Scientific approach to cow urine
The proponents of cow urine have announced that they would be going commercial soon and the drink will be available all over the country. They say that Coke and Pepsi are harmful and it is time a healthy alternative is made available. They say that the cow is a sacred animal and its urine is consumed on some ceremonial occasions. They also claim that it cures many diseases including diabetes and cancer.
What amazes me is the fact that there are scientific methods available to prove such medicinal claims and the people behind the cow urine project have never ever placed credible evidence before us. This to my mind is their biggest folly.
The scientific community accepts the double blind methodology to test the curative properties of any medicine. Secondly, it ought to be fairly easy to identify the active ingredient[s] in cow urine that is said to have medicinal properties .These can be isolated and if found effective could be presented in a far more acceptable form. If such an ingredient is isolated and found effective as a cure I am confident it will gain universal acceptability. Which sufferer of a major disease will not try out such a medicine if proven to be a cure?
The reference to ‘holy cow’ gives the exercise a communal overtone which arouses emotions. When this happens science gets out the window. It is on emotive matters that human beings are most vulnerable to either supplication or aversion. Science is a purely objective pursuit and in matters medical there is very little scope for emotions –barring the placebo effect.
Urine –the very word conjures negative sentiments since it a bodily waste. However if there is a scientific basis for its medicinal value it can be made available in an acceptable form. After all we do accept snake poison when administered as anti- venin don’t we?
Readers may not be aware but the double blind test has helped expose bogus medicines in Allopathy as well as so called alternative and complementary medicine. Are you aware that among many other organizations the James Randy Educational Foundation has been regularly exposing the falsity of clams by medicine men, spoon benders, faith healers, distance healers etc?
At a recent informal discussion on cow urine I had mentioned about the claimed efficacy of human urine—something Morarji Desai had earnestly propagated. A friend suggested that a product could be introduced in bottled form from human urine. It could be called ‘Pisssky’ he suggested. Another friend, Anand, came up with apt name for this product ‘CROTCH PISSSKY’!
K.R.RAVI
