Question

regulated, early doctors were free to prescribe treatments—such as gold—without proof that they actually worked.

modern research, however, indicates that gold does have some well - founded medical uses. for instance, gold salts have been shown to palliate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. when patients receive regular injections of gold, it begins to accumulate in their muscles; this reduces joint inflammation, relieving pain and preventing further damage. researchers are also actively investigating the ability of gold nanoparticles to target cancer cells, which could help doctors identify the disease and deliver medication more efficiently. such findings confirm that gold is, as people have believed for thousands of years, rich in medical potential.

what is the meaning of palliate as used in the passage?

to disguise or conceal

to ease or lessen

to explain or account for

to identify or diagnose

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "palliate", we analyze the context. The passage states that gold salts reduce joint inflammation, relieve pain, and prevent further damage in rheumatoid arthritis patients. "To disguise or conceal" doesn't fit as there's no hiding; "to explain or account for" is irrelevant to symptom management; "to identify or diagnose" is not what gold salts do here. "To ease or lessen" matches the context of reducing inflammation and pain.

Answer:

to ease or lessen