Jaro,
From my limited understanding of EBM, I would have to say that much of this (I have been doing some thinking since I received your mail regarding this matter) would be in the realms of speculation and analysis using mostly "circumstantial evidence". If we do undertake an endeavor to outline the study as you propose it, much of it would either have no evidence or very poor quality evidence to back up the guesstimates.
Also another problem in considering issues of Paleopathology is the reliability of the Medical records. Whether the Court Physician reports and records are in true concurrence with the facts remains a much doubted fact. Since yesterday, I have been thinking of how to incorporate your suggestions in my work and came up against pretty much what can be called a dead end.
I was thinking if there were any reliable methods to somehow extrapolate the implications of an alternative situations. If there was one, then we could compare the real outcome with the hypothetical extrapolation of an alternative situation and thus have a concrete discussion on our hands. I know this probably sounds really mad and juvenile, but considering the fact that I AM a rookie (just a med student still!) you will have to forgive my utopian ideas and inability to draw conclusions!
However, I am keen to work on this and see if anything comes out of it, because, I personally think that this is an intriguing topic. So, i would look forward to getting more suggestions on how to go about this task.
Thanks and regards,
Pranab
MBBS (Final)
Medical College, Kolkata
India
Mobile: +91 98 361361 95
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My Webpage & Blog
> Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:43:54 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Help Needed
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Pranab,
>
> I would suggest embarking on a critical appraisal of these claims to
> causality. They are typically case reports, there is nothing near
> control, not even a case series from past historical events, and there
> are almost unlimited confounders. Arguments can appear convincing, but
> it would be nothing but interesting speculation for the discussion
> section.
>
> If people can claim that a particular clinical state, intervention (or
> lack thereof) caused a sequence of historical events, then perhaps such
> logic goes against rules of evidence based health?
>
> Jaro
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Evidence based health (EBH)
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mathew Stone
> Sent: 02 February 2009 08:57
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Help Needed
>
> Interesting post. I'm looking forward to taking a look at some of the
> books and articles suggested here.
>
> My own suggestion is: "In Sickness and in Power" by Sir David Owen which
> is a recent book that includes a particularly interesting chapter on
> JFK's struggle with Addison's Disease and it's consequences for US
> Foreign Policy from the Bay of Pigs fiasco to the Cuban Missiles Crisis.
>
> Good luck Pranab
>
> Mathew Stone
> Assistant Librarian
> Health Library & Information Service
> Fieldhouse Education Centre
> Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
> BD9 6RJ
>
> Tel. 01274 364 122
> Fax: 01274 364 704
>
>
> >>> Pranab Chatterjee <[log in to unmask]> 02/01/09 4:55 pm
> >>>
>
> Hi,
>
> I requre some help in writing an article: Diseases that Changed the
> Course of History.In this, I need to concentrate on diseases affecting
> individuals that ffected the course of history or somehow affected his
> own field. I have two examples to get going:
>
> 1. King George III and his afflictioon of Acute Intermittent Porphyria,
> how it affected the course of the American history.
>
> 2. Vincent van Gogh and his affections and how they affected his art.
>
> It would be great if you could pitch in with some more ideas.
>
> Thans and regards,
> Pranab.MBBS (Final)Medical College, KolkataIndia Mobile: +91 98 361361
> [log in to unmask]@pranabchatterjee.co.cc My
> Webpage & Blog
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