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TUMMY TROUBLES: PILES (HAEMORRHOIDS)

Dec 14

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Q. Are piles very common in this country?

A. They are. They are really dilated blood vessels, like varicose veins in the back passage. They swell up, largely if the person is constipated and must strain. They mainly remain inside the anal valve, although larger ones sometimes prolapse to the exterior. Others develop at the anal margin and often become painful as a clot forms and fills the vessel.

Q. Are there any symptoms?

A. Often there is bright red bleeding with a bowel action.

External ones may be painful, especially if they suddenly enlarge. There may be some irritation and itch.

Q. What about diagnosis and treatment?

A. Any bleeding from the bowel demands a proper examination by the doctor, especially in older persons aged 45 or more. Many cases of so-called piles have turned out to be a cancer of the rectum or colon. He will do a manual examination and look by direct vision with an instrument called a proctoscope, sigmoidoscope or maybe the colonoscope. Checking for cancer is essential every time.

Provided piles are the diagnosis, relieving constipation is essential. Daily use of unprocessed bran is good therapy. Add two tablespoonsful to your breakfast cereal or stewed fruit each morning. Most cases readily respond to this. Hot and cold sitz baths often give relief. The insertion of suppositories is also beneficial. Clotted external piles are treated surgically, with incision and clot removal. Persisting large bleeding piles are also removed surgically, either by surgical dissection or rubber band ligation and cryotherapy. Results are invariably satisfactory. Prevention of recurrences is best carried out with a high fibre diet.

Q. So we come to the end of our little volume.

A. I hope our readers have found it interesting and informative. Our last piece of advice is to take notice of symptoms. They are often the signals of internal disease. Ignoring them may be dangerous.

If there is any query, visit your doctor. He is there ready and willing to offer assistance. A proper medical history, plus examination with appropriate investigations is the best way to have internal disorders diagnosed. Treatment will follow. Today medical therapy has reached a high level of success. Treatment, whether it be via drugs, dietary advice, surgery or alternative methods, can bring relief to most conditions. Early diagnosis, even in serious diseases such as cancer, will lead to prompt treatment and in many cases a satisfactory outcome is possible. To delay is unwise.

Use this book as it is intended. To supplement what your doctor tells you, to help you seek early medical attention from the experts. We leave it up to you and wish you good health for many years ahead.

*39/61/2*

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HOW THE BATTLE WITH ARTHRITIS IS WON—GRETA FRIBERG TELLS HER STORY

Dec 14

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During my visit to Bjorkagarden Institute I met several patients with arthritis and interviewed some of them. One story is etched into my memory more than any other because it is a dramatic and sad story of human suffering and despair. It is a circulus vitiosus of going from doctor to doctor in the hope of finding relief from agonizing pain; staying in hospital after hospital; consuming astronomical amounts of toxic drugs—and only getting worse and worse! But this sad story had a happy ending! Let’s hear it from Mrs. Greta Friberg in her own words as follows:

“About three years ago, at the age of 42,1 started to feel a certain stiffness in my joints, mostly in my hands and shoulders. I didn’t pay much attention to it, hoping that it would heal by itself. But the stiffness persisted, on and off, for over a year. Then, in January, 1965, my left hand swelled up and started to ache. I wrapped it in warm wool, which relieved the pain somewhat, but the swelling only continued to increase. Three weeks later my right hand started to swell.

“1 went to a doctor, a private practitioner in Boras. The examination showed low blood values (70 per cent) and a high sedimentation rate (50). The doctor sent me to the Boris Hospital. But the hospital was overfilled and I had to wait until April 9,1965 to enter it. Meantime, the pain in my hands was getting more and more agonizing.

