Almost Home Run (Didn't Touch All The Bases)

On the one hand, I'm really excited to see this video because it does a good job of outlining the Thomas Sam case. On the other hand, I'm disappointed to see homeopathy - a german invention - tied so tightly to India, alone. The Sam's live in Australia, as did the uber-NewAge Penelope Dingle, dead at the hands of her NewAge T.V. "doctor" husband - and a homeopath. NewAge, which a belief in homeopathy is a sure indication of, is a world-wide phenomena being exploited by quacks. Dr. Robert Wohlfahrt was killing in France. Dr. Frank Shallenberger killed in Nevada. Their Code of Ethics has a "no snitch" clause. Understand?

Don't get me wrong: I appreciate any lesson I can get on excema. But we have bigger fish to fry as well. The Gloria Sam case is but one, in a myriad of other cases, that reveal the tapestry of a very sick NewAge culture. In just the three cases mentioned above, we're talking about a baby - their baby - a wife, a mother (plus two others) and someone's father. In every case, the Homeopath's excuse adds up to "It wasn't me" when it's obvious their cultish attraction to water as a remedy is but one of a myriad of bad decisions (like playing doctor in the first place) that's driving them to make preventable mistakes.

I hear Shallenberger's back doing what "works". Anybody covering him?

Come on, people, come on. I'm looking down at you.

Nice work, though.

Go To Nevada: Gamble With Your Life

I wrote recently of Frank Shallenberger, a homeopathic "doctor" in Nevada, who claims, oh so sympathetically, that it's a "clash of medical belief systems" that is the cause of Susan Gallagher's distress - not the fact he killed her sister. (Homeopaths do show much more concern than regular doctors, right?) Well, the story gets better:

Dr. Shallenberger's other victim was David Horton, an attorney who worked as a lobbyist for the Alternative Therapy Support Group (An organization that doesn't seem to have a website.). Mr. Horton was crazy about homeopathy, which doesn't sound too unusual these days, until you discover Mr. Horton also had a number of children who all grew up to become real doctors or did some other work in legitimate medicine. Crazy, huh? As his son, Robert Horton says, "It is ironic,...that my dad kept going back to (Shallenberger), but you talk to any medical doctor about this case and they will have trouble believing it because it's so wacky."

Yea, welcome to my world. "Wacky" is hardly the word for what's going on. "Surreal" works better for me. (Or "maddening" - take your pick.) I found the March 2nd, 1995 minutes of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor - a session that Dr. Shallenberger, and David Horton, attended. They were discussing insurance coverage in Nevada for homeopathy, and - surprise, surprise, surprise - everyone present thought using water as medicine was fine, including:

Senator Ann O'Connell (above) who knew homeopathic medicine is widely accepted in England and is the medicine of choice by the Royal Family. But didn't know homeopathy is just that little bottle of water on her desk.

And Senator Sue Lowden - a former news personality who is now the Nevada Republican Party Chairwoman - who "commented she is in favor of homeopathic medicine and is treated by a homeopathic doctor, though her regular doctor is not in favor of her choice." When a Mr. Hunter Gibbs said his wife wanted to try homeopathic treatment for her carpal tunnel syndrome, Senator Lowden "stressed the operation for carpal tunnel is not guaranteed to work."

Incredible. You've got to read it to believe it. These are Senators. Supposedly-smart people - with power. Which begs the question:

Exactly how many U.S. politicians believe water (H2O) is a cure-all?

Seriously, regarding medicine, what is going on out there politically - except for cultism? Especially in Nevada (which has "one of the five worst medical boards in the country" but has also declared "we can make Las Vegas the No.1 destination for alternative medicine") is anyone watching the store in Sin City?

Anyone?

Like, maybe, Satan?

Death Before (Homeopathy's) Dishonor

Well, now we're getting somewhere:

It seems the maniacally staring homeopathic doctor above, Frank Shallenberger, M.D., is blaming a "clash of medical belief systems" on the recent death of his California cancer patient. Another patient the homeopath failed was in Nevada, the sister of Susan Gallagher, an associate political science professor, who thinks "It's important to stop people like him from taking advantage of people,...." and "I don't believe a person who is a medical doctor can take off their medical hat."

Surprise: I agree completely. With both statements - though, of course, I've seen it before.

I'm now getting in touch with everyone involved in this case:

In time, this nonsense will be seen for the murderous behavior that it is.