- Dec 16, 2006
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No. Well, it's pretty rare.
Scientists are expected to change their minds not before but definitely after conclusive evidence has been given. The case of Barry Marshall & Robin Warren comes to mind.
Ulcers were at the time killing large numbers of patients and Robin Warren had found their stomachs over run by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. That was by 1981.
Rather than rush into the discovery many doctors held to the belief that ulcers were due to stress.
Two years later after infecting himself with that bacteria and developing massive inflammation (gastritis) Barry Marshall took an antibiotic and recovered. The evidence was in but the reluctance of others remained.
Marshall was quoted as saying in 1998 that "everyone was against me, but I knew I was right'.
What I remember from that was a wry comment that people were coming around to his idea, but only as quickly as people died and were replaced.
Scientists are expected to change their minds not before but definitely after conclusive evidence has been given. The case of Barry Marshall & Robin Warren comes to mind.
Ulcers were at the time killing large numbers of patients and Robin Warren had found their stomachs over run by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. That was by 1981.
Rather than rush into the discovery many doctors held to the belief that ulcers were due to stress.
Two years later after infecting himself with that bacteria and developing massive inflammation (gastritis) Barry Marshall took an antibiotic and recovered. The evidence was in but the reluctance of others remained.
Marshall was quoted as saying in 1998 that "everyone was against me, but I knew I was right'.
What I remember from that was a wry comment that people were coming around to his idea, but only as quickly as people died and were replaced.