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— The AMA's Charge on the Light Brigade — Continued from page 42 International Health and Environment _ seek the open Lockean dialogue in "the free Network Journal, World Research News marketplace of ideas" in which truth would manipulate fertility, gender and even (2nd quarter 1995), goes succinctly to the always emerge as the best value. Ridicule behaviour; and to the readers of the core: as retort and censure by consensus pre-date respected American Teacher (71[6]:16, "The Cancer Journal for Clinicians even Galileo. It could be argued that all March 1987), who were gullible and naive is sent to virtually all the physicians in this is part of our collective hardwiring. enough to believe the account of H. the United States dealing with cancer. The real and ongoing legacy of Wohlfrath of the University of Alberta, Could this sort of stupidity and misin- Fishbein—the apotheosis of the peer Canada, who in 1982 replicated the nearly formation be one of the reasons why review, the institutionalisation (profession- 50-year-old work of Soviet researcher E. I. the answer to the cancer problem has al, academic, corporate and political) of Kritvitskya, in which high-frequency- not come as quickly as suspected? entities that perpetuate and fuel the reac- restored classroom light reduced absen- "During the Inquisition, individuals tionary, counter-evolutionary potentials of teeism, eye strain, dental caries, etc. as it were burnt at the stake for believing the human intellect—is not a simple, single increased attention, retention, etc. that the Earth revolved around the Sun. bequest. It is rather an annuity that pays When Dr Sy expressed his "disbelief" in The same Inquisition takes place today out incrementally in pain, indefinitely. 1931, he could do so with a certain inno- when the bastion of the medical com- Today, a century and a quarter after Dr cent honesty. But would the editors of CJC munity persecutes and removes those Babbitt and 100 years after Dinshah's have us dismiss vol. 453 (1985) of the individuals who attempt to discuss and empirical confirmation, in modern Annals of the New York Academies of the utilize therapies that are different than Western-style hospitals all over the world Sciences, on "The Medical and Biological the therapeutic system that is being you will find the seriously traumatised Effects of Light" (an entire conference on touted by the pharmaceutical indus- post-surgical patient routinely maintained the subject) as so much chopped liver? Or try." under the arbitrarily bizarre and randomly was the then nine-year-old Annals too In all fairness to Fishbein, he did not cre- unbalanced spectra from cool and allegedly recent to have come to the attention of the ate the Torquemada mentality—a mindset "white" fluorescence, while meticulously CJC editors, or too old for their considera- untroubled by the subtle (or not so subtle) sustained on FDA-determined minimum tion? Unlike Dr Sy, they are at least guilty distinction and easy interchangeability daily nutritive requirements. You may of criminal paucity of scholarship. between a science of data and a science of sneak in a full-spectrum light; you may Responding to this anonymous CJC arti- dicta. After all, the JAMA before, during Continued on page 84 cle, Dr Steve Ross, writing in the WRF and after Fishbein was never the arena to pag seek the open Lockean dialogue in "the free marketplace of ideas" in which truth would always emerge as the best value. Ridicule as retort and censure by consensus pre-date even Galileo. It could be argued that all this is part of our collective hardwiring. The real and ongoing legacy of Fishbein—the apotheosis of the peer review, the institutionalisation (profession- al, academic, corporate and political) of entities that perpetuate and fuel the reac- tionary, counter-evolutionary potentials of the human intellect—is not a simple, single bequest. It is rather an annuity that pays out incrementally in pain, indefinitely. Today, a century and a quarter after Dr Babbitt and 100 years after Dinshah's empirical confirmation, in modern Western-style hospitals all over the world you will find the seriously traumatised post-surgical patient routinely maintained under the arbitrarily bizarre and randomly unbalanced spectra from cool and allegedly "white" fluorescence, while meticulously sustained on FDA-determined minimum daily nutritive requirements. You may sneak in a full-spectrum light; you may manipulate fertility, gender and even behaviour; and to the readers of the respected American Teacher (71[6]:16, March 1987), who were gullible and naive enough to believe the account of H. Wohlfrath of the University of Alberta, Canada, who in 1982 replicated the nearly 50-year-old work of Soviet researcher E. I. Kritvitskya, in which high-frequency- restored classroom light reduced absen- teeism, eye strain, dental caries, etc. as it increased attention, retention, etc. When Dr Sy expressed his "disbelief" in 1931, he could do so with a certain inno- cent honesty. But would the editors of CJC have us dismiss vol. 453 (1985) of the Annals of the New York Academies of the Sciences, on "The Medical and Biological Effects of Light" (an entire conference on the subject) as so much chopped liver? Or was the then nine-year-old Annals too recent to have come to the attention of the CJC editors, or too old for their considera- tion? Unlike Dr Sy, they are at least guilty of criminal paucity of scholarship. Responding to this anonymous CJC arti- cle, Dr Steve Ross, writing in the WRF NEXUS - 83 Continued on page 84 DECEMBER 1997 - JANUARY 1998