順勢療法解析：溫和治癒還是嚴重騙局？：英語精讀講義

Homeopathy may be the most controversial

順勢療法可能是最具爭議性的，

but also the most popular alternative medicine.

但也是最受歡迎的替代醫學。

While some argue against it,

雖然有些人反對它，

others swear by its great power and effectiveness. 片語動詞

但也有人發誓說它功效強大。

How does homeopathy work?

順勢療法是如何起效的？

How did it become what it is today

它是如何發展成今天這樣的？

and what can modern medicine learn from it?

現代醫學又能從它身上學到什麼？

The first principle of homeopathy is like cures like. 文化背景

順勢療法的第一個原則是「同類相治」。

Remedies use ingredients that cause the symptoms you want to cure.

藥物使用的成分往往正是導致你想治癒的症狀的成分。

In practice, that means that remedies against fever could, for example, 表達脈絡

在實踐中，這意味著退燒藥可能（例如）

be made from belladonna, which also causes fever.

由同樣會引起發燒的顛茄製成。

A mixture based from bee venom

一種基於蜂毒的混合物

is used to treat itchy swellings and so on.

被用來治療發癢的腫脹等等。

The second principle is a special method of preparation called potentization. 文化背景

第二個原則是一種叫做「勢能化」的特殊製備方法。

The idea is that diluting and agitating the ingredients 文法

這個想法是，稀釋和震盪這些成分

activates their curative powers and enhances their effect.

可以激活它們的治癒能力並增強效果。

To do this, the ingredient is dissolved in alcohol or distilled water.

為此，成分被溶解在酒精或蒸餾水中。

Homeopaths take one part of the solution and mix it with nine parts of water,

順勢療法醫師取一份溶液並將其與九份水混合，

diluting it down to 1/10 of its original concentration and shaking it. 片語搭配

將其稀釋到原始濃度的 1/10 並搖晃它。

What you have now is a 1x potency,

現在你得到的是 1x 的效力，

one part ingredient and nine parts solvent,

即一份成分和九份溶劑，

named after the Roman numeral X for 10.

以羅馬數字 X 代表 10 來命名。

Now this process is repeated.

然後重複這個過程。

Take one part, mix it with nine parts of pure water,

取出一份，將其與九份純水混合，

and shake it vigorously.

並劇烈搖晃。

Now you have 2x.

現在你有了 2x。

You do this again and again until you reach the desired grade of potency.

你一次又一次地這樣做，直到達到所需的效力等級。

The finished remedy is then taken orally

製成的藥物可以直接口服，

or sometimes it's applied as little sugar pellets that are sold as globuli.

或者有時會滴在被稱為「糖球」的小糖丸上出售。

A 20x potency, for example,

例如，20x 的效力，

is like dissolving one aspirin pill

就像把一粒阿斯匹靈

in the water volume of the whole Atlantic.

溶解在整個大西洋的水量中。

But many are much more extreme, like 30c, for example.

但許多甚至更加極端，例如 30c。

C means that the mixture has one part ingredient and 99 parts water.

C 意味著混合物有一份成分和 99 份水。

So the commonly sold 30c mixture means one part ingredient

所以市面上常見的 30c 混合物意味著一份成分

and 1 million billion billion billion billion billion parts of water.

對應 1百萬個十億、十億、十億、十億、十億份的水。

If we wanted a globuli pill with a single atom of the original ingredient, 文法

如果我們想要一顆含有一個原始成分原子的糖球，

then our pill would be the diameter

那麼我們的藥丸的直徑將是

of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

地球到太陽的距離。

150 million km.

即 1.5 億公里。

A pill so massive that it would collapse into a black hole

一顆如此巨大的藥丸，它會因為自身的質量

under its own mass.

坍縮成一個黑洞。

Because of this, potentization is one of the biggest criticisms of homeopathy.

正因為如此，勢能化是順勢療法受到最大批評的地方之一。

The extreme dilution is supposed to make the ingredients more potent. 文法

極度稀釋據稱能使成分變得更強效。

But on a physical level, this doesn't really make sense.

但在物理層面上，這其實毫無意義。

Most homeopathic remedies are diluted so much 文法

多數順勢療法的藥物被稀釋得如此之多，

that not a single atom of the active ingredient is left in them.

以至於它們連一個有效成分的原子都沒有留下。

The explanation of why the mixture still works

為什麼這混合物仍能起效？對此的解釋是，

is that shaking the mixture after every dilution

每次稀釋後搖晃混合物，

leaves behind a spirit-like essence of the ingredient. 片語動詞

會留下成分的「精神本質」。

Basically, the idea is that water remembers what was put into it. 慣用語

基本上，這個想法是水會記住放入其中的東西。

But if this were true, then every substance that ever met a drop of water 文法

但如果這是真的，那麼所有曾接觸過一滴水的物質

would leave an essence behind

都會留下其本質，

and lead to unpredictable effects when it was accidentally ingested.

