Is it the Medical Science we rely on…or it’s a Medical Culture!!
Even the World Health Organization, WHO refers to the death certificates to confirm the diseased-death rates in a country.
It is not the Medical Science that we depend upon, but the Medical Culture – a custom surrounding us. Like, 2×2 = 4. It is 4 in France, same in Germany or take any other country; this symmetry or system is called as Medical Science.
On the other hand, Medical Culture is a custom or tradition that varies from country to country and followed differently; like in India, we follow Hindu Culture. These customs do not go after or depend on logics; as they themselves create logics or conventions. So, it’s not Medical Science, it’s simply a Medical Culture!
For example, say if a person goes to a doctor with a condition of fatigue, so, here in India the doctor will suggest a blood sugar test. For the same condition in the US a doctor will check the blood pressure while in Germany the doctor will suspect a heart disease and conduct tests to diagnose cardiac-insufficiency.
Again in Finland the doctor will chance upon cancer diagnosis and refer an oncologist, while a French practitioner will ask the patient to rest for a week and enjoy red wine!
Under medical practice, all the above approaches are correct and will relieve that person from his fatigue condition. However precisely, this is not Medical Science but Medical Culture! Again, culture doesn’t lay a concrete pedestal; it requires no science, no logic and no convention as a foundation. So, it’s a mere name – Medical Science whereas in reality it’s Medical Culture!
In a recent development I was fortunate to get associated with Dr. Smile from Smile Limited, Japan. Smile Limited is a big venture in Japan. In our conversations, I had to put forward a question conflicting my mind, which was as in India the death rate from heart attacks is the highest in the world, while the situation is just the opposite in Japan with lowest deaths from heart attacks. I asked over Dr. Smile for his opinion over such a variation.
His simple yet logical answer will leave you thinking! Much politely he replied that, in Japan to have a heart attack is perceived as you had a weak heart on the other hand to a have a brain stroke is perceived as you had a stronger sharper brain!
To understand this, firstly you must know that the death rates in a country are confirmed through death certificates that indicate or mention the cause or ailment behind the death of the deceased.
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Even the World Health Organization, WHO refers to the death certificates to confirm the diseased-death rates in a country. Then, be it heart disease or brain strokes or any other ailment, WHO has no other means but to deduce their conclusions on the basis of available information on death certificates. But, is the provided information on death certificates completely reliable – is debatable!
Because in case of Japan, where heart attacks are listed lower than brain strokes, even though both heart attacks and brain strokes are caused by blockage of veins or arteries, then how is it possible to have lowest heart attack rate and highest brain stroke rate in the same country?
In support of the above contradiction, a German Scientist proved that the information on death certificates with regards to the reason behind the death is 50% inaccurate, i.e., a general examination of the deceased cannot provide the real reasons behind the death. Only an autopsy can reveal the actual cause of death, which for example in India is performed in 1 of 100 individuals with even limited number of Coroner’s (the person who performs the autopsy).
Therefore, the estimations for diseased-death rates in a country on mere basis of information on death certificates is a critical submission. This again helps me conclude that this is not Medical Science, but Medical Culture, which inherits the influences of past, followed customs, traditions, rituals and laid beliefs and will no way change as to the conspiracy behind is huge!!
