Comments on: Fishie Science part four.

By: Fishie Science part four The Chem Blog | Weak Bladder

Fishie Science part four The Chem Blog | Weak Bladder — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:27:57 +0000

[...] Fishie Science part four The Chem Blog Posted by root 5 hours ago (http://www.thechemblog.com) It may also be a swim bladder issue but metronidazole gif comment by paul 2007 03 09 13 23 29 i thought you were going to say apropos given he is almost dead in addition to the active ingredients there are some other things that do nothing powered by word Discuss | Bury | News | Fishie Science part four The Chem Blog [...]

By: withheld

withheld — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:57:50 +0000

I am a fish enthusiast, and as far as tea tree oil goes, it is commonly found in otc products for treating fish with open wounds or torn fins. Just go check out the fish aisle at your local pet store.

By: Chemistry Blog » Blog Archive » Let’s Talk About Quinine

Chemistry Blog » Blog Archive » Let’s Talk About Quinine — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:08:09 +0000

[...] of other blogs have been discussing the merits of folk remedies versus pharma developed drugs: @The Chem Blog, @Chemical Musings). Anyway, this compound has saved countless lives, although now other [...]

By: Chemgeek

Chemgeek — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 06:12:03 +0000

Seriously, you just pour it into the water? Now that’s interesting.
Sorry to prolong this discussion.
I’ll hang up and listen.

By: Kyle Finchsigmate

Kyle Finchsigmate — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 05:41:02 +0000

There is really a lot of literature that’s quite easy to get to if you just google it on google scholar. The very first page will even give you the solubility of the purportedly active compound(s) in tea tree oil in water, which turns out to be quite good, as greasy as that molecule looks. So it’s just a matter of pouring it into the tank.

And anecdotal evidence is just evidence. I’d never risk my life or career on anecdotal evidence, but it’s a pretty damn good place to start.

By: Brando

Brando — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 00:53:58 +0000

I’m pretty sure some of the herbs “my friend” has used worked. For example, when “he” ate those poppy pods, “his” pupils disappeared, he vomited, became constipated, and he fell fast asleep for like 20 hours. And when he drank that kava powder stuff, his mouth went numb and he felt all talkative. And when he smoked that salvia extract, his legs became the blades of a spinning fan and he fell through 4 entirely alien dimensions where little elves stroked his non-corporeal body. And when he puts tea tree oil on a wound, it burns and cools and I’ll be damned if that isn’t topically killing some microbes! My point is, herbs contain drugs. Herbs are drugs in green leafy (or brown barky) packages. Many are quite active, and should not be underestimated (I’m talking to you, Mr. Poppy Pod!). Anyways, yah. =)

By: Chemgeek

Chemgeek — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 20:12:22 +0000

“If you have a problem with the commercial entity that promotes garbage for the sake of money then I’m right there with you.”
That’s one of my points. I’m glad we agree.

Now, I will throw a mea culpa out. I did what annoys me about blog comments. I admit it. I took one statement you wrote, extracted it and used it to springboard into something the statement wasn’t necessarily addressing in the first place. The guilt is tearing me apart!! OK, not really, but I hate it when people nitpick one or two statements, and now I am one of those guys. Dammit!!

The essence of what I was getting at (and I propose it in the form of a question) is: How much weight should be put on anecdotal evidence in science?

Do you have any scientific evidence to support your anecdotal evidence that tea tree oil helps heal superficial wounds on fish? And I’m not asking this to be a jerk. I’m honestly interested, and I did try this thing you call “Google.”

Finally, how do you get it on the fish? I can’t imagine that’s an easy thing to do.

By: Kyle Finchsigmate

Kyle Finchsigmate — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 19:10:18 +0000

So, what’s your beef then? I made a claim that is partly supported with references to peer reviewed literature and partly my own anecdotal evidence. I didn’t link to the manufacturer’s website, didn’t offer to sell it, offered that my experiences can’t be taken as rigorously tested IN THE SAME SENTENCE I MADE THE CLAIM, I have no vested interest in seeing it become popular and pointed out the assumed biologically active molecule.

If you have a problem with the commercial entity that promotes garbage for the sake of money then I’m right there with you. If you have a problem with people telling each other that they believe an extract of a biological specimen works then I really have no idea what to tell you, other than you shouldn’t counter a claim with “…it’s ignorant bullshit” when you’ve done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO PROVIDE SOMETHING OF SCHOLARLY MERIT RIGHT DOWN TO JUST GOOGLING TO DEBUNK IT. If you do, it would be easily to compare the validity of the experiments and it would be a genuine debate. ‘Till then, your claims are justifiably lumped in with the rest of the quackery.

It’s unavoidably true that ignorantly calling shenanigans is just as pathological as believing everything in nature can cure you. You’ve just hopped on a bandwagon of a different color.

By: Chemgeek

Chemgeek — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:35:12 +0000

First of all, the beer money IS being put to good use… beer!
Second, I don’t think I have ever discounted the importance, value, activity, etc… of natural products. I’m a big fan of natural products.

My main point is that manufacturers of herbal remedies can put any claim on the bottle they want, whether it’s been tested or not. They may work. They may be the best thing on earth. But there is no guarantee that it works or that the active compound(s) is/are even present.

By: uncle sam

uncle sam — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:17:56 +0000

Because it took a day or two longer when I didn’t do it since I lived in the city half the year where this thing didn’t grow. I cut myself pretty much every day as a kid. Rusty metal wires in dark, abandoned basements usually were the worst. The plant made all traces of a cut (scar tissue) disappear faster. I also have about 400 years of ancestors backing me up as well and longer if you can trust the locals in that part of the world; it’s not only my own sound, scientific research.

The plant was also supposed to make it hurt a little less, but not in my experience. Probably a placebo effect.