J. Shephard
Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

  1. 1.

    To recognize that plausible charlatans have for many centuries made fortunes at the expense of wealthy hypochondriacs by the sale of bizarre and ineffective treatments for real or imagined disorders.

     
  2. 2.

    To appreciate that these bizarre procedures have at times endangered the user, and in some cases have also increased the susceptibility of the community to epidemics of infectious disease.

     
  3. 3.

    To observe that today appropriate medical treatment is still sometimes foregone, to be substituted by ineffective remedies such as homeopathic medicine or acupuncture.

     
  4. 4.

    To understand that in some instances the appearance of benefit has resulted from inadequate experimental blinding of observers, placebo effects exerted by strong personalities, and a bias for journals to publish positive findings.

     
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Roy J. Shephard
    • 1
  1. 1.Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical EducationUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada

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