並在被意外攝入時導致不可預測的效果。

Think of all the stuff that lives and floats in the oceans.

想想海洋中所有生存和漂浮的東西。

Every sip of water would be a supercharged homeopathic cocktail. 慣用語

每一口水都會是一杯超級順勢療法雞尾酒。

So how did homeopathy become the most successful alternative medicine?

那麼，順勢療法是如何成為最成功的替代醫學的呢？

In the 18th century, medicine was very different from today.

在 18 世紀，醫學與今天大不相同。

Treatments like bloodletting left the patient worse off than before. 片語搭配

像放血這樣的治療方法讓病人比以前更糟。

So German physician Samuel Hahnemann wanted a non-invasive,

所以德國醫生塞繆爾·哈內曼想要一種非侵入性的、

natural way of healing and developed homeopathy.

自然的治療方式，並發展了順勢療法。

And in fact, homeopathic hospitals were soon successful

事實上，順勢療法醫院很快就取得了成功，

because doing no harm beats doing harm. 文法

因為「不造成傷害」總比「造成傷害」好。

Hahnemann imposed very strict rules on his patients.

哈內曼對他的病人制定了非常嚴格的規定。

First, you had to avoid coffee,

首先，你必須避免咖啡、

tea, alcohol, spicy food,

茶、酒精、辛辣食物、

sweet food, no old cheese,

甜食，不吃放久的起司，

no onions, no meat,

不吃洋蔥，不吃肉，

no clothes made from sheep's wool,

不穿羊毛做的衣服，

but also no sedentary work,

也不能做久坐的工作，

no sitting inside in stuffy air,

不能坐在空氣渾濁的室內，

no warm rooms, no riding horses,

不能待在溫暖的房間裡，不能騎馬，

no napping, no playing games,

不能午睡，不能玩遊戲，

no masturbation,

不能自慰，

and of course no reading pornographic texts,

當然也不能看色情讀物，

and many more.

還有很多很多。

Then, and only then, would his remedies work 文法

根據順勢療法發明者的說法，

according to the inventor of homeopathy.

只有做到這些，他的藥才會起效。

Of course, all of these instructions are ignored and not talked about today.

當然，今天所有這些規定都被忽視和避而不談了。

Medicine has changed a lot in the last 150 years.

過去 150 年裡，醫學發生了巨大的變化。

Never before in human history have we enjoyed a comparable level of health. 文法

在人類歷史上，我們從未享受過如此高的健康水平。

Never have we lived as long.

我們也從未活得這麼長。

And this is largely due to the new tools we've developed. 片語搭配

這在很大程度上要歸功於我們開發的新工具。

Modern diagnostics, double-blinded studies,

現代診斷、雙盲試驗，

and scientific evaluation to check and prove which stuff works.

以及用來檢驗和證明什麼東西有效的科學評估。

Thanks to these tools, after countless studies and reviews,

多虧了這些工具，在經過無數的研究和審查之後，

we know beyond a shadow of a doubt 慣用語

我們確信無疑地知道

that homeopathy does not have any effect beyond placebo. 用詞

順勢療法除了安慰劑效應之外沒有任何作用。

But even so, who cares why it works if it helps people? 表達脈絡

但即便如此，如果它能幫助人們，誰在乎它是怎麼起效的呢？

Maybe you tried it and felt better.

也許你試過，感覺好多了。

Or you know someone that got over a horrible disease 片語動詞

或者你認識某個在使用順勢療法藥物時

while using homeopathic remedies.

克服了可怕疾病的人。

And there are plenty of reports of it working for children and animals.

並且有很多關於它對兒童和動物有效的報導。

What do we make of these experiences? 片語動詞

我們該如何理解這些經歷？

The placebo effect is very real and not imaginary.

安慰劑效應非常真實，絕非虛構。

No matter how smart you are, you're not immune to it. 講解

無論你多聰明，你都不能免疫它。

If people believe that something will help them feel better,

如果人們相信某樣東西會幫助他們感覺更好，

their trust alone has the desired effect.

單憑他們的信任就能產生預期的效果。

And it's been proven that the placebo effect can be transferred.

而且已經證明安慰劑效應是可以傳遞的。

Children and animals rely on their parents or keepers

兒童和動物依賴他們的父母或飼養員，

and are in tune to their emotions.

並且對他們的情緒變化很敏感。

If a parent has a lot of trust in a treatment and eases up, 片語動詞

如果父母對一種治療方法充滿信任並放鬆下來，

this can help a child relax and help relieve symptoms.

