argu51~第一次限时用模考软件写的，求拍

鲜奶小方UID: 2681623

TOPIC: ARGUMENT51 - The following appeared in a medical newsletter.

"Doctors have long suspected that secondary infections may keep some patients from healing quickly after severe muscle strain. This hypothesis has now been proved by preliminary results of a study of two groups of patients. The first group of patients, all being treated for muscle injuries by Dr. Newland, a doctor who specializes in sports medicine, took antibiotics regularly throughout their treatment. Their recuperation time was, on average, 40 percent quicker than typically expected. Patients in the second group, all being treated by Dr. Alton, a general physician, were given sugar pills, although the patients believed they were taking antibiotics. Their average recuperation time was not significantly reduced. Therefore, all patients who are diagnosed with muscle strain would be well advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment."
WORDS: 573
TIME: 00:30:00
DATE: 2011-1-30 14:25:21

In the argument presented above, the author suggests that all patients who are diagonosed with muscle strain are supposed to be advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment. In order to back up his or her suggestion, the author cites a study of two groups of patients. This argument seems to be well presented at first glance; however, after close scrutiny and further consideration, one will find that the argument is logically flawed in the following aspects.

A threshold proble involved in the argument is about the study result the author cites. In evaluating how reliable the study results are, one must take many facets into consideration. In the first place, the author provides no explicit information about these two group of patients, such as the age, gender, occupation, and most importantly, the health condition. Particularly, we do not know how severe these patients' muscle strains are. It is entirely possible that the patients from the first group suffer slight muscle strain while those from the second one suffers much more serious strain.

And the author also makes a mistake in equating the direct correlation between taking antibiotics regularly throughout the treatment and the quicker recuperation with a cause-and-effect relationship, which can be seriously doubted. Without the existence of detailed evidence, it is too hasty for the author to conclude that the regular take of antibiotics is attributable to the less recuperation time. He or she fails to consider other possible alternatives to the result. For example, it is very possible that Dr.Newland gave the patients other medicine which are quite helpful to the healing of the muscle strain. Or perhaps Dr.Newland employed other additional therapies during the treating process. Without ruling out those alternative explanations, we could not buy the author's claim that it is antibiotics that makes the quiker recuperation.

In addition, it is mentioned in the argument that Dr.Newland is a doctor who specializes in sports medicine while Dr.Alton is just a general pyhsician. According to our common sense and experience, the former is naturally much better at treating muscle strain than any other doctor. It is absolutely possible that Dr.Newland has years of experience in research and study of the treatment of muscle strain. It might also be the case that Dr.Newland has his or her own way to deal with the case of muscle strain, which could explain why the patients of the first group have 40 percent quicker time of recuperation.

Last but not least, the author unfairly assumes that taking antibiotics should be advised as part of the treatment of muscle strain. Does the taking of antibiotics have any side effect? Are they effective to all the people, regardless of their age, gender, and health condition? What about the price of the antibiotics? Could everybody afford them? There are so many factors which the author has not taken into consideration before he or she comes to the conclusion.

In sum, the author's suggestion mentioned in the argument is not based on valid evidence and sound reasoning. In order to further validate the argument, the author needs to bring forward more substantial evidence to prove that it is antibiotics that contribute to the quicker recuperaion. Moreover, to better evaluate the study result, I would need to know more backgroud informaiton about the two groups of patients. In addition, before providing the suggestion, the author has to take many other important and relavent factors into account.