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Originally posted by tisonlyi
As for the tonsil and appendix points... irrelevent. diseased, dangerous, medically must be removed (currently - that will change at some point in the future, unless we wipe ourselves out.)
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I think the comparison of tonsillectomy and circumcision is completely relevant. The hand comparison is pretty non sequitur--hardly an equal comparison. In the past tonsillectomy, was viewed as necessary for many children, becoming something of a fad in the '50s. Further research has shown that tonsillectomy is not necessary the majority of the time, yet it is still a pretty common practice even today. It's just as controversial as circumcision. In my searches, I came upon a few sites that even compared or categorized tonsillectomy with circumcision. What I post below is just what I've found. It just sounded to me like tisonlyi believes all tonsils should be removed. In which case, I think that's pretty ironic considering his whole spiel about barbarism.
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Other examples of misdirected therapy based on a myth or mistaken paradigms are the ritual surgeries of the past and present. Through the first three quarters of the twentieth century it was almost a given that children would have their tonsils removed if they had more than a few episodes of sore throat. Even though by the 1950's there were antibiotics to treat strep throat, the only treatable cause of sore throat, the bulk of the remainder being viral, it was thought that removal of the easily infected tonsils would decrease not only sore throat incidence but other respiratory infections, poor appetite, allergic symptoms, etc. Studies were done that showed that only those with quite frequent strep throat would benefit by tonsil removal. Children normally have quite large tonsils relative to adults, but the size has not been related to frequency of infection, and the natural history is one of gradual diminishing size with age. As the medical paradigm shifted, the number of tonsillectomies performed annually in the U.S. peaked at 1.4 million in 1959.
A more current controversy is that of circumcision of the newborn, the surgical removal of the foreskin of male newborns, which is actually a religious ritual for those of some faiths. And, although done on 90 % of American male infants, male circumcision is not the norm in other developed as well as developing nations. The medical myths that circumcision prevents cancer, HIV, urinary tract and other infections have been the reason for this surgery. Recently, after careful review of studies done over the last 40 years, the pediatric professional society has come out with the statement that the medical " benefits are not significant enough for the AAP to recommend circumcision as a routine procedure." Other examples of surgery abandoned or modified because of changing understanding of disease processes or major shifts in thinking would be the trend to remove less breast tissue in breast cancer and the move from total removal of the ruptured or lacerated spleen to partial splenectomy, operative repair and even observation without operation.
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http://www.soberforever.net/program_research1.cfm
Both tonsillectomy and circumcision are categorized as ritual surgeries that are controversial.
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History of the Procedure: Tonsillectomy was first described in India in 1000 BC. The procedure increased in popularity in the 1800s, when a tonsillectomy or partial removal of the tonsil was performed. Part of the tonsil was left behind, which frequently hypertrophied and caused recurrence of the obstruction. By the early part of the 20th century, the prevalence of tonsil disease was recognized and the necessity of complete tonsillectomy appreciated.
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A little bit of history on tonsillectomy.
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Frequency: Though tonsillectomy is performed less often than it once was, it is still among the most common surgical procedures performed on children in the United States. In 1959, 1.4 million tonsillectomies were performed in the United States. By 1987, this figure had dropped to 260,000; at that time, it was the 24th most common indication for hospital admission. Indications for tonsillectomy, which formerly consisted primarily of infections, have evolved to upper airway obstruction.
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http://www.emedicine.com/ent/byname/tonsillectomy.htm
In 1987, it was still a pretty common surgery.
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Changes in the prevalence of tonsillectomy and circumcision in eleven year olds are described in two birth cohorts spaced 12 years apart. Both types of operation were less prevalent in the later (1958) cohort; tonsillectomy fell by a fifth and circumcision by more than half. These falls were confined to tonsillectomy before the age of six and circumcision under one year. Social class differences in tonsillectomy were found in both cohort studies but the strong social class gradient in circumcision reported in the 1946 cohort had vanished in the 1958. Regional and birth rank differences are found for both types of operation; these show substantial changes over time. These results are discussed in the context of changing professional opinions about the worth of these operations.
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http://ije.oupjournals.org/cgi/conte...lcode=intjepid
I would have liked to read the entire article, but I could only find the abstract.
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When it is realised that the incredible increase in poliomyelitis which took place between 1940 and 1950 was due, at least in part, to the errors of tonsillectomy (45-46)...
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http://www.whale.to/m/nightingale.html
There were some other sites that I forgot to bookmark that also attributed an increase in polio to tonsillectomies.
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In the first half of this century, great enthusiasm existed for tonsillectomies, which were considered by some to be a "public health measure," [63] and they were performed for minimal symptomatology. Baker [4] describes an incident occurring in about 1920: [...]
Skepticism about the appropriate indications for tonsillectomy developed in the next few decades. Paradise [65] credits this to (1) the natural decline in the incidence of upper respiratory infections in children with age, (2) an increased risk for poliomyelitis after tonsillectomy prior to the availability of an effective vaccine, (3) the development of antimicrobial agents for treating upper respiratory infections, and (4) studies purporting that tonsil and adenoid surgery was ineffective. The number of tonsillectomies performed annually peaked at 1.4 million in 1959 and then declined. [63]
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http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~ofattal/tonsilsarticle.htm
One of the better explanations for the decline in popularity of tonsillectomy.
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Nowadays, we are proud to know that not every tonsil needs to be removed. However, I suspect that we would get quite similar laws of nature if only we investigated more modern ailments, such as allergies.
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http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cache...n&ie=UTF-8</a>
This article uses tonsillectomy as an example in the introduction. The intro gives you an idea of how many children were elected for tonsillectomy in the past.
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Over the past few decades doctors have come to the conclusion that removing tonsils surgically could result in bleeding and other complications and isn't always the answer for recurring sore throats. "In the 1950s and 1960s a lot of tonsillectomies were performed. It was almost a rite of passage for a child," says Dr. Godley. "Now we're much more selective."
New Tonsil Policies
These days, doctors remove tonsils for more specific reasons: tonsils that are chronically seriously inflamed or unusually enlarged, Dr. Godley notes. In addition, a doctor will consider removing the tonsils if they have an infection that might spread to other areas of the throat--or if enlarged tonsils are interfering with breathing.
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http://www.mothernature.com/Library/...ooks/32/95.cfm
This is a pretty good article that explains tonsillectomy. These days, doctors weigh the benefits from disadvantages much more than they used to.
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When is the correct time to remove the tonsils--or adenoids--or both? If this were the early 60's, all four patients would have had their tonsils removed long ago.
Let me try to explain why some patients should have their tonsils or adenoids removed, and others not.
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http://www.informedparent.com/articl...icle=4.tonsils
Another good article on tonsillectomy as explained to a parent with a child who may potentially need it.