This is a book by Barker Bausell that discusses complementary and alternative medicine. I read a description of this book in the Journal of the American Medical Association and was intrigued with the principles of statistics relating to cause-and-effect.

With all the advances in medicine today, many patients continue to rely on complementary and alternative medicine as they seek for ways to heal themselves. Acupuncture, herbal remedies, chiropractic manipulation, and many others have all been described as ways to heal various diseases. This book outlines the relationship between cause and effect as well as the natural progression of disease. Medicine today accepts a level of proof at 95%, meaning that there is a one in 20 chance that the effect may be due to sheer randomness versus a consequence of a specific action. Using the example of arthritis, the disease commonly waxes and wanes with a certain time period. The patient will commonly complain of their arthritis at the maximum point, seeking treatments to minimize their suffering. Anti-inflammatories and other pain medications can be used in the short term to help these patients. The patient using complementary and alternative medicine may mistaken the use of acupuncture for two weeks as the cause for the relief, when the relief is actually due to the natural Nader of the disease process.

I give this book 5 stars, because I have applied and used many of these topics in my daily discussions with people I work with. I would recommend this book to any patient with questions concerning their own health and seeking a quick fix for various health problems.