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By Brooks A. Mick, M.D.
Nov. 9, 2006 I propose that this be renamed Anywar Syndrome. Soldiers who have been to war do have more complaints than soldiers who have no tbeen to war. However, there is nothing specific about these complaints referable to any particular war. The same complaints were seen after the Vietnam War, after the First World War, after the Second World War, after the Spanish-American War, and after the Peloponnesian War. One should note that dioxin and nerve gas and anti-nerve gas and anthrax vaccines weren't used in many of those wars. They weren't even invented yet for the most part. More scientifically, statistical analysis has shown conclusively that mortality and rates of hospitalization were not higher among Gulf War veterans, there was no increase in birth defects seen in their children, and objective measures such as pulmonary function tests and peripheral nerve electromyography showed no differences between deployed veterans and nondeployed peers. One investigation group, headed by Haley, found some clusters of illness related to exposure various agents, but further investigation by others and comparison among specific subgroups of veterans has demonstrated no relationship to chemical weapons, insect repellents, depleed uranium, pyridostigmine bromide, or other exposures. The IOM group studied a host of potential exposure agents but failed to find any significant relationship. Veterans' advocacy groups, on the other hand, have been pushing on regardless, refusing to accept the lack of statistical evidence, and pushing for compensation. I think this is much like the trials where John Edwards channeled the voices of babies with cerebral palsy and convinced juries to award big bucks, meanwhile taking his usual huge cut. No, not that the veterans' groups are taking a cut, but that they are basically just exhibiting the same sympathy for human beings who have complaints as the juries show to the unfortunate babies with cerebral palsy. It doesn't matter if there is no evidence that the doctor caused the cerebral palsy; they're going to pay that poor baby something anyway! This is just Anywar Syndrome. Many of the young men (and now women) who have been through the hardships and stress of combat have many complaints. Indeed, many young and old men and women under stress who have never been near combat have many complaints--and the same complaints. Giving them monetary compensation amounts to simply taking it from somebody perceived to have a lot of money and giving it to people toward which we feel sympathy. It is tough to separate emotion from facts, sympathy from reality. Very difficult. But we should do it. "Gulf War Syndrome: The Final Chapter?" Jeffrey S. Sartin, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Volume 81, Number 11 ------------ About the author Brooks A. Mick: Physician, still practicing medicine but retired from the US Army. Write just for the fun of it, but working on novel in the vein of Tom Clancy's politico-military genre. Email: brooks15@cox.net Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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