argument51 by [728西安]小红莓

小红莓UID: 2641349

今天是模考，和限时又是不一样的感觉，有点混乱，继续努力吧小红莓

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: 358 （490）
TIME: 00:30:00 （45）
DATE: 2009-7-10 23:33:52

The author concludes that all patients who are diagnosed with muscle stain would be well advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment. In order to support this assertion, the author then cites a study of two groups of patients, one of which being treated for muscle injuries by Dr. Newland and have a shorter recuperation time than the other group, the patients of which are treated by Dr.Alton. The argument seems logical, while a careful analysis could reveal several logically flaws.

To begin with, the author unfairly assumes that the patients in the study were all suffered from secondary infections. If no one or only a part of them suffered from secondary infections, how the author could have a conclusion that the antibiotics could decreased the secondary infections.

Next, the author then assumes that the antibiotic faster the recuperation of the patients of the first group. Even if the patients took antibiotics regularly, their dairy may also have influence on their recuperation. And, as Dr. Newland is specializes in sports medicine, perhaps the patients take more exercise than before and therefore have a quicker recuperation time. Without ruling out all the possibilities that may cause the patients of the first group, the assumption that the antibiotic increased the recuperation is unconvincing.

Additionally, the author fails to provide any evidence to show that the sugar pills, taken by the patients of the second group, have no effect on the recuperation time. Perhaps they could make muscle injuries recuperate harder than before. Even if the sugar pills have no effect on it, the weather condition, dairy, mood, and many other reasons may have influence on the recuperation time.

Even if it's the antibiotics, rather than any other reasons that faster the recuperation, the author still fails to prove that secondary infections could be decreased by these antibiotics. Perhaps it's the other reasons, as proved above, make the patients recuperate faster. As no scientific statistics have been showed, I could not believe that the antibiotics taken by the patients have any effect on secondary infections.

Finally, even if the antibiotic may cure secondary infections in the study, the author fails to show that they are adapted to all patients. Since everyone differs in their health, life style, and the severity of illness, the antibiotics may have different effect on different people. Perhaps some patients could not be cured by them, or even be sensitive to them. Without enough experiment the author’s conclusion is indefensible.

To sum up, the argument is untenable as it stands. To convince me that all patients who are diagnosed with muscle strain would be well advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment, the author should give more evidence that the patients in the study were all suffered from secondary infections, and it’s the antibiotic that cure secondary infections. To better assess the conclusion, I would also know if the antibiotics are adapted to all patients.

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我也给改了一份~恩