Are you people sure that trepanation is a bad plan?
I was just listening to the This American Life archives and came across a story about a man who did research into just how many actually useful, symbiotic parasites our cleanly modern life may have eliminated, and remains convinced that he successfully cured himself of lifelong debilitating allergies by
infecting himself with hookworms
. He then went on to a brisk internet business selling them to other allergy sufferers, but the FDA shut him down and he and his family have left the country.
Allyson,
rant here. we can take it.
I've read about him, JZ. I gotta say, he fills me with a mix of "go you!" and curiosity as to how bad one's allergies would have to be to make
hookworms
sound like a reasonable trade off.
Seriously, Burrell. My sinusitis is annoying, but with that as an alternative, I'll stick with my Claritin...
I read about hookworm guy a while ago. It all sounds completely reasonable. Except for the "here, swallow this hookworm" part.
I've read about him, JZ. I'll admit, during the bad days, I longingly think that some
hookworms, leeches,
and laudanum would take care of a lot of the health problems I'm dealing with.
My sinusitis is annoying, but with that as an alternative, I'll stick with my Claritin...
Right? But then again, if it works for other autoimmune disorders? That'd be something.
Mine are pretty damn close. I was listening to the episode and flipping back and forth between "EW. EW. EW." and "I wonder if he can still ship to Canada? I've always wanted to see Victoria Island."
Hey, now leeches serve a valid medical purpose! Just not usually blood letting per se. But hmm, what about fire cupping?
I seriously got to back away from the looking up odd medical treatments. I just love looking into that kind of stuff.
