The First Signs of Civilisation in a Culture

What two health interventions have had the greatest positive effect on people’s health? (Answer at the end) A whole range of issues surrounding vaccination were covered including their effectiveness, merits of the different vaccines, age range considerations and much more. This gave much greater insight into the range of COVID issues than the data you get from the UK daily summary. Reference was also made to the PubMed a US Government website to search for latest scientic papers. There was good news on the research front with new trials involving the use of Obeticholic acid for brain fog in PBC patients and the AMBER trial which one of the rst for Auto Immune Hepatitis. This is just a snapshot of what was included in the talks. For full details access them on YouTube.

Answer 1. Vaccination. 2. Safe drinking water.

Alf Bennett

The First Signs of Civilisation in a Culture

Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the rst sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about sh hooks or clay pots or grinding stones.

But no. Mead said that the rst sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed.

Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.

‘A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difculty is where civilization starts’, Mead said.

from ‘the internet’