“In the hospital they gave me two different drugs: the first week Bamul the second week Prednisolone, a hormone preparation. I also received shortwave treatments. After two weeks at the hospital my sedimentation rate improved, and swelling went down a little. I was sent home and asked to return after one week for a checkup. Upon returning I received a new medication, Tanderil, and instructions to take six tablets of it a day. I went back home and continued with Tanderil. It relieved the stiffness in my joints, but after about one week I started to feel sick all over and my face started to swell badly— I looked like a blown-up balloon. I lost my appetite, felt tired all the time, and could not sleep well. One morning I could not get out of bed. I had a fever of over 100° and noticed a rash over my breast. My husband telephoned for a physician, but he couldn’t come, so my husband took me to the doctor’s office in an automobile. The doctor thought that my condition was quite bad. He said that perhaps the Tanderil was too strong and he advised me to get back home, stay in bed, and not take this drug for a while. I was rather shocked and scared to discover that drugs could be that toxic and that they could make me so ill. I went home and decided to throw away all my drugs. I had a high fever and tried resting in bed, but the fever just continued to climb. I felt sick all over. And, after I discontinued with drugs, the pain in my arms was unbelievable. The slightest move caused the most excruciating pains.

“Now my husband telephoned the hospital in Boras and was advised to take me there immediately. At the hospital I received medication which caused irregular heartbeats and a bad cough. Next day I lost consciousness and remained unconscious for 36 hours. When I woke up, I had a bad nosebleed and my eyes were inflamed. Also my hearing was affected. It was as if I had a very severe cold. My nose and throat were all congested and inflamed, and I could not take in any solid foods. This continued for a whole week. During all this time my fever remained high. Nosebleeding became very bad and they had to burn the inside of my nose to stop the profuse bleeding. After three weeks they put me back on Bamul again. This time I stayed at the hospital a total of seven weeks.

“When I got back home and started using several new prescribed drugs my temperature never did go down. I felt very tired and had to stay in bed most of the time. After four days at home and heavy medication a rash broke out all over my body. I went back to the hospital

“Now I stayed there for two and a half months. All that time my condition was progressively getting worse. My blood hemoglobin count was now 40. Doctors said that my kidneys were weak and my liver was inflamed. They gave me new drugs, six tablets a day, and sent me home. The hospital doctor sent me to a convalescent home in Hultafors.

“Five weeks at the convalescent home put me on my feet again. I regained some strength and added some weight. Not only did I receive various drugs there, but also shortwave treatments, massage, hot baths, etc. My blood value improved (80 per cent) and stiffness and swelling were relieved somewhat. I returned home able to walk, even though my arms and shoulders were still painful and stiff.

“In January, 1966 my condition took a turn for the worse again. My whole body was swollen. A doctor at the Boras

Hospital said that the swelling was caused by the drugs I was taking. When I stopped taking the drugs the pain in my joints was so unbearable that I could not tolerate it. And now stiffness was spreading all around my body; All the joints were swollen: knees, feet, hips.

“I felt very discouraged and hopeless. They had tried everything and yet I was getting worse. The drugs only made me worse, yet without them my pains were intolerable. I was a nervous wreck and felt very depressed. I wanted to die. There was no way out of the inferno of my agonizing suffering and pain.

“At this point some friends told me of the Bjorkagarden Institute. My husband felt that perhaps it was worth trying. I did not reflect one way or another—I could hardly get worse, so I had nothing to lose.

“I came here on March 18,1966. Immediately I was put on a 17 day fast. It wasn’t easy, I must admit. My nerves were bad, I was worried and irritable. But after 17 days of fasting, to my surprise, I felt a fantastic improvement! The pain was all but gone (and without drugs, because all my drugs were taken away from me the day I arrived) and my joints regained some mobility. Of course, during the fast, which consisted of fresh juices and vegetable broths, I received all the usual treatments here: baths, vacuum massage, cupping, etc. I returned home in better condition than I had experienced in many years.

“After one week home I returned here to continue my treatments. I fasted one week on water; then I went on a special diet for four weeks. After that I fasted one more week on juices. I went home for a week, much improved, but still felt some stiffness in the joints, especially my knees and hips. Later, I returned here on June 5 to complete my treatments, and have been here now for six weeks. I fasted on juices for 21 days. Now I am on my special diet again.

“The last long fast did wonders for me! Now I am completely free from pain. The joints are almost normal; no swelling, just a slight stiffness occasionally. But I know that a couple weeks more and I will he completely cured. I feel like a new person. I swim in the river every day and take long walks. I am so grateful! I plan to stay here until the 15th of August, but I feel so great already that I could go home today!”

