Historical Context: Clinical Trials
"...two were ordered each a quart of cider a day. Two others took twenty-five drops of elixir vitriol three times a day … Two others took two spoonfuls of vinegar three times a day … Two of the worst patients were put on a course of sea-water … Two others had each two oranges and one lemon given them every day … The two remaining patients, took … an electuary recommended by a hospital surgeon" -Treatise of the Scurvy
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Like Lind, modern day physicians gather evidence, test their theories, inform health policy, and put their work to practice after the theory has been proved to be successful. But, there were flaws in Lind’s experiment such as not stating how the participants were chosen. Issues of controlled variables are something that modern day physicians take into account so as to improve the methods of approach to a clinical problem.
However, laws have been set into place regarding health policy and the methods of approach to clinical trials that might have led pharmaceutical companies and physicians to conduct trials in either developing countries, on minority people, or on people seen as having a debt to society such as prisoners--an act that is of more controversy that regards human rights rather than controlled variables.
Bhatt, Arun. "Evolution of Clinical Research: A History Before and Beyond James Lind."Perspectives in Clinical Research. Medknow Publications, 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149409/>.
"Science Museum. Brought to Life: Exploring the History of Medicine." Ambroise Paré (1510-90). Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/ambroisepare.aspx>.
Milne I. “Who was James Lind, and what exactly did he achieve?”. JLL Bulletin: Commentaries on the history of treatment evaluation. (2012). Web. 16 Mar. 2015<http://jameslindlibrary.org/articles/who-was-james-lind-and-what-exactly-did-he-achieve/>
"Science Museum. Brought to Life: Exploring the History of Medicine." Ambroise Paré (1510-90). Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/ambroisepare.aspx>.
Milne I. “Who was James Lind, and what exactly did he achieve?”. JLL Bulletin: Commentaries on the history of treatment evaluation. (2012). Web. 16 Mar. 2015<http://jameslindlibrary.org/articles/who-was-james-lind-and-what-exactly-did-he-achieve/>