Chennai: During a debate on astrology and health on a private TV channel, a doctor says a sensible thing to do when patient needs surgery is to go for it and not consult an astrologist. It is not right to tell a doctor that the particular day fixed for operation is inauspicious. Delay can even mean death of the patient, he argued.

The surgeon narrates an incident. “I am saying this with a personal experience, where an appendicitis had to be done for a 17-year-old who lost his life due to their family’s negligence. They insisted on conducting the operation on a Wednesday when we had to do it on a Tuesday. Their argument was Tuesday was a bad day for surgery. I don’t understand how people can be thus when it comes to a person’s health,” he said.

Astrology and horoscope indicating the time factor is ridiculuous as there is no evidence for time protocol, he argues and says there is local and international time. There are about 17 deliveries daily in government hospitals and no doctor or nurses notes the time when the baby is out. The mother goes through 10 stages of labour after which the baby is born, the cord is removed and after the token is allotted is when they note the time. So when the basis of time itself is wrong, how can one predict the life and future of an individual, he asks.

The astrologer’s concept of geocentric is also wrong. They speak about nine planets but the ultimate fact is that Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered only after the 19th century.

“So when every factor proves to be wrong, how can an astrologer mould an individual’s life by just having star charts and studying about heavenly bodies? Even a primary school kid knows about heavenly bodies such as the solar system and the planets,” he adds.