The Alternative fix. 2003. 1 videodisc (57 min.). Frontline examines the controversy over complementary and alternative medical treatments. Through interviews with staunch supporters, skeptical scientists and observers on both sides of the debate. These popular treatments are facing increased scrutiny as the first real studies of their effectiveness are published. DVD 1042

Ancient healing. 2000. 1 videocassette (27 min.). This video first demonstrates the use of moxa and acupuncture for treating sciatica and for repositioning breech babies prior to birth. Ted Kaptchuk provides a comparison of Chinese and western medicine. A final segment explores shamanism and healing in Guatemala. VHS 6860

Ashtanga, NY a yoga documentary. 2004. 1 videodisc (ca. 60 min.). Follows the aging yoga guru Sri K. Pattabhi Jois as he gives his final North American workshop in New York City in September 2001. Devotees were arriving from all over the world when the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place in the midst of the celebration. In the difficult weeks that followed, Jois used the Ashtanga practice to help heal and fortify his diverse followers. This is not an instructional video, and these are not your garden-variety contortionists. This is a real look into the intersection of ancient practice and modern-life, New York-style. DVD 1024

Ayurveda [videorecording] : The Art of being . 2004. 1 videodisc (102 min.). Ayurveda, the "science of life", one of the oldest holistic medical systems in the world. Originating in India more than 5000 years ago, and spreading to Tibet, China and Japan, this uncanny intersection of science, medicine and magic is only now receiving serious study in the West. DVD 872

Barbie nation an unauthorized tour. 1998. 1 videocassette (53 min.). Looks at the Barbie doll as a Rorschach test, revealing attitudes about sexuality, body image, gender roles and creativity as it tells the story of Barbie creator and Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler. Journeying from Barbie conventions to anti-Barbie demonstrations, from girls' play dates to Barbie web pages, film plumbs the cult of the Barbie doll, telling the Barbie stories of diverse men, women and children. VHS 6117

The Brain eater. 1998. 1 videocassette (60 min.). NOVA tracks the work of scientists, epidemiologists, and policy-makers as they seek to understand the puzzling nature of spongiform encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, and its possible transmission to humans. VHS 5158

A Closer walk. 2003. 1 videodisc (85 min.). Documents the realities of the AIDS epidemic around the world. VHS 7535

Community drumming for health and happiness. 2002. 1 videocassette (83 min.). "'Community drumming for health and happiness' with Jim Greiner is a fun, exciting and comprehensive video to join in the passion and spirit of individual and community drumming. Jim Greiner demonstrates the fundamental techniques & patterns for a variety of hand percussion instruments." --from container. VHS 7296

Crapshoot the gamble with our wastes. 2003. 1 videodisc (52 min.). A hazardous mix of waste is flushed into the sewer every day. Where does it all go? What does it do to us? Filmed in several countries, this documentary questions whether the sewer is actually compounding our waste problems. Scientists warn of links between sewage practices and potential health risks, while activists, engineers and concerned citizens challenge our fundamental attitudes to waste. Does our need to dispose of waste take precedence over public safety? What are the alternatives? DVD 983

A Dangerous business. 2003. 1 videocassette (57 min.). An investigation of the McWane Corporation, identified as one of the most dangerous companies in America in terms of health and safety violations, employee accidents and deaths. Over the last seven years the corporation has amassed more safety violations than all its major competitors combined. VHS 7339

The Doctor's story. Life: Life series 3. 2002. 1 videocassette (23 min.). Part of a series examining the issue of globalization and its effect on ordinary people around the world. Nepal has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. This episode explores the plight of Nepal's local health services, and links the situation to the prohibition by the U.S. government against funding any non-governmental organization that supports abortion. VHS 7203

Dr. Solomon's dilemma. 2000. 1 videocassette (60 min.). In the 1990s, as America's HMOs cut costs by controlling patients' care, they were reviled as the enemy of doctors and patients. Now, after fighting to regain control of the medical process, doctors are assuming responsibility for treatment decisions. However, taking control means financial risk because the more care doctors give, the more it can cost them directly. So the sickest patients can become money losers for doctors like Martin Solomon, a respected primary care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Film follows Dr. Solomon and his colleagues as they are forced to weigh cost vs. care, patient by patient because they're in what's called a capitated plan with a lid -- each doctor gets just so much per year per patient. As a result, part of their own salaries are at stake if they go over. Film also interviews corporate cost cutters who argue that doctors should have a more direct role in monitoring costs; hospital administrators who are fighting red ink every year; and patients who in this new culture of medicine, are called "units." Offers several stories of patients who have become financial liabilities for their doctors, or whose hospital stays are being shortened, or who are told they have to stay within a certain team of doctors even though an outside doctor may have more experience in treating their illness. [Summary from PBS website]. VHS 6343

