The Enigma of Chinese Medicine
By STEPHEN T. ASMA
The Stone is a forum for contemporary philosophers and other thinkers on issues both timely and timeless.
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A few years ago, while visiting Beijing, I caught a cold. My wife, who is Chinese, and wanted me to feel better, took me to a local restaurant. After we sat down, she ordered a live turtle. The proprietors sent it over. I startled as the waiters unceremoniously cut the turtle’s throat, then poured its blood into a glass. To this frightening prospect, they added a shot of baijiu, very strong grain alcohol. The proprietor and waiters, now tableside, gestured with obvious pride for me to drink the potent medicine. I winced, found the courage, and drank up. continued
- Ellen
- Boston
This article fails to explain that both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have been subject to f rigourous scientific study, with randomized clinicial trials pitting them against more mainstream, western treatments. In many cases Chinese medicine got the same or better results--scientific evidence that they work, not mere anecdotes.
The main difference is that we don't understand HOW they work. Western medicine demands to understand the causal pathway in what we call 'evidence based medicine'. In contrast, Asian medicine is more concerned with 'experience based medicine,' meaning they care less about how or why it works than THAT it works. If it's the placebo affect it is still an affect--and I'll take it.
The main difference is that we don't understand HOW they work. Western medicine demands to understand the causal pathway in what we call 'evidence based medicine'. In contrast, Asian medicine is more concerned with 'experience based medicine,' meaning they care less about how or why it works than THAT it works. If it's the placebo affect it is still an affect--and I'll take it.
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