Tennessean Story Vs. Gulf Syndrome

[Dov Brickner <brickner@mail.inter.net.il>]

At 15:44 01/10/98 -0500, you wrote:
>
>I saw this article when it appeared in USAToday a day or two ago.   I
found it quite interesting, although not from the radiation or chemical
angle.   I observed a  correlation between the types illnesses and
complaints affecting individuals reported in the "Tennessean" article and
those illnesses and complaints reported by our veterans returning from the
Persian Gulf.   The symptoms and illnesses reported by both groups are
nearly identical.  
>
Jim, it is an interesting point you raise. besides the Gulf Syndrome there
are many other controversial entities like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities , Sick Building Sickness/Syndrome etc.
Although the symptoms may vary a little between the "syndromes", they all
share one character in common : They are based on complaints alone - no
single measureable sign that can be detected by a thermometer, manometer,
pulsemeter or any other laboratory tool.
I am reluctunt to call these phenomena "Diseases", nor to relate to
"stress". Psychological\emotional stress do have measurable effects: It
raises heart-rate and blood pressure as well as some hormone levels in blood. 
I don't know what these people are suffering from, certainly it is not a
radiation effect.
Dov (Dubi) Brickner    MD
Beer-Sheva  ISRAEL

brickner@mail.inter.net.il
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