The Emperor’s New Clothes—An Epistemological Critique of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Acupuncture

Abstract

Within the last few decades, complementary and alternative medicines have gained increased popularity in the veterinary field. Although many authors have exposed the scientific fallacies and historical misconceptions used to justify such therapies, those efforts have not succeeded in detracting veterinary practitioners from embracing them. Notably, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), including acupuncture, has emerged as one of the main alternatives to conventional veterinary medicine. In this paper, analogical reasoning is used to investigate conceptual, historical and scientific assertions made by the advocates of TCVM. The paper is divided into two parts: The first aims to appraise conceptual and historical claims made by veterinary acupuncturists. I defend that TCVM is a pre-scientific construct, similar to humoral doctrine, and that acupuncture is analogous to bloodletting. The second part is focused on scientific evidence of clinical application of acupuncture in the dog, showing how science is yet to validate veterinary acupuncture and defending that claims of efficacy are due to placebo effect. It is suggested that veterinary acupuncture needs to abandon Traditional Chinese Medicine and embrace science-based medicine tout court. On the other hand, high quality scientific studies, including randomized controlled trials, need to be presented. Veterinary regulators must bring the issue of non-conventional therapies into their agendas.

Reply to the Comment Re: Magalhães-Sant’Ana, M. Animals 2019, 9, 168

“…This issue can only be satisfactorily resolved through the translation of original Chinese texts by independent scholars, an enterprise that I hope will be taken up by others. Either way, we all agree that the YHLMJ horse illustration in Figure 2a [ 1 ] alludes to the use of hair whorls in physiognomic divination and does not concern acupuncture. Even if its precise meaning remains elusive, it was chosen to highlight the similarities between the Chinese and European approaches to horse medicine, thus suggesting that they share a common origin [ 5 ].…”

“…I am pleased that my viewpoint on traditional Chinese veterinary acupuncture (TCVA) has caught the attention of researchers from the China Agricultural University. In that paper [ 1 ], I rely on epistemological arguments to examine the conceptual, historical and scientific evidence regarding TCVA. Yusheng Hu and Zhongjie Liu (Hu & Liu) challenge some of my historical claims, namely the similarity between the nine-needle model and bloodletting instruments, the antiquity of veterinary acupuncture and some of the translations from the Yuan Heng Liao Ma Ji ( YHLMJ ).…”

“…Moreover, Hu & Liu describe the names and functions of each of the nine needles. By doing so, Hu & Liu seem to fall in the same epistemological fallacy of their acupuncturist colleagues when describing the effects of acupuncture [ 1 ]. In order to defend that some needles are not lancets, Hu & Liu admit that others are, and that they were used for bloodletting.…”

Historical Facts of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine—A Letter to the Editor Re: Magalhães-Sant’Ana, M. Animals 2019, 9, 168

“… Nine-needle illustrations and model. ( A ) Illustration of nine needles from Zhen Jiu Da Cheng [针灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion] [ 1 ]. ( B ) Illustration of nine needles in Gu Jin Yi Tong Da Quan [古今医统大全, Great Collection of Ancient and Modern Medicine] [ 2 ].…”

“…Manuel Magalhães-Sant’Ana in his critique of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Acupuncture (TCVA), discussed the evidence regarding history, conceptions and modern research related to TCVA. With the so-called “epistemological approach”, he asserted that the TCVA is analogous to bloodletting [ 1 ]. Based on our basic knowledge and acupuncture clinical experience, we believe that the author’s interpretation of the TCVA historical evidences is incorrect and does not support his claims.…”