Univ Of Calif Berkeley Wellness Letter
Question:
In article <Pine.SUN.3.95L.971114174119.3401A-100…@bonjour.cc.columbia.edu>, Aaron Andrew Fox <aa…@columbia.edu> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Okay, okay. I give up. But you still haven’t answered the two > substantive questions I have asked: > 1) What’s in "Vira-Spray" that makes it "anti-bacterial" (or anti-anything > else)? > 2) Why is a $50-75 Viralizer better than a $12-15 Kaz personal steamer or > a hot shower? > With this query, I have decided to sign off alt.support.sinusitis. > After all, by following conventional medical thereapies (drugs and > surgery) and using the Grossan water-pik attachment and taking good care > of my overall health *I* have managed to cure my sinusitis pretty much > definitively (anecdotal evidence, I admit), so I have no further need for > any help with my condition, and I am spending too much time simply > defending obvious points and having pointless arguments which don’t > resolve. > My recovery is not due to colloidal silver, garlic, echinachea, > viralizers, homeopathy, giving up dairy, goldenseal, DHEA, tea tree oil, > or any other such mystical gobledygook snakeoil. That shit will only waste > your money and your time. > I pity the poor people who tune in looking for good advice, though, only > to find that, like every other health-related USENET group (heck, like the > whole internet, which I’ve been using since it began) this one has been > inundated with hucksters and pseudo-scientists, pornographers, and > conspiracy theorists. I wish those of you really suffering from the awful > pain of serious sinus disease a speedy recovery, and urge you to seek your > help from people who know the most about how disease processes work in > the human body: licensed, educated, serious, patient-oriented and > sympathetic medical doctors. No doubt too, this departure note will be > met with the usual spate of "good riddances" such notes generally inspire. > Let ‘em rip. You’re safe from my rejoinders now. > It has pained me to see the tone in here become so strident of late, and I > am sorry for my part in it, though I do not believe I have ever > *personally* insulted anyone who has not first attacked me on personal and > spurious grounds simply for holding a strong opinion in favor of science > and expressing myself somewhat wordily, as academics are stereotypically > wont to do. If I have, I apologize, because it is against my first > principle of discourse to do so although I get pissed off like anyone else > and do not claim to be without sin. Strong, serious argument is not the > same thing as *ad hominem* attack, however, and I believe in the former as > much as I despise the latter in both face-to-face discourse and internet > discussion. > Along with Drs. Tichenor and Grossan and Stephen Livitchuck, and a > few others whose names I cannot remember right now, I have been a regular > and serious contributor to the discussion on this list for over two years, > beginning when odontogenic sinusitis came close to ruining my life, and > I will actually miss the group, where I have gotten lots of support and > great advice from some very smart and interesting people with whom I have > not always fully agreed. I will of course continue personal > correspondences with those people. My apologies to recent arrivals who > have seen only my combative and pissed-off side of late. If I have > offended anyone who didn’t really deserve the offense, I also apologize. > Just remember, when the snake-oil remedies fail to work and you finally go > to a good doctor and get help, that I told you so. If this advice saves > you money, donate it to AIDS research or something else good (people with > AIDS can have terrible sinusitis problems which seem trivial compared to > their other problems, but which actually make them as miserable as some > far more dramatic opportunistic infections. No doubt a few such people > have lurked on or even contributed to this list over the years and found > the level of passion those of us who are otherwise healthy devote to our > sinus problems, no matter how serious, somewhat amusing.) > Don’t forget to irrigate with your Grossan water-pik attachment! It’s > simple and it really helps. Now, I’ve got other things to do. > Best wishes and clear noses, > Aaron Fox