*38/176/2*

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PIGMENT DEPOSITS IN THE IRIS: LIPOFUSCIN: THE ‘WEAR AND TEAR’ PIGMENT

Dec 14

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This Fe-free pigment can appear in the iris in a range of colours varying from light yellow to black-brown. It is formed within the ganglion cells of the Nucleus niger and Locus ceruleus, and appears mostly as ‘wear and tear’ pigment in old age. However, it can also originate from protein metabolism without such regressive changes.

Lipofuscin (never melanin) is a constituent of the extra-pyramidal system. In the Zona reticularis of the suprarenal body, lipofuscin can be recognised microscopically as a dark brown colouring in conditions of old age. Although lipofuscin is described as a product of old age, it can also exist as a degeneration product in young people and as a sign of exhaustion of particular organs, hence the terms: liver-, renal- and pancreas-pigment.

At this point, I would like to include the group of rheumatic-gouty deposits. In my view, the duration of the condition can be assessed from the colour of the signs. The longer the disease has been present, the darker is the colour of the pigment.

Even though the above-mentioned pigments are topolabile, the presence of the flecks in the different zones of the iris can still be assigned to definite organ systems. If the light reddish pigment, as described in detail in the literature under the term—Nux vomica pigment, appears in the stomach and intestinal zone (first major zone), then it shows that a condition of fermentation affects these organs. If the discolouration extends outwards beyond the iris-wreath, then other organ systems can be affected.

The yellow to brown deposits which extend from the iris -wreath to the outer margin of the iris (Berberis pigment) indicate general disease of the body (Maubach: Reibekuchen-iris). In this case, the condition arises from a gouty disposition of hereditary origin. Indications of the acute phases of gout appear white, and generally lie next to dark signs in the bone area (fifth minor zone).

The pigments described as liver-, renal- and pancreas-pigment are likewise found in the ciliary zone.

Pigment deposits may appear in the iris if an organ is affected. However, since the differences of colour and localisation of pigment-flecks are insufficient for diagnosis, one must look for other signs in the organ areas of the iris in order to reach a definite opinion. Iridologists have been concerned with iris pigment-signs from the first beginnings of irisdiagnosis, commencing with Liljequist and continuing with Attila von Peczely, Schnabel and Angerer. In spite of their extensive works, there still remains a wide field for further research.

*38/78/2*

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PROGRAM OF BIOLOGICAL TREATMENTS FOR ARTHRITIS

Dec 14

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Dr. Essen makes some important exceptions to some of the fundamental principles adopted by other major clinics in Sweden, as follows:

1. Dr. Essen has a general impression, based on practical experience and existing case histories, that prolonged fasting is undesirable in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. The same is true concerning the raw, uncooked diet Although it is general observation, including his own personal experience, that fasting and raw food diets result in an immediate and striking improvement in the condition of the patient, it is all too common that prolonged, continuous treatment of this kind will very often result in a change for the worse. The reason for this is that raw vegetable juices and raw vegetables, as well as fasting, dissolve the accumulated toxins too fast and thus activate biochemical changes in the joints to such an extent that the pathologically affected joints cannot tolerate it nor can eliminative organs handle the heavy load of wastes thus thrown into the bloodstream. This invariably leads to deterioration and worsening of the condition. Raw food therapy and fast therapy, as healing measures, are very powerful curative therapies and should be employed with great caution.

Consequently, Dr. Essen recommends repeated short fasts from three to five days followed by the cleansing diet for the same length of time. The intermediate diet should consist of a mixed raw and cooked vegetable diet, well balanced and individually planned in every case to prevent detoxification from occurring too rapidly.

2. The administration of certain biological preparations (organic medicines) is of very great importance in Dr. Essen’s treatments. The biologically oriented physician in Europe has access to a growing line of new biological medicines made from organic and inorganic substances found in nature and prepared in accordance with biological principles. They are never synthetic and never toxic. Several companies in Europe specialize in the production of such remedies. The preparations most used by Dr. Essen are the well-known remedies from Weleda and Wala in Switzerland. These preparations are administered both orally and as subcutaneous injections.

