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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 5
| Issue : 2 | Page : 147-148 |
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Curiosity: The greatest virtue of man?
SG Damle
Editor In Chief, Contemporary Clinical Dentistry
| Date of Web Publication | 13-May-2014 |
Correspondence Address:
S G Damle
Editor In Chief, Contemporary Clinical Dentistry
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0976-237X.132299
How to cite this article:
Damle S G. Curiosity: The greatest virtue of man?. Contemp Clin Dent 2014;5:147-8 |
Human brain by virtue of its natural inclination is always curious to discover the answers to curiosities to mitigate its craze and internal struggle. Human mind is a multi-faceted gadget very hard to master and decipher. It is the most complex and struggling appendage of the human body. It constantly strives to outscore its curiosities and hunger, which can be curbed (satiated) only when it itself vanquishes its queries and imaginations. Human creative and innovative nature has created miracles in its hunt and thirst to discover new and amazing things, which proved very useful and precious for the welfare of mankind. It is a general saying that "necessity is the mother of invention." In other sense, we can call it "curiosity is the mother of invention."
Intelligence is the ability of a person to solve puzzles, which he encounters in his day-to-day life. In a bid to resolve the mystery of brainstorm, sometimes he has created wonders and has been able to invent novelties. His intellectual mind set and craze has always helped him to find out the solution and remedy for the problems encountered. Intellectuals such as Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Edison, Aristotle shared a set of strategies that could be imagined only by a few people. It is a common saying that none cuts a diamond, but a diamond. Poison is the treatment for poison. A lifesaving drug is processed from snake venom to treat snake poisoning. These are the phenomenal effects and properties of the elements. Man never knew these natural cures and remedies, but his curiosity and inquisitiveness has made him to discover all this.
Man has made a plethora of newer and newer discoveries in the technologies and methodologies, from the discovery of gene, stem cells, auto-transplantation to stem cell generation from urine and nails, etc. The global literature is full of ventures and laurels that the medical research has brought.
Majority of the 20 th Century happenings have influenced the 21 st Century. The 20 th Century saw a revolutionary change in the living style of many people of which they were customary and habitual to live, owing to social, ideological political, technological, and medical innovations. The 20 th Century saw a tremendous change because of significant inventions like mobile phones and computer software, which has completely transformed man's status of living. These are known as marvelous achievements of the mankind.
However, it has to be understood that medical science is not an exact science in itself, such as science of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In fact, medical science does not possess any general steadfast principles that are valid under all the circumstances and can be applied to all people.
Centuries ago medicine was invented to help people. Today life is difficult to be imagined without people in the white. Leaving a doctor's office with a smile on the face, on having being treated of some serious and dangerous illness and on having being cured, we thank God that, the one who helped us, has chosen this profession.
Same paradigm - that poison kills poison - can be applied for curing oral cancer. Oral cancer is a tobacco-related phenomenon and it has devastated the lives of millions across the globe. The tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum, has been responsible for more deaths than any other herb. However, the literature has also been endowed with its use as "holy herb" since the pre-Columbian era. Used for treating pain, poisonous bites, ulcers, nasal polyps, and basal cell carcinoma; nowadays, green tobacco is being used for treating oral cancer. It also acts as an important ingredient of commercially available toothpastes, and even used as tobacco vaccines against Streptococcus species as highlighted in the literature.
The first report of the production of edible vaccine (a surface protein from Streptococcus) in tobacco, at 0.02% of total leaf protein level, appeared in 1990 in the form of a patent application published under the International Patent Cooperation Treaty. Subsequently, a number of attempts were made to express various antigens in plants.
A glut of research and literature supports proves the fact that the things, which were discarded during ancient times, have biological value and health care benefits. For instance, recently, scientists reported that part of hops that isn't used for making beer contains healthful (hygienic) antioxidants and could be used to battle cavities and gum diseases. Antibacterial agents boost the toothpaste efficacy. A new bio-inspired sponge-like gel shrinks single-handedly, squeezing unspecialized cells inside it, and turning them into cells that begin to form teeth. The new material was inspired by the embryo's power to shape organs, and it could enable engineering of new teeth, bone, or other tissues.
Chewing gums have been discovered to be the main source of headache in younger children. Cavities are contagious, and microorganisms are transmitted from person to person. Nowadays, contrary to the previous school of thought, the extraction of the infected or carious tooth in cardiac person is not indicated as it increases the risk of adverse outcomes.
To sum up, research and invention, the two pillar stones of development, should be explored and used prudently. They can act like a "double-edged sword" with uses and abuses both, one being the life savior and other the life devastator e.g., over dosage and gratuitous use of tobacco causes cancer, whereas the judicious usage of the same is used for curing oral cancer. Thus, it is the aptitude of the human brain, which tends to make either a considerate and intelligent use of the resources available or to misuse it. The curious outlook of the human brain works spontaneously in which the notorious elements choose the path of disaster, whereas the noble souls search for the path of continued existence and betterment of the human race. Thus, human brain is an endowed gift to man which needs to be utilized properly or else it can damage and destroy the existence and entity of mankind. Ultimately, the basic concern should be the welfare and betterment of the human race.
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S. G. Damle
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