PLEASE SING ALONG TO THE TUNE OF "THREE BLIND MICE" WE HATE TO SEE YOU GO, WE HATE TO SEE YOU GO, WE HOPE TO HECK, YOU NEVER COME BACK, WE HATE TO SEE YOU GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BYE BYE SCOTT ADDITIONALLY, Vira Spray I is antibacterial because it is a dilute solution of hexylresorcinol, which is recognized as being an antibacterial, analgesic, antiseptic agent. Merck and company developed a dilute solution of hexylresorcinol many years ago and sold it in a blue bottle. It was tested and demonstrated effective against all of the leading bacteria in clinical tests conducted at Johns Hopkins. Merck subsequently sold the product line and I do not think that this specific product is currently on the market. However, it was available as recently as the late 1980’s after more than40 years on the market. Regarding the advantages of the $50 Viralizer vs a Kaz steamer or a hot shower. It is difficult for most people to to heat thier nose with a hot shower. However, being the mental acrobat that you are, you can probably accomplish this feat and therefore do not need a Viralizer. The head doc of Virology was interviewed in US News and World Reports a Dr. La Montagne or something like that and he claimed that because he knew that heat kills cold Viruses that he takes a hot shower when he feels a cold coming on. Well that’s one excuse for taking a shower. It has been my personal experience that in general the arrogant nerds at NIH do stink! Most of those folks are also mental acrobats, so they too can manuver to heat up their noses under a hot shower. As far as using a hot Kaz steamer close to your nose, this can really cause harm as the temps from the hot steam are much higher than the 120F of a Viralizer and the Viralizer folks believe in the credo "Do no harm" The temps coming out of a Kaz steamer are in excess of 200F, and that is why it is labeled a room humidifier. Using a hot Kaz steamer near the nose could create a serious burn. Even I would admit that it might have a negative effect on the cilia. Eh, what, Dr. Grossan???? Aaron, I hope than you can now fade into the sunset, with your questions answered; so you don’t have to walk around with a stupid look on your face. I hope that my musical ditty was musically correct, as I note that your true specialty is MUSIC. ——————-==== Posted via Deja News ====———————– http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
Response:
I am saddened that one of our most prolific contributors has chosen to leave the group. Although I am a fairly recent poster, I have learned so much from this site that i *finally* feel that I have some control over my health. From this group I have learned about the Grossan irrigator and via locating it, I found an ENT who espouses the use of the irrigator as well as prescribes a topical antibiotic which can be used with my irrigator. No more 6 weeks runs of Cipro have helped my financial situation as well as probably boosted my immune system. The bickering which the viralizer has causes is unpleasant. As I mentioned an a previous post, I bought the Viralizer when it first came out with all the full page ads an the major newspapers promoting it. Unfortunately, I found no benefit. It did not stop my colds dead in their tracks as promised. It did not cure my chronic sinusitis. It is simply a device that delivers heat, not steam to the nose. In fact, I felt that the drying effects were detrimental to my nasal passages. I threw the device away after really wanting a cure badly enough to plunk down $50 for it. I am a faithful user of the Grossan irrigator and have so far been able to at least delay ,if not cancel,a second scheduled sinus surgery. It is my sincere hope that we can continue to educate and help people through this forum.
Response:
The previous post was so disgusting that I wonder what type of person would be so childlike. From now on, can everybody just *ignore* Scott and his destructive comments, his childish behavior and his damn Viralizer? Perhaps if we ignore him,like one would a naughty child, he’ll give up and go home. To everyone else on this *support* board, Peace and Good Health.
Response:
In article <19971116024301.VAA11…@ladder02.news.aol.com>, sar…@aol.com (SARLIS) wrote: > The previous post was so disgusting that I wonder what type of person would be > so childlike. From now on, can everybody just *ignore* Scott and his > destructive comments, his childish behavior and his damn Viralizer? Perhaps if > we ignore him,like one would a naughty child, he’ll give up and go home. To > everyone else on this *support* board, Peace and Good Health.