Dr. Essen says, “The therapeutic effect of these kinds of medications lies in the fact that they direct the life-force in the desired direction, stimulate the glands and other vital organs of the body, and accelerate the healing process. They do not alter nor interfere with normal metabolic processes, only support and activate them.”

Aside from these two exceptions, Dr. Essen’s program is in general similar to what we have described in the previous chapter: lactovegetarian diet, preferably of organically (without sprays and chemical fertilizers) grown products, fasting, enemas, therapeutic baths, physiotherapy, relaxation massage, etc.

In his practice all synthetic and chemical drugs are taboo. He warns, however, that cortisone should not be cut off abruptly. The doses should be reduced gradually until the body has time to adjust to the new situation. He replaces cortisone with biological medicines that stimulate the adrenals, hypophysis, and other endocrine glands.

In addition, he uses large doses of vitamins, particularly vitamin B-121 and large doses of vitamin E (300 milligrams a day), because of its anticollagenotic effect.2 Furthermore, he uses vitamin C (up to 1,000 milligrams orally or intravenously), also B-complex and C combination. The other remedies to note are pollen preparations, organic mineral supplements, medicinal herbs, biologically prepared elixirs, and Luvos Heilerde, a clay preparation which is very effective in absorption and elimination of toxins from the intestinal tract. To the same end he uses various preparations of lactoacid bacteria: L. acidophilus, L. thermophilus, L. bulgaris.

*37/176/2*

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THE FIRST SEIZURE AND THE DIAGNOSIS OF EPILEPSY: SIMPLE FAINTS (SYNCOPE; VASOVAGAL ATTACKS)

Dec 14

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The medical name for these is syncope. Many of us have experienced one or more syncopal attacks, very often at school. In syncope, consciousness is disturbed or lost, not because of a paroxysmal discharge of cerebral nerve cells, but because the cerebral nerve cells are silenced by inadequate supply of oxygen through arterial blood.

When a man stands up, his brain is about 15 inches (38 cm) higher than his heart; when he lies down, the two organs are at the same level. When he stands up, therefore, the arterial pressure has to increase so that blood flow to the brain remains unchanged. Normally, this is accompained smoothly by a combination of increased heart rate and by constriction of the blood vessels in the abdomen and legs. Experience informs us of examples of a breakdown in this mechanism. The most familiar is the extreme slowing of the heart-rate produced in some sensitive people by the sight of blood or in response to pain. This cardiac slowing is mediated through the vagal nerve, and the name vasovagal attack is often given to such an episode.

The contraction of leg and thigh muscles during walking normally drives venous blood back to the heart. If venous return is insufficient because of immobility—for example, a soldier at attention on parade, or a young girl in assembly at school—then syncope may occur. Such syncope seems to be socially infectious—once a girl or soldier has slumped, others may follow in the next few minutes.

Normally blood returns to the heart from the legs smoothly through the chest and abdomen. During prolonged coughing, or straining while trying to pass a stool, the pressure within the chest is greatly increased, preventing venous return to the heart. What the heart is not getting back, it cannot put out, so this sequence of events again may result in impaired blood-flow to the brain, and syncope.

If the blood vessels in trunk and legs are pleasantly dilated in a hot bath or nice warm bed, suddenly getting up—for example, to answer the telephone—may cause syncope. This may also happen in older people, when they get out of bed at night to pass urine. The situation is more complex in this case because we know that, at the onset of urination, there is a reflex dilatation of blood vessels in the legs. This so-called ‘micturition syncope’ affects men more than women, not only because they more often have to pass urine at night (because of prostatic enlargement) but because they pass urine standing up.

Syncope may occur in association with certain diseases. For example, in diabetes the nerve fibres controlling the heart rate and the diameter of blood vessels may be diseased, and the normal adjustments to blood pressure to posture may fail to occur. There are other rare diseases of the brain in which a similar failure to control blood pressure occurs. One, which bears some similarity to Parkinson’s disease, is known as the Shy-Drager syndrome after the two American neurologists who first described it.