Epidemic! a presentation of Films for the Humanities & Sciences. The Fred Friendly Seminars: Fred Friendly Seminars collection. 2000. 1 videocassette (57 min.). (Producer) Examines the biological, ecological, and cultural factors influencing the causes, spread, and control of infectious diseases. VHS 7728

Fat. 1998. 1 videocassette (60 min.). Program "examines how the diet industry is contributing to our frustration over unwanted pounds and asks if one can be healthy, fit, beautiful - and fat." -- Container. VHS 5698

Hot potatoes. 2001. 1 videocassette (ca. 57 min.). The potato late blight that starved Ireland over 150 ago has reappeared with a vengeance. This time the late blight isn't confined to one local, it's hit the world. VHS 7400

Hot zones. Journey to planet earth. 2003. 1 videocassette (57 min.). This film "explores the link between environmental change and human health: are we winning the battle to prevent global outbreaks of infectious disease? Environmental change is fostering the tide of contagion which threatens to engulf us all--Container. Journeys to Kenya, Peru, Bangladesh, and the United States. VHS 7417

The Human body appearance, shape and self-image. 1998. 1 videocassette (37 min.). Examines facets of the human body that impact our preferences, our ideals, our attitudes and our self-image. Covers basic attitudes of people (primarily young people) toward their bodies and how what they think is influenced by their culture. Discusses the rationale behind tattooing, branding and body piercing, cosmetic surgery, and eating disorders. Looks at how the media portrays women and the prejudice against being over weight. VHS 5600

Invisible no more : quality home care. 2000. 1 videocassette (14 min.). Though home care workers are the fastest growing sector in the health care industry, they have been largely invisible. Until now. Today 175,000 home care workers have united in the Service Employees International Union, the largest union of home care workers in North America. In record numbers, home care workers are building strength through SEIU, and standing up for their rights as consumers. This documentary shows an intimate, day-in-the-life portrait of three home care workers and their clients who live and work in California, Illinois, and New York. Gracefuly told, this video shows their struggle to win dignity and security for all. VHS 7129

Killer disease on campus Meningitis. 2002. 1 videocassette (60 min.). (Producer) NOVA looks at the global impact of a lethal disease-- meningitis. For reasons that are not yet understood, teenagers are particularly vulnerable to this deadly bacterial infection. In a period of less than 48 hours, flu-like symptoms can develop into multi-system failures. With lives in the balance, NOVA goes behind scenes to understand what makes this infection so lethal and to examine what science is doing to stem its brutal spread. VHS 7721

Killer flu. 2004. 1 videodisc (60 min.). "In 1918, a flu pandemic ripped through the global population with such speed and virulence that by the end of the following year an estimated 40 million people would be dead--four times the number of victims eventually claimed by the First World War. Where did this particular flu strain come from? What made it so deadly? Eighty-five years later, American and Bristish virologists are teaming up to hunt down the answers to those two critical questions. Their quest has been imbued with a sense of urgency; modern health experts are bracing themselves for the emergence of a flu strain similar to 1918's, with many suggesting a similar pandemic will occue within the next decade. If modern scientists can shed light on why the 1918 virus was so lethal, they could apply that information to the emergence the next pandemic strain." -from container. DVD 786

Killing us softly 3 advertising's image of women. 2000. 1 videocassette (34 min.). Discusses the manner in which women continue to be portrayed by advertising and the effects this has on their images of themselves. VHS 6449

The Last cigarette. 1999. 1 videocassette (82 min.). Shows segments of the 1994 U.S. House of Representative's Health and the Environment Subcommittee hearings on tobacco products and health, during which the CEOs of the major tobacco companies testified. Interspersed with the House hearing segments are television advertisements and clips from motion pictures showing people using tobacco products. Includes discussion of the addictive effects of nicotine, the industries' marketing strategies, and the executives' statements that use of tobacco products is neither addicting nor damaging to health. There is no narration. Viewers are to draw their own conclusions. VHS 6843

Mastering W.T.F. tae kwon do. 1988. 2 videocassettes. Master Sim teaches the techniques of tae kwon do as authorized by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. The Federation is recognized by the Korean government and by the Olympic Committee. VHS 3407

