1. Introduction
In 1968 on the NHK television program “Between Oriental and Western Medicine” Kyoto University Assistant Prof. Mitsukuni Yoshida made the following statement. “It is not necessary that Oriental Medicine be made scientific”. There is no need for religion or art to be made scientific, nor is it possible. However, as acupuncture and moxibustion are therapeutic techniques dealing with life itself, it is natural that they proceed in the direction of scientification.
2. The Road to the Scientification of Acupuncture-Moxibustion
Both Eastern and western medicine are now proceeding in the direction of scientification however as there are assorted complicated, related problems this change can not come about overnight. The treatment of human disease is different from TV or watch repair, metaphysical matters are involved, but though great stride such as a trip to the moon and back made possible through scientific advancement are not expected, there is progress in the direction of becoming scientific evident. The desire for scientification has existed for a long time; the actual progress has been slow. Since the studies of Kashida, Harada and Goto, etc. in 1912, the only new advancements have been Ishikawa's peripheral electrical points, Kinoshita's blood circulation increases and muscle cramp relaxation.
3. Methods of Making Acupuncture-Moxibustion Scientific
The methods are no different from those put forth by Kinoshita, Umeda, Debata and others. However this road is open only to a few and is impossible for the general practicing therapist.
4. The Duty of the General Therapist
The scientification of acupuncture-moxibustion is not the work of the individual acupuncture therapist, it should be put in the hands of public and private medical university and research centers. The responsibility of the individual acupuncture therapist is to donate material, case histories, etc, which could be used for research.
5. Conclusion
Scientific development can be confirmed only in the following way: experimentobservation-recording-accumulation-organization-theorization-reexperimentation. If this association were to create an example accumulating committee to collect honest examples it would become possible to make acupuncture-moxibustion scientific according to the standards of modern medicine in Japan.
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