Guest guest Posted April 1, 2000 Report Share Posted April 1, 2000 I absolutely agree that reading the classics is necessary for the practice of TCM. In fact I find them generally more readable- hence useful- than many of the PRC texts. I agree with Zev that I would rather be a first-rate zhong yi/Chinese medicine physician than a second-rate western doctor. And Chinese is on my short list of additional languages to learn because I'd like access to the journals (at my age the list can't be too long!) At the rate that US schools are turning out acupuncturists, I suspect that there will be peer-reviewed journals in English soon. Bilingual practicioners will be an essential bridge to communicating the medicine, and I'd encourage practicioners to become proficient in Chinese (and Japanese for that matter as there seems to be quite a bit of cutting edge research published in that language.) I'm not sure Chinese is the essential part of a doctoral program however desirable it may be. (applicable herb rant follows:) But I also find that practicioners and students alike are cut off from a vast source of information which is directly applicable to TCM which exists in English since Chinese names and arcane pharmaceutical Latin are stressed. I'm an herbalist and was trained first in western herbs. I've found that even good herbal practicioners, advanced MSTOM students and even instructors often are unaware of the English or Latin binomial names of herbs- herbs which they may have important contraindication information about under the English names, but cannot access. Botanical Latin, with reference to parts, not pharmaceutical Latin, is the world standard as far as forms of reference and I hope those of you who are professors will stress it. I've had exams where the root of Rheum palmatum for Da Huang was considered incorrect and Herba Ephedra sinica was marked wrong because Bensky doesn't include a binomial- as if you could make Ma Huang Tang with Ephedra nevadensis (Mormon tea)! There is a need for researching western herbs in terms of energetics, channels and diagnostic categories within the emerging oriental medicine, especially with China leading the world in species extinction. In the American traditional herbal climate, local herbs are considered better than imported herbs, and not without reason since the plants are subject to the same stresses as the people and grow complimentarily. Without better research though, new herbalists may try to make Ma Huang Tang with E. nevadensis which won't effectively quicken lung qi and stop wheezing. Or they may try to use poisonous astragalus species for Huang qi, or cultivate Huang qi on soil too rich in selenium in irrigated Southern California. I want some of those doctoral students spending time on evaluating the energetics of western herbs, comparing western-grown herbs to native species from other countries and updating the materia medica to include information known on both hemispheres. Karen Vaughan CreationsGarden *************************************** Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment. We walk in the footsteps of those who came before us, leaving paths for others to follow... ______________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2000 Report Share Posted April 1, 2000 Gee, just imagine if we (TCM) just got down to some serious study and research. A real education and knowledge base freely exchanged. The cynic in me sees the rules becoming political, schools ivory towers and elite, research into phyto-pharmacutical standardized extract, the creating of another secret language and ad nausea. But this is our choice and our opportunity. Ed Kasper, LAc., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2000 Report Share Posted April 1, 2000 It is bound to be an awkward transition. I don't believe that most of the teachers in this country are at a doctoral level, so, isn't it kind of a farce for the schools to issue doctorates without the majority of teachers themselves holding doctorates that mean something? I suppose this is unavoidable given the stage that we are at with the profession. I did receive some negative feedback from practioners in other modalities, (chiropractic and naturopathic) where they smirked at the idea of a clinical doctorate that didn't require the basic sciences at a doctoral level. My two cents, Sean Nashua, NH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2000 Report Share Posted April 1, 2000 Karen, I agree with you here. Pharmaceutical latin has outlived its usefulness. Many Chinese herbs grown all around us, ignored because we don't learn common names. I was also trained first in 'western' herbal medicines, and in China, there are many local practitioners using indigenous materials. Definately another important area to develop in our fledgling medicine transplant. > >But I also find that practicioners and students alike are cut off from a >vast source of information which is directly applicable to TCM which >exists in English since Chinese names and arcane pharmaceutical Latin are >stressed. I'm an herbalist and was trained first in western herbs. I've >found that even good herbal practicioners, advanced MSTOM students and >even instructors often are unaware of the English or Latin binomial names >of herbs- herbs which they may have important contraindication >information about under the English names, but cannot access. > >Botanical Latin, with reference to parts, not pharmaceutical Latin, is >the world standard as far as forms of reference and I hope those of you >who are professors will stress it. I've had exams where the root of >Rheum palmatum for Da Huang was considered incorrect and Herba Ephedra >sinica was marked wrong because Bensky doesn't include a binomial- as if >you could make Ma Huang Tang with Ephedra nevadensis (Mormon tea)! > >There is a need for researching western herbs in terms of energetics, >channels and diagnostic categories within the emerging oriental medicine, >especially with China leading the world in species extinction. In the >American traditional herbal climate, local herbs are considered better >than imported herbs, and not without