Metabolism. Unseen life on Earth. 1999. 1 videocassette (30 min.). Series explores the vast biotechnological potential micro-organisms hold and discusses their importance in everything from medicine to environmental issues to global politics. Features new techniques in microscopy and computer-generated imagery. The metabolic pathways that produce energy create important environmental transformations. Although living organisms have diverse ways of meeting their energy needs, there is an amazing similarity between all life forms as they carry out metabolism directed to the construction and use of necessary biological molecules. VHS 6323

Microbes and human diseases. Unseen life on Earth. 1999. 1 videocassette (30 min.). Series explores the vast biotechnological potential micro-organisms hold and discusses their importance in everything from medicine to environmental issues to global politics. Features new techniques in microscopy and computer-generated imagery. How microbes come into contact with humans, and the many factors leading to disease outbreaks around the globe, are examined here. Film looks at current efforts to track infectious diseases and the considerations necessary to control disease worldwide. VHS 6332

Missing out. City life: City life (Bullfrog Films, inc.). 2001. 1 videocassette (27 min.). Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, and less than a third of the population has access to any health care. Malnutrition remains the main cause of maternal and infant mortality, and over half of all pregnant women suffer from iron deficiency anemia. In Tanzania, malaria is blamed for the increase in anemia. UNICEF believes that the solution is providing micromultinutrient pills which contain iron folate and other vitamins. This program follows two traditional birth attendants as they try to persuade women to take iron folate supplements and visit hospitals. It also looks at what could happen when donors pull out of distribution programs. VHS 7190

MTBE. 1999. 1 videocassette (30 min.). An examination of the widespread pollution of ground water caused by the reformulated gasoline additive MTBE (butyl methyl ether), especially in California. Asks the questions: Why was this chemical not fully tested before use?, Why is it still being used?, What are the health consequences of ingesting it through drinking water? VHS 6169

On our own terms Moyers on dying. 2000. 4 videocassettes (90 min. ea.). [1] Living with Dying : Describes the search for new ways of thinking and talking about dying. Forgoing the usual reluctance that most Americans show toward speaking about death, patients and medical professionals alike come forward to examine the end of life with honesty, courage, and even humor, demonstrating that dying can be an incredibly rich experience for both the terminally ill and their loved ones. [2] A Different Kind of Care: Presents important strides being made in the area of palliative care at pioneering institutions such as New York's Mt. Sinai Hospital and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. These advances are bringing peace to those who fear that they will be a burden to loved ones, will suffer needlessly, or will be abandoned in their hour of greatest need. [3] A Death of One's Own : Unravels the complexities underlying the many choices at the end of life, including the bitter debate over physician-assisted suicide. Three patients, their families, and their doctors discuss some of the hardest decisions, including how to pay for care, what constitutes humane treatment, and how to balance dying and dignity. [4] A Time to Change : Presents crusading medical professionals including staff members of the Balm of Gilead Project in Birmingham, Alabama, who have dedicated themselves to improving end-of-life care by changing America's overburdened health system. VHS 6475

Patents and patients. Life: Life series 3. 2002. 1 videocassette (23 min.). Part of a series examining the issue of globalization and its effect on ordinary people around the world. In India the drug company Cipla produces generic copies of anti-retroviral drugs whose patents officially belong to pharmaceutical giants like Bristol Myers Squibb. But without a proper health infrastructure to ensure that the drugs are properly administered to patients, India faces the risk of a drug-resistant HIV explosion. VHS 7202

Paying the price. City life: City life (Bullfrog Films, inc.). 2001. 1 videocassette (27 min.). (Producer) Paying the Price investigates the history of AIDS treatment in Africa. It details Uganda's success with a UN-sponsored program of price reduction and medical education, and South Africa's refusal to begin a national AIDS treatment program despite defeating a drug company court challenge to the government's import and manufacture of generic antiretroviral drugs. Finally, it looks at the success of smaller local programs that are bringing hope for the future to many infected Africans. VHS 7193

Plague war. 1998. 1 videocassette (60 min.). "Frontline presents new evidence culled from scientists, intelligence agencies, and policymakers to examine the threat biological warfare poses to world security and the responses the U.S. is frantically developing." -- Container. VHS 5697

The Return the N'Deup healing ceremony. 2001. 1 videocassette (30 min.). In Senegal and throughout West Africa, illnesses are believed to be caused by supernatural external aggression. The diagnosis is made by a traditional healer, a shaman, whose job is to locate and then placate the spirits, the rab, that are responsible for the illness. The N'Deup healing ceremony shown in this video enlists the local community under the direction of the healer. Drumming, dancing, herbal cures, as well as ritual bloodletting are employed in a dramatic effort to soothe and appease the agitated spirit. The goal of this complex and colorful ceremony is a return to the inner harmony the patient had earlier enjoyed. VHS 7734

