6
Wednesday, July 21, 1993
FEATURES
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
It's only a pin prick Acupuncture restores energy flow
"So, help my allergies," Itold Vince Scholea, a Lawrence chiropractor and acupuncturist. "Turn me into a pin cushion."
And he did.
Eyeing the two-inch needle apprehensively, I watched him place it near my elbow, wondering just how far he intended to push it in.
"Sure," I said. "OK. Just stop before it hits muscle or bone or comes out the other side —
STORY BY TODD PUNTNEY PHOTOS BY TOM LEININGER
"OK, I'm just going to tap on it slightly to get it in," he said. "You'll just feel a little pinch."
"Wait ... That didn't hurt. Do it again."
And he did. One more near my knee and one close to my wrist. He left them in — only a few millimeters deep — for about 10 minutes, and talked about the things acupuncture could help, like arthritis, dieting and smoking cessation.
But can it be used as an anesthetic? I saw on television once where, in China, they used a bunch of pins and needles and a steady hand as an anesthetic for brain surgery. Brain surgery
"Yes, it's possible," he said. "I saw films in chiropractic school where they used acupuncture for Caesarean sections and tonsillectomies. In one, they removed this guy's tonsils while he was standing up, gave him some tea, and sent him on his way 30 minutes later."
All I had were some allergies and lots of curiosity. I didn't want to see anyone's organs removed, namely mine.
Looking at those two-inch needles poking into my skin, wobbling ever so slightly, helping my allergies, feeling cool. I wondered how they did what they did.
Acupuncture has evolved over thousands of years,but one seems to know exactly how it works.It's an ancient Chinese secret.
What acupuncturists do know, however, is that it relies on energy.
**Above:** A two-inch acupuncture needle sticks out of the arm of Kansan staff worker Todd Puntney. The needle, which remains in place for about 10 minutes, was inserted only a few millimeters. **Top left:** Vince Scholle, Lawrence chiropractor and acupuncturist, uses a neurometer to apply electricity to acupuncture points around Puntney's ear. Puntney held a metal cylinder to ground himself. **Below:** Scholle taps lightly on the needle to place it. **Bottom left:** A neurometer is used to balance energy in Puntney's meridians.
"I don't think anyone's ever been able to demonstrate what the energy is, exactly." Scholle said. "Loosely translated, I think it would be something like the life force."
This energy, he explained, runs through 14 pathways — called meridians — throughout the body. Along these meridians are specific points that influence the energy flow, and are designated with names like Bladder 67 or Large Intestine 11.
Illness occurs when the energy flow is interrupted.
success occurs when the energy flow is interrupted.
"People have speculated that acupuncture goes directly to the energy blockage, and by means of a physical loosening — like a needle or electrical stimulus or massage — it breaks the blockage and re-establishes the energy flow," he said. "Once that happens, your body can go ahead and heal in a normal way, which is the way it should be, because healing always comes from within."
Before Scholle can begin acupuncture, he has to determine if the energy levels are balanced, to see if the body is in harmony, part of the ancient Chinese secret.
placing the tip of the neurometer on certain points that correspond to different meridians. A spot on the right pinky toe corresponds to the kidney meridian, on the bottom of the foot to the spleen, and so on.
Using a neurometer, an instrument that looks like an electrical hammer. The hamster can measure energy flow by
My system, the neurometer showed a week before my acupuncture appointment, was out of whack.
"Your excretory system needs work," he said, then added coyly. "But isn't boozing it up a requirement for college?"
To balance it, Scholle applied an extremely low-voltage current with the neurometer to various points. After two series of charges, I was electrically stimulated, my systems were balanced, and I was ready for needles.
Alot of people, though, might be wary of having sharp shafts of metal inserted into their skin. After all, it seems kind of grotesque and maybe a little bit insane and all too reminiscent of Hollywiser.
But that's nothing compared to the foreign substances conventional medicine dumps into the body.