reason since the plants are subject >to the same stresses as the people and grow complimentarily. Without >better research though, new herbalists may try to make Ma Huang Tang with >E. nevadensis which won't effectively quicken lung qi and stop wheezing. >Or they may try to use poisonous astragalus species for Huang qi, or >cultivate Huang qi on soil too rich in selenium in irrigated Southern >California. > >I want some of those doctoral students spending time on evaluating the >energetics of western herbs, comparing western-grown herbs to native >species from other countries and updating the materia medica to include >information known on both hemispheres. > >Karen Vaughan >CreationsGarden >*************************************** >Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment. >We walk in the footsteps of those who came before us, leaving paths for >others to follow... > >______________ >YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! >Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! >Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: >http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. > >------ >LOW RATE, NO WAIT! >Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! Get rates >as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. >Learn more at: >http://click./1/937/6/_/542111/_/954632124/ >------ > >Chronic Diseases Heal - Chinese Herbs Can Help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2000 Report Share Posted April 1, 2000 Karen, I agree with you here. Pharmaceutical latin has outlived its usefulness. Many Chinese herbs grown all around us, ignored because we don't learn common names. I was also trained first in 'western' herbal medicines, and in China, there are many local practitioners using indigenous materials. Definately another important area to develop in our fledgling medicine transplant. > >But I also find that practicioners and students alike are cut off from a >vast source of information which is directly applicable to TCM which >exists in English since Chinese names and arcane pharmaceutical Latin are >stressed. I'm an herbalist and was trained first in western herbs. I've >found that even good herbal practicioners, advanced MSTOM students and >even instructors often are unaware of the English or Latin binomial names >of herbs- herbs which they may have important contraindication >information about under the English names, but cannot access. > >Botanical Latin, with reference to parts, not pharmaceutical Latin, is >the world standard as far as forms of reference and I hope those of you >who are professors will stress it. I've had exams where the root of >Rheum palmatum for Da Huang was considered incorrect and Herba Ephedra >sinica was marked wrong because Bensky doesn't include a binomial- as if >you could make Ma Huang Tang with Ephedra nevadensis (Mormon tea)! > >There is a need for researching western herbs in terms of energetics, >channels and diagnostic categories within the emerging oriental medicine, >especially with China leading the world in species extinction. In the >American traditional herbal climate, local herbs are considered better >than imported herbs, and not without reason since the plants are subject >to the same stresses as the people and grow complimentarily. Without >better research though, new herbalists may try to make Ma Huang Tang with >E. nevadensis which won't effectively quicken lung qi and stop wheezing. >Or they may try to use poisonous astragalus species for Huang qi, or >cultivate Huang qi on soil too rich in selenium in irrigated Southern >California. > >I want some of those doctoral students spending time on evaluating the >energetics of western herbs, comparing western-grown herbs to native >species from other countries and updating the materia medica to include >information known on both hemispheres. > >Karen Vaughan >CreationsGarden >*************************************** >Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment. >We walk in the footsteps of those who came before us, leaving paths for >others to follow... > >______________ >YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! >Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! >Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: >http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. > >------ >LOW RATE, NO WAIT! >Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! Get rates >as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. >Learn more at: >http://click./1/937/6/_/542111/_/954632124/ >------ > >Chronic Diseases Heal - Chinese Herbs Can Help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2000 Report Share Posted April 2, 2000 << I did receive some negative feedback from practioners in other modalities, (chiropractic and naturopathic) where they smirked at the idea of a clinical doctorate that didn't require the basic sciences at a doctoral level.>> It is sad when access to basic sciences for acupuncture students is at such a low level. Imagine biology, biochemistry, and biophysics without laboratories or microscopes and anatomy and neurology without access to laboratories or cadavers in this medical study! (And cadavers no longer require refrigeration with the new acetone-transfer preservation techniques. ) My high school biology and biochem exceeded the quality of the professional level courses in those two subjects currently required, (although high schools may no longer offer that quality.) And no botany is required for herbology. Many schools discourage students from leaving and taking " real " science courses for transfer credit once they have started their acupuncture programs. It would be much better if quality courses could be offered within our schools where discussion of biomedical sciences could be crossreferenced with TCM concepts. Karen Vaughan CreationsGarden *************************************** Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment. We walk in the footsteps of those who came before us, leaving paths for others to follow... ______________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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