Reviving Ophelia saving the selves of adolescent girls. 1998. 1 videocassette (35 min.). Clinical psychologist Mary Pipher discusses the challenges facing today's teenagers, especially girls, as well as the role of media and popular culture in shaping their identities. Offers ideas to help girls free themselves from the influences of media-saturated culture. VHS 5371

Safe. 2000. 1 videodisc (119 min.). Drama about a suburban housewife whose affluent environment turns against her, causing environmentally-induced disease. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1995. DVD 691

Seeing is believing. Life: Life series 3. 2002. 1 videocassette (23 min.). Part of a series examining the issue of globalization and its effect on ordinary people around the world. Health experts have long known that a lack of Vitamin A can lead to serious diseases during childhood, as well as increasing the risk of child and maternal mortality. This segment looks at the country of Zambia as it begins a nationwide program to deliver Vitamin A to its population through sugar fortification as just one part of a multi-pronged strategy. VHS 7200

Spare parts. 2000. 1 videocassette (26 min.). Experts on the cutting edge of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine present the astounding results of their research. Academic experts from MIT, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Duke University, and the University of Toronto -- plus representatives of Osiris Therapeutics and Geron, leading industry pioneers -- explain how new organs, arteries, ligaments, tendons, and skin are being grown from scratch using embryonic stem cells and bone marrow cells, bio-reactors, biodegradable scaffolding, and telomerase. Ethics issues and the race for patents are discussed as well. VHS 6192

Summer in my veins a documentary. 1999. 1 videocassette (41 min.). Nish Saran, recently tested for HIV, travels across the U.S. with his family who are visiting from India and reveals his gayness to his mother during the journey. VHS 6680

Super size me. 2004. 1 videodisc (ca. 96 min.). Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock embarks on a journey to find out if fast food is making Americans fat. For 30 days he can't eat or drink anything that isn't on McDonald's menu; he must eat three square meals a day, he must eat everything on the menu at least once and supersize his meal if asked. He treks across the country interviewing a host of experts on fast food and a number of regular folk while downing McDonald's to try and find out why 37% of American are now overweight. Spurlock's grueling diet spirals him into a metamorphosis that will make you think twice about picking up another Big Mac. DVD 955

The Syphilis enigma. 2001. 1 videocassette (60 min.). Scientists have generally believed that Columbus' expedition brought syphilis back to Europe with it. But now, the discovery in Europe of a pre-Columbian body with definite signs of syphilis has archeologist Charlotte Roberts convinced that syphilis existed in the Old World long before Columbus ever set sail. VHS 7568

Tae-Bo. 1998. 2 videocassettes (57 min., 14 min.). Seven-time World Martial Arts Champion, Billy Blanks, leads viewers in his Tae-Bo fitness workout program. Combines self-defense, dance, boxing and music. VHS 5673, 5674

Toxic legacies. 2001. 1 videocassette (46 min.). Elizabeth Guillette has studied the differences in the children of the Yaqui Valley of Mexico since 1993. The children of the valley towns are far behind those in the foothills in physical coordination, energy, and learning capabilities. The difference she observed was that pesticides have been used in the valley since the 1950s whereas in the foothills, where there is little agricultural industry, there is practically no pesticide use. The program follows Guillette as she meets with scientists for corroboration and possible solutions. VHS 830

Trade secrets a Moyers report. 2001. 1 videocassette (ca.120 min.). This documentary exposes the 40 year history of the American chemical industry's supression of information regarding the threats to public health by synthetic chemicals being introduced into the environment at all levels. Addresses the danger to public health by the continued use of approximately 9000 of the 15,000 mass produced chemical substances that have never undergone toxicological study in the United States. Followed by a panel discussion moderated by Moyers including industry spokesmen, environmental, and medical experts. VHS 6670

Wet dreams and false images. 2004. 1 videocassette (11 min.). An award winning documentary film that uses humor to serious concerns about the marketplace of commercial illusion and unrealizable standards of physical perfection."--Publisher's website. VHS 7755

Younger, thinner, smoother how the baby boomers are changing the face of cosmetic surgery. 2000. 1 videocassette (51 min.). Elizabeth Sher documents her personal journey to decide whether or not to have plastic surgery. This program questions and offers insights into the deeper issues of image and aging. VHS 7470