"The greatest advantage is that you are not putting in any type of environmental toxin to the body, whereas conventional medicine does," Scholle said. "Look at all of the contraindications and precautions and drug interaction warnings. Drugs have all kinds of aborrent side effects."
Still, many traditional doctors doubt the validity of acupuncture.
"Acupuncture is purely an esoteric type of art form and conventional medicine doesn't give it regular credence," he said. "Conventional medicine is so focused in its approach, that if you can't find the offending organism you can't treat the illness."
But does acupuncture really work?
"Most of the people who do acupuncture say they have about a 70 to 80 percent cure rate," Scholle said. "I hate to use the word cure, because I don't think that's accurate in any context. But it helps control."
All I know is that night I mowed a lawn, and for the first time I can remember — without taking any prescription drugs — I didn't sneeze.
Alternative campus paper returns
Take This will seek advertisers as way to finance publication
By Lisa Cosmillo Kansan staff writer
TRACE This, an alternative student newspaper, is coming back and selling out, said Robert MacRae, Caney senator.
It has no choice.
When the newspaper began in 1900 it was funded by Student Senate as a student organization, said MacRae, editor of the newspaper. Now they will approach advertisers.
Because of a lack of funds and a graduating staff, Take This has not been published since April 1992, MacRae said.
"Student Senate was always putting up a fight," MacRae said. "They didn't
want to give us any money at all. They thought it was a duplication of services with Whosinations and other local papers."
Wosinations is another alternative campus newspaper.
In Spring 1992 Take This went to Student Senate for the last time and received a small amount of money, said MacRae. It did not use it.
John Shoemaker, Topeka senior and student body president, said Student Senate did not object to the content of Take This.
Student Senate granted Whostations money first. When Take This requested funding, the senate voted that it was a duplication of services because the papers were similar.
"Student Senate has a clause that they will not fund duplicated services." Shoemaker said.
Carl Ring, Lawrence senior and an avid reader of alternative publications, said he resented Take This. He said he thought Student Senate was right not to finance it, because Take This began with funds meant for another publication.
MacRae admitted that Whosinations was the closest paper to Take This on campus.
"Because of Take This, Disorientation was run into the ground," he said.
Ring explained that Disorientation was not a newspaper, but a monthly guide to underground Lawrence.
When Take This lost its funding so did Diorientation.
"I thought Take This pursued apolitical agenda at the expense of good writing." Ring said.
MacRae said that *Take This* tried to avoid a single philosophy.
"We don't try to have a rule that says you have to have this kind of viewpoint," MacRae said. "In fact, we try to avoid any type of political involvement. If we have any kind of politics, it's more along the line of anarchy."
CALENDAR
737 New Hampshire St.
Band Du Jour with the Thugs and Monterey Jack,
weight $1.
Big Hat with Easter Day tomorrow $5
Billy Goat, the Milhouse Nixons and Power and Fear,
Saturday, $6 over 21, $7 under 21
Hockenbury's Tavern
1016 Massachusetts St.
The Twistoff, toight, $3
Low Life and Sham Jammi, tomorrow, $3
Baghdad Jones, Friday and Saturday, $4
926 % Massachusetts St.
Jazzhaus
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, tomor-
row, $4
Mountain Clyde, Friday, $3
Soul Shaker, Saturday, $3
Rick's Neighborhood Bar and Grill
Arkansasaw White Trash, 9 p.m. Saturday, $3
The Crossing 618 W. 13th St
Trout 66, tonight, $1
One Leg Grushee, tomorrow, $1
Tenderloin, Friday, $1
Easy Reader, Monday, $1
Student Union Activities
Student Union Activities
Jaybowl, Kansas Union
Tennis, Kentucky 7 p.m. Thursday, $50
Swarthout Recital Hall
Jazz Workshop faculty recital, 7 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, 82
Sandstone Amphitheater
Foreigner with April Wine, 8 p.m. tonight
Van Haleen with Vince Neil, 8 p.m. Tuesday*
Starlight Theater
Kansas City, Mo
*42nd Street,* 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday*
*Tickets available through Ticketmaster, (816) 931-3330.
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