“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within...”
Romans 12:2

Hilary's Desk

Don't do something, stand there!

Hilary Butler - Thursday, October 28, 2010
 "Surprise: Scientists discover that inflammation helps to heal wounds".  Interesting headline, huh? Remind you of anything?  Like "Fever helps the body successfully fight disease, and using drugs to reduce fever, gives the infection the advantage." ??  So why did the medical mantra of treating sprains with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), become so popula...

Continue Reading

How doctors don't think.

Hilary Butler - Tuesday, October 26, 2010
In his book, "How Doctor's Think", Dr Jerome Groopman describes an ultrasound doctor, who detects in a baby, inside a woman 5 weeks from giving birth, a strange shaped space inside the baby's brain which should look like a tear-drop with sharp edges, but just doesn't look quite right.  Not badly wrong, but just not quite right. Because the shape is pretty near...

Continue Reading

How Doctors Think.

Hilary Butler - Sunday, October 24, 2010
You don't think you need to know?  Well, according to Dr Jerome Groopman, you do.  Dr Groopman belongs to a rare species in medicine who tell it as it is - perhaps because he's been at the butt end of a few medical bum deals in his day. He knows what it feels like to be run over by his own medical system, and has the clout to write about it.His writing is vitally important, and utterl...

Continue Reading

Disclaimers - common-sense - R.I.P.

Hilary Butler - Saturday, October 23, 2010
Warning.  Having an opinion is dangerous.  Have you noticed the plethora of "needed" (choke) rules, regulations and safety requirements which stalk anyone who might want to do something adventurous?  Take for instance a group who sets up a children's adventure camp.  They analyse any possible problems, and try to cover every eventuality. Parents sign their kid...

Continue Reading

When will they ever learn?

Hilary Butler - Friday, October 22, 2010
Mannnnny years ago (1984 - 86), I wrote an article on obstetricians dogmas on cord cutting in hospital ,which landed up in various incarnations in several journals worldwide, finally landing up in Mothering Magazine.  The thrust of this article was that obstetricians had their heads firmly located in the pavement, and that babies of any age, and condition are not born with a scissor d...

Continue Reading

Corrupt process results in corrupt practice.

Hilary Butler - Thursday, October 21, 2010
In a brilliant article called Lies, Damned Lies and Medical Science (pdf) a bright light was shone upon the reality of medical practice across the board, .... by what I thought was an almost extinct species - honest scientists.Thank goodness that some actually exist. It gives me hope for the future!  The fact that medicine is often damned lies, is something we've b...

Continue Reading

Twenty-five years plus is quite a long time....

Hilary Butler - Saturday, October 02, 2010
(By Peter Butler) Especially when it's been spent dealing with issues and systems governed by engrained mindsets, and heavily influenced by huge vested interests more interested in profits, than making available all of the facts ...without restriction; or providing customized care to unique individuals, rather than trying to fit everyone into their "one-size-fits-all" moulds. Health and...

Continue Reading