這有助於孩子放鬆，從而幫助緩解症狀。

This can also be observed with animals

這在動物身上也能觀察到，

who react strongly to the body language cues of the people caring for them. 片語搭配

牠們對照顧牠們的人的肢體語言暗示反應強烈。

But the most powerful tool of homeopathy is time. 表達脈絡

但順勢療法最強大的工具是時間。

Our bodies are survival machines.

我們的身體是生存機器。

Infections pass on their own after a few days.

感染在幾天後會自行消失。

But if you take some remedy when you already feel sick

但如果你在已經感到生病時吃了一些藥，

and then start getting better,

然後開始好轉，

it feels like it did indeed cure you,

感覺上確實是藥治好了你，

while actually it would have happened anyway. 文法

而實際上這本來就會發生。

The homeopathy industry likes to play the gentle alternative to big pharma. 講解

順勢療法產業喜歡把自己塑造成大型製藥公司的溫和替代品。

But the homeopathic industry is big pharma. 表達脈絡

但順勢療法產業本身就是大型製藥公司。

Billions of dollars are made with extreme profit margins. 用詞

他們以極高的利潤率賺取了數十億美元。

The homeopathy industry has its own lobby organizations 文化背景

順勢療法產業有自己的遊說組織，

and fights its enemies as hard as it can.

並且竭盡全力打擊它的敵人。

A lot of money is on the line. 慣用語

這涉及到巨額的利益。

Globally, the market is expected to reach over 17 billion by 2024. 片語搭配

全球來看，該市場預計到 2024 年將達到 170 億以上。

Some critics even argue that the homeopathic industry is bad for public health

一些批評者甚至認為，順勢療法產業對公共健康有害，

because it creates distrust in proven medicine.

因為它造成了人們對被證明有效的醫學的懷疑。

The belief in homeopathy correlates with skepticism about vaccinations. 用詞

對順勢療法的信仰與對疫苗的懷疑相關聯。

This can discourage people to seek the help they need 文法

當他們自己或孩子的生命危在旦夕時，

when their lives or the lives of their children are on the line.

這可能會阻礙人們尋求所需的幫助。

But there is actually a key to the success of homeopathy

但實際上，順勢療法成功的關鍵之中，

that we could and should copy.

有一點是我們能夠並且應該學習的。

The first consultation with a homeopath can take hours and is very personal.

第一次看順勢療法醫生可能需要幾個小時，而且非常個性化。

For a patient who's already been on a pilgrimage from doctor to doctor, 慣用語

對於一個已經輾轉於各個醫生之間的病人來說，

this level of attention and empathy

這種程度的關注和同理心

can make a huge difference to their well-being, 片語搭配

可以對他們的健康產生巨大的影響，

even if the conversation was not the point of the therapy.

即使談話並不是治療的目的。

Modern medicine is efficient.

現代醫學是高效的。

It saves millions of lives each year.

它每年拯救數以百萬計的生命。

But it's also a strictly organized system.

但它也是一個組織嚴密的系統。

Tight budgets force doctors and nurses to deal with lots of patients. 文法

緊張的預算迫使醫生和護士處理大量的病人。

Consultations need to be time-efficient, 表達脈絡

問診必須注重時間效率，

diagnoses made quickly,

診斷要快，

treatments fast,

治療也要快，

which can leave patients feeling invisible, 文法

這會讓病人覺得被無視、

scared, and left behind. 片語動詞

害怕和被拋棄。

This is what modern medicine can learn from homeopathy. 表達脈絡

這正是現代醫學可以從順勢療法中學到的。

It meets a human need that has been left unfulfilled.

它滿足了一種一直未能被滿足的人類需求。

We need to make time for the individual again, 片語搭配

我們需要重新為每個個體騰出時間，

see people, not numbers. 表達脈絡

把人當人看，而不是看作數字。

But as important as empathy is, it's not a substitute for actual treatment. 講解

但儘管同理心很重要，它也不能取代實際的治療。

Faith can move mountains, but sugar water can't cure cancer. 講解

信仰可以移山，但糖水治不了癌症。

After a short break of a few years, Kurzgesagt is back in German.

在短短幾年的休息之後，Kurzgesagt 德語頻道回歸了。

Thanks to the support of Funk, we have relaunched the German channel

感謝 Funk 的支持，我們重新推出了德語頻道，

and are beginning to upload a video every one to two weeks.

並開始每隔一到兩週上傳一個影片。

Besides redoing our favorite videos,

除了重做我們最喜歡的影片，

there'll be a number of videos that will not exist in English for a while.

還有很多影片在一段時間內不會有英文版。

Check out the channel here, tell us what you think,

在這裡去看看我們的頻道，告訴我們你的想法，

and subscribe and watch a few.

並訂閱觀看幾期。

If the channel goes well, the German videos might become a regular thing for years,

如果頻道運轉良好，德語影片可能會成為未來幾年的常規項目，

and we might even do more languages.

我們甚至可能會做更多的語言版本。