argument51

hshansongUID: 2358850

51The 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."






In this newsletter, the author concludes that all patients with muscle strain would be advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment. To support the conclusion, the author cites a  study of two groups of such patients with different treatment. The argument is flawed in several important aspects.

To begin with, the study of two group of such patients is not statistically reliable. The author provides no evidence that the patients of the study are representative of people with muscle strain. Without details such as age , physical condition and so forth the author cannot justifiably rely on the study to draw any conclusion whatsoever.

Secondly, the argument overlooks other factors to cause the average recuperation time was reduced. Perhaps that the body condition of the first group's patients is better than that of the second  group's patients. Or perhaps that the first group's doctor is more professional than the second group's one, after all he is specialist in such field. In short, unless the study was conducted in a controlled environment in which all factors were the same for the two group, it is impossible to draw any firm conclusion about antibiotics is effective to muscle strain.

Even if the treatment of taking antibiotics make the average recuperation time reduce, the argument's conclusion that all patients with muscle strain are advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment is unwarranted. It is entirely possible that antibiotics do not fit to some patients at all, and even are certain side effect to them. Without clear information taking antibiotics is effective to all people with muscle strain, the argument remain unconvincing.

In sum, the argument has not convinced me that all patients with muscle strain should be advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment. To strengthen the argument the author must assure that the patients of the two group in the study are the representative of patients with muscle strain. The author must also assure that the study was performed in a controlled environment where all other factors are not dissimilar. To better access the argument I would need more information about the side effect of the antibiotics.

[ 本帖最后由 hshansong 于 2008-4-7 22:52 编辑 ]