Lady?? Man??? Person??? You are so hostile, are you chronically ill, according to your earlier posts you suffer from constant infection, your children have no use for you, you suffer from vertigo and dizziness. You have had multiple sinus surgeries and take tons of antibiotics and are still chronically ill. You claim to have thrown away your Viralizer which you may or may not have used properly, probably at the urging of your Doctor. You now use a prescription topical antibacterial with your irrigation. USING A SIMPLE OTC ANTIBACTERIAL LIKE VIRASPRY I,, would obviously be too simple. You defend andlike people who use offensive words like assinine, snake oil etc. etc. You never sent back your Viralizer for the money back guarantee and you are angry at the "damn Viralizer" WHICH if you bought it years ago only cost you a mere $35 and with a full money back guarantee! Why aren’t you angry at the people who performed tens of thousands of dollars of unsuccessful sinus surgeries or the drug companies who have sold you thousands of dollars of antibiotics that apparently have not worked for you. DID ANY OF THE DOCTORS OR DRUG COMPANIES OFFER YOU A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE AND WHAT ABOUT THE PAINFUL SIDE EFFECTS OF THESE MULTIPLE OPERATIONS AND ENGOURGING OF ALL OF THESE ANTIBIOTICS. SOME FOLKS MIGHT THINK THAT YOU HAVE MISPLACED ANGER AND FRUSTRATION. YOU ARE ANGRY AT THE WRONG PEOPLE! all you want to do is post multiple anti Viralizer messages over a $35 expenditure and you probably never even called the company to ask if you were using the device and the sprays properly. How much of a chance, how long a trial did you give the Viralizer before tossing it (I’m sure at the urging of your Doctor). Did you use the Viralizer once twice, a week a month?? Why aren’t you posting anti surgery and antiheavy antibiotic use messages which have not worked for you and have cost you many thousands of dollars and resulted in so much other pain and side effects???? Does your Doctor have you HYPNOTIZED??? Wake up and smell the coffee, if you can smell the coffee. You have asked in other posts why more Viralizer users aren’t posting to this and similar sites. FRANKLY, IT IS BECAUSE VIRALIZER USERS NO LONGER HAVE YOUR MULTIPLE PROBLEMS AND THEREFORE ARE NOT SPENDING TIME ON SITES SUCH AS THIS SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO THEIR NON SYMPTOMS! THEY ARE PROBABLY SURFING THE SKI AND TRAVEL SITES SO THEY CAN ENJOY THEIR HEALTHY LIVES!!!! I’M SORRY IF I DO NOT SOUND SYMPATHETIC BUT PEOPLE LIKE YOU REALLY MAKE ME ANGRY. Regrets, Scott ——————-==== Posted via Deja News ====———————– http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
Response:
The Berkeley Wellness Letter is a LICENSEE!!! According to the New York Times May 12, 1990; Richard V. Benson received an award from the Direct Marketing Association on Direct Marketing DAy. DICK BENSON, THE NEWSLETTER KING, WAS NAMED ‘DIRECT MARKETER OF THE YEAR!’ The following is quoted verbatim from the New York Times article:…"When the Harvard Medical Letter(one of numnerous Benson Clients) failed to heed his advice on how to increase its circulation, Mr. Benson, ever the "grumpy genius" as yesterday’s presentation had it, went searching for an institution on which to hang a competitive newsletter. After two years, he persuaded the University of California Berkely to allow the use of its name. The Harvard letter is still going strong. BUT THE BERKELEY WELLNESS LETTER IS NOW THE LARGEST NEWSLETTER OF ANY KIND IN THE COUNTRY, WITH 900,000 SUBSCIBERS. "KING BENSON" "AND ONE EMPLOYEE," MR. BENSON SAID WITH A SATISFIED SMILE. "IT’S MY DAUGHTER" " Among the Wellness Letters recent junk science in its junk mail format was an article claiming that the only benefit of garlic was bad breath! This against the hundreds of clinicals worldwide and years of anecdotal evidence supporting garlic’s helpfulness for everything from improved immune function to lowered cholesterol. The Berkely letter also has referred to non existent negative clinicals on cold treatment devices to put them down. Anything to titilate sucker subscribers! Sorry Virginia, but I know Santa Claus and Dick Benson is no Santa Claus! Cheers, Scott ——————-==== Posted via Deja News ====———————– http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
Response:
Filed under: Chronic sinusitis
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