(May 13, 2023 at 7:34 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:(May 13, 2023 at 7:01 am)FlatAssembler Wrote: Semmelweis'es study was the only study available back then about the causes of puerperal fever. Thus, the right thing to do was to accept its conclusions, rather than to complain about its shortcomings. Similarly, since the only study we have about how many lives are saved by defensive gun use is the Gary Kleck's study, the right thing to do is to accept its conclusions, rather than to complain about its shortcomings.
Suppose - just suppose - the only available study at the time conclude that the best way to reduce surgical infection was for the surgeon to coat his hands in rancid goat dung. Should that conclusion have been accepted?
Boru
In that unlikely situation, I think it should have been accepted. That's what "evidence-based medicine" means, right?
