Argument51 【0906G 文以载道三月四月小组】第二周第二次作业 by gewang

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[题目]
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."
医生长期以来怀疑严重肌肉扭伤后的二次感染妨碍了一些患者迅速康复。这一假说现在被一项对两组患者的研究的初步结果所证实。第一组患者全部由专攻运动医学的Dr. Newland治疗肌肉损伤，他们在疗程中经常服用抗生素。他们的康复期平均比通常预期的快40％。第二组患者由综合医师Dr. Alton治疗，他们被给予糖丸，而患者相信他们在服用抗生素。他们的平均康复时间没有明显缩短。因此，任何被确诊为肌肉损伤的患者应被建议服用抗生素作为辅助治疗。
[提纲]
论断: 肌肉损伤患者应该服用抗生素作为辅助治疗.
论点:
1)    并不是所有的患者都有二次感染.比例多少?
2)    不能说明是抗生素的作用, 病人的情况不得知; 两组的医生背景不同,康复快的是否采用的其他方法. 糖片是否有副作用.
3)    结论不能从严重患者推广的任何的. 抗生素对普通患者是否有副作用,过敏现象. 是否有其他替代药物
结论:
论者为了更好的说服人们, 必须提供二次患者的比例, 可靠的对比实验等一系列信息.
[正文]
In this argument, the author claims that every muscle strain sufferer would be better suggested to take antibiotics as part of their treatment to expect a quicker recovery, mainly based on a study of two groups of patients-one took antibiotics while the other was given sugar pills, and the former group had a 40 percent quicker recuperation than the later one. Although this deduction seems logical at first, it is in fact highly doubted for reasons as follows.

First and foremost, there is no guaranty that secondary infections will be certain to happen to muscle strain patients. The author did not provide any relevant information that the muscle strain patients will suffer secondary infections, or they are likely to have secondary infections. Perhaps only a few parts, even none of them will have secondary infections. This is to say, before this premise that most of these patients will have secondary infections is proven, the author's conclusion that patients diagnosed with muscle strain should take antibiotics and is built in the air.

In addition, even if this premise can be guaranteed, this argument is failed to conclude that antibiotics own a good effect on the treatment of muscle strain from the study stated. First, Background, such as ages and physical conditions, of these patients who were involved in this study is not mentioned. Perhaps the quicker recuperation of the former group is mainly caused by their younger age and better physical recoveries. Second, as mentioned in this argument, the two doctors have different backgrounds, if Dr. Newland, specializes in sports medicine, adopted other beneficial treatments, like moderate exercises and healthy diets, besides giving antibiotics, the author's judgment that the recovery caused by taking antibiotics is not found. Again, sugar pills could have some side effects on the treatment of muscle strain, and this effect led to the slower recuperation of the second group. So, without considering these possibilities, the author's viewpoints are worthy suspected.

Finally, the arguer simply assumes that antibiotics should be advised to all patients. However, there is no evidence that antibiotics are suitable for all the patients suffered muscle strain. More seriously, some patients may be allergic to antibiotics. Without more research to rule out the side effects, even damages may be brought by antibiotics when it treats common muscle strain, the author's suggestion is not adoptable. What's more, antibiotics can treat muscle strain does not mean it is the best one for curing of muscle strain. It is wiser of the author to take into account of other potential medicines, and do more studies on both antibiotics and others before he/she makes the decision of popularizing antibiotics.

Overall, the argument that all patients who are diagnosed with muscle strain would be well advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment seems logical at first glance. However, before any conclusion is made, the author needs to provide more information about antibiotics and the study to support his/her advice.