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The Reality of Ancient Wisdom: Acupuncture and TCM Weren’t So Great

record updated
item type
article on a website
author
Harriet Hall
link
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-reality-of-ancient-wisdom-acupunc [snip!]
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journal
ScienceBasedMedicine.org
year
2014
month
Sep 25

PainSci notes

This article is essential, morbidly fascinating reading. I didn’t think I could get any more cynical about ancient folk medicine. I was wrong! Dr. Hall packages up a few excerpts from an old book by a physician working in China in the late 19th Century. His matter-of-fact reports of the actual medical habits of the Chinese at that time are chilling, and a harsh reminder that traditional Chinese medicine was not wise and profound, but rather cringe-inducingly horrible, just as brutal and bizarre as any pre-scientific European “medicine.” In particular, the stories concerning acupuncture expose a mess of superstitious and vicious excess. Bloodletting was the tip of the iceberg.

Little wisdom is possible in a state of profound ignorance.

~ Paul Ingraham, PainSci Publisher

Related Content

  1. “Acupuncture and history: The “ancient” therapy that’s been around for several decades,” David Ramey, ScienceBasedMedicine.org.
  2. “The Acupuncture and Fasciae Fallacy,” Ben Kavoussi, ScienceBasedMedicine.org.
  3. “A true history of acupuncture,” Ramey et al, Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 2004.

These two articles on PainScience.com cite this item as a source:

  1. Do You Believe in Qi?
  2. Does Acupuncture Work for Pain?

PainSci Member Login » Submit your email to unlock member content. If you can’t remember/access your registration email, please contact me. ~ Paul Ingraham, PainSci Publisher