The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7368 p390
24 September 2005

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When science meets religion, reflect more
Burning up the calories is the road to youthful health more
Preparing to meet the menace of terrorist attacks head on more

When science meets religion, reflect

In his essay “Of atheism” (1625), Francis Bacon wrote: “A little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.”

Arguments over the relative demands of science and religion have intensified since Bacon’s day. A curious modern application has been reflected in the recent trouble following the arrangement for the Dalai Lama to address a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington on 12 November, discussed in an editorial in Nature for 18 August. When the arrangement was announced there were calls from some neuroscientists to boycott the Dalai Lama’s address on the ground that science and religion should be kept strictly separate and that in any case the implied snub to China would be politically sensitive.

The Tibetan leader has offered increasing encouragement to researchers to study the possibility that Buddhist meditation can reshape the brain, increase mental and intellectual well-being, and so bring benefit to society worldwide. His sponsors for the scientific congress have asked the Dalai Lama to lecture on ways in which meditation can improve empathy and compassion, two qualities that the modern world sorely needs.

Although many of the scientists who have objected are of Chinese origin, and therefore may have a political axe to grind, they have insisted that their sole concern is with science. Other psychologists have claimed that, as the Buddhist argument goes, neural networks are in fact better co-ordinated in individuals who have practised meditation.

Critics have retorted that studies are flawed in terms of proper controls, since young university students have been compared with practising monks aged 30 or 40.

It is suggested that speakers at scientific meetings, whether scientists or non-scientists, should not be barred on account of any religious beliefs they may hold. Many celebrated scientists, including Isaac Newton, have held beliefs with which many people would strongly disagree but this fact has not detracted from their impact on scientific thought.

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Burning up the calories is the road to youthful health

There seems no end to arguments over the relationship between obesity and its problems and physical activity in young children and adolescents. They might well be extended to adults who should know better how to balance gain and loss.

The ancient proverb that “often and little eating makes a man fat” cannot today be upheld. On the other hand, as John Dryden commented in 1700, “the wise, for cure, on exercise depend” remains true and strikes a compelling note.

In The Lancet for 23 July there is a paper from a group of experts in several US universities, offering guidance on regulating overweight and obesity through encouraging physical activity. It is self-evident that obesity results from the increased intake of energy through overeating, or its reduced expenditure through physical activity, or both. Unless calories in roughly balance calories out, the living frame will distort in one direction or the other.

In a group of adolescent girls in the US, studied for up to 10 years, body fatness was related to changes in physical activity engaged in since childhood. Differences in body weight gain between the least and most active girls ranged from 4kg to 6 kg in white individuals and 6kg to 9kg in black ones. It is emphasised that modern adolescents often follow extremely obesogenic lifestyles. Nevertheless, a reduction of 100kcal energy intake or a similar increase in output daily is calculated to prevent later obesity in the adult.

The nature and extent of physical exercise that might alter energy balance significantly in Britain is in doubt. A recommended goal is 60 minutes daily of moderate intensity, but objective figures of how far adolescents achieve this are lacking. Reliable criteria for preventing paediatric obesity need to be established, to take account of both dietary habits and physical behaviour patterns.

Evidence is sadly lacking for the extent to which television viewing, consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar and formula feeding of infants contribute to the overall picture. However, it is clear that physical activity should be promoted in educational training of children, since there is no doubt about its efficacy in the struggle to meet the health challenges offered by overweight and obesity.

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Preparing to meet the menace of terrorist attacks head on

In the New England Journal of Medicine for 11 August are some timely comments by two doctors from University College London regarding the possibility of preparedness against terrorist attacks, which are the daily subject of reports in our present unhappy situation. They point out that incidents such as those in London on 7 July, which were unprecedented in scale and severity, had been anticipated but still presented grave difficulties.

The simultaneous detonation of devices at multiple locations put pressure on emergency services. The subterranean locations of some of the explosions made access to the sites difficult and posed risks to rescue crews. The need for specialist training and development of extrication skills was apparent. Working conditions were restricted, ventilation poor, temperatures high and lighting difficult.

The involvement of multiple sites added difficulties in communication and response between individuals and organisations. Some conventional parts of the communications infrastructure failed, making it difficult to maintain contact between control centres, hospitals and operational medical teams, and even affecting mobile interpersonal communication within hospitals. Interference with transport facilities involving closure of bus and London Underground services gave rise to road congestion.

Clearly, forward planning and rehearsal are valuable, but the threat can rapidly change its shape. Many aggrieved persons and organisations now have access to information on constructing and using explosive devices, and there is the possibility of smaller sporadic attacks. Biological or chemical agents might also be released in an explosion, adding to the effects of a conventional blast.

Individuals need to be trained, and doctors should be instructed in the workings of the emergency services. Specialists must be trained in new skills such as extrication, triage and transport, and the effects of explosive injury and various degrees of injury must be understood. Individual cities must ensure that adequate training and equipment are provided and the availability of sufficient personnel and the means for their transport must always be borne in mind. Complacency is out of order.

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