Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Taking the voodoo out of medicine

The anniversary of the laser reminded me of a question which I have never got round to putting to someone who might know the answer.

Is it possible to imagine that one day soon it may be possible to carry out medical tests without having to extract blood from the body? What I have in mind is being able to shine a light through, say, that piece of skin between stretched thumb & forefinger & by the magic of some kind of spectroscopy (not, I suppose atomic absorption) find out all you need to know?

It ought to be – sticking needles in people is very primitive.

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