argument51 [spring小组 第十三次作业]

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The author of the article advises that all patients who are diagnosed with muscle strain should take antibiotics s part of their treatment. To support his suggestion the author uses a study of two group patients who are under the treatment of different doctors and their own prescriptions. However, the study undermines the suggestion instead of proving it according to the principles of control experiments.

To begin with, the doctors who are in charge of the two groups are different in their specialization. Dr. Newland who specializes in sports medicine might be much more familiar with patients diagnosed with muscle strain and good at it while Dr Alton is a general physician, who usually is in charge of  the preliminary diagnose helping patient find the most appropriate specialized doctor. If so, it is probable that patients who receive the treatment of Dr Newland recover faster simply due to Dr Newland’s specialized and proficient skills instead of the function of antibiotics.

Even if the two doctors are both good at treatment of patients with muscle strain, the counterparts of the study violate the rule of controlled experiments. The first group patients take antibiotics while not take sugar pills while the second group does the reverse. In order to prove the significant influence of antibiotics, the study should arrange the first group to take antibiotics as well as sugar pills or the second group not to take the same pills as the first group does except antibiotics.

What’s more, the article does not provide enough information to ensure the credibility of the result. The article mentions that the recuperation time of the group patients was, on average, 40 percent quicker than typically expected. Since it was the expected time it would be not accurate. Besides, the author does not provide the second group’s recuperation time statistically. Perhaps the second group also reduces the same recuperation time as the first group did. In order to prove it, the article should compare the two groups’ recuperation time directly or provide a concrete data about the second group comparing with the expected time.

Finally, Even if the antibiotics do play an importance role in curing patients with muscle strain, we cannot sure that all the patients should be advised to take it as the assistant treatment. For those people who are allergic to antibiotics, this kind of prescription seems inappropriate at all.

In sum, the author’s suggestion treatment to patients with muscle strain suffers from several doubts. To strengthen it, the author should design the study following the rules of controlled experiments, using the doctors who are in the same specialization and ensure the same prescription used by the two groups except the different use of antibiotics in order to highlight the influence of it. The author should also provide concrete data to support it and consider the exceptional conditions.