History Lesson Highlights Oriental Medicine

The Career Academy sophomores moved in closer and closer as Dr. Jeanie O. Lee prepared to demonstrate acupuncture on the academy's director, Doug Thoburn.

"This isn't going to hurt?" Thouburn asked before he sat in a chair at the front of the classroom.

Once the needle goes through the skin, the patient feels no pain, she said.

Various sizes of stainless steel needles are used in acupuncture procedures, with the longest about seven inches apart, Lee indicated with her hands.

For this demonstration, Lee inserted five, much smaller needles into Thouburn's left ear.

"Did you feel it?" Lee asked.

"No," Thoburn replied.

Lee's visit to the world history class came in conjunction with the students' studies of ancient China.

Acupuncture is part of the traditional Oriental medicine that has been practiced in Asia for thousands of years, she said.

A series of events in 1971 led to United States' introduction to acupuncture.

Secretary of State Henry Kissinger went to China prior to President Nixon's visit to the Asian country.

New York Times reporter James Reston covering Kissinger's trip developed appendicitis and underwent an appendectomy.

To relieve his pain after surgery, the reporter's Chinese doctor recommended acupuncture,

Three long thin needles were inserted in the outer part of his right elbow and below his Knees and within an hour his pain was gone, Reston reported in a story in the July 26, 1971 New York Times.

Lee told of the educational and medical setbacks in China during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976.

At this time they closed schools; they didn't teach anybody, she said. Professors were sent to be farmers by the government so that everybody would be equal.

Ancient textbooks, including medical books, were burned during the Cultural Revolution.

Lee stressed the importance of the individual's own choices and actions in relation to their health.

Lee said she asks her patients and those she meets "what do you eat? What do think nourishes your blood?"

Food and what you drink nourishes the body, Lee said. Everything you eat has a nutritional value.

When Lee asked the class who was experiencing stress, about half of the dozen students raised their hands.

Stress means whatever happens to you affects your physiology.

Thoburn's treatment was designed to relieve stress.

A few students moved behind Thoburn to get a closer view of his treatment.

Students asked about the duration of treatment and if doctors sometimes inserted needles all over the body at one time.

Lee explained that 30 minutes is the typical time period for treatment, and that at times, 30 needles are inserted into the back of patients with fibromyalgia. If needles were inserted all over the body, they would interfere with the nerve pathways that run throughout the body.

"I thought it was really cool; it was really interesting," Cheyanne Hazard said.