A much more common cause of syncope, however, is medication. Many people take tablets to control high blood pressure. One effect of some of these drugs is to cause syncope on standing up. Some antidepressants, such as imipramine (Tofranil), do the same.

How does the neurologist or paediatrician decide that his patient’s blackouts are due to syncope rather than epilepsy? Again, all depends upon the story. The first clue is the circumstances in which the blackout, occurred. If it happened at the scene of a road accident, or during a horror movie, syncope is very likely. A common story is for a man to faint while attending his wife’s delivery. Syncope virtually never occurs lying down, so if loss of consciousness happens then, a seizure is more likely. Very occasionally, vagal slowing of the heart can be so profound that syncope does happen lying down. For example, one of our patients was a woman who was so terrified of dental treatment that she lost consciousness due to syncope even if the dentist started treating her with the chair tilted back almost to the horizontal position.

The next point is the occurrence of pre-syncopal symptoms. Blood flow to the brain is reduced in syncope often for many seconds before consciousness is lost. During that time, the nervous system makes desperate attempts to constrict other blood vessels in order to elevate the central pressure. The constriction of blood vessels in the skin results in pallor, and the associated discharge of the vegetative (non-voluntary) nervous system causes nausea and sweating. The person therefore feels and looks cold, pale, and clammy.

Other points which help distinguish syncope from seizures include limpness, rather than rigidity and/or convulsions during the period of unconsciousness, and usually no incontinence during the event. Recovery of full consciousness and orientation is much more rapid after syncope than after a seizure, following which there is usually a period of confusion. Recovery after syncope often rapidly follows assumption of the horizontal position, whether the person falls, or is placed like this, so that the head is on the same level as the heart. This is nature’s safety mechanism whereby cerebral blood flow is restored. Occasionally the safety mechanism cannot operate—the position of a hand-basin or lavatory may prevent the limp body falling to the floor. Sometimes the sufferer is supported in a vertical position by well-meaning but ill-advised friends or bystanders. In these cases, cerebral blood flow may fall to such extremely low levels that incontinence, twitching, or a full-blown seizure may occur. This should be regarded as an ‘anoxic seizure’ rather than a seizure caused by epilepsy.

As an example of the difficulties that this unusual sequence of events can cause, one of us was asked to see a young nurse. Three days after a straightforward appendicectomy, she got up for the first time to go to the ward lavatory. She felt faint as she walked there, and therefore left the door ajar. She felt fainter still as she was sitting on the seat, straining to open her bowels. Before losing consciousness she called another nurse for help. This girl seeing her colleague about to tumble off the seat, held her up to prevent injury. The resulting cerebral anoxia caused an anoxic seizure. An incorrect diagnosis of epilepsy had been made, and her continued employment as a nurse was under threat.

Syncope in adolescents—usually girls—can be very troublesome, and occasionally injury occurs. Physique and life-style seem irrelevant, so the usual advice to take plenty of fresh air and exercise is probably useless. Much more important is to tell the young person to lie down at once if she feels the onset of typical pre-syncopal symptoms. Fortunately recurrent episodes are rarely troublesome for more than a year.

*36/188/2*

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PREGNANCY

Dec 14

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Herbs, vitamins and mineral supplements can play an important role in childbirth, preparing the mother’s body for conception, nourishing her throughout the pregnancy, preparing her for the rigours of the birth and, afterwards, assisting with her rapid recovery and with breastfeeding. Of course, care should be taken when ingesting any substance during pregnancy and women should note that several herbs which are of great benefit at particular stages of reproduction can be dangerous to the baby if taken at the wrong time. Follow all instructions carefully and consult a medical practitioner if you have any doubts at all.

Well in advance of conceiving, a woman is advised to give up smoking and drinking, eat well and exercise regularly. A course of the Chinese herb dong quai [Angelica sinensis) will help to tone the female reproductive system. However, the intake of dong quai should cease before conception takes place and the herb should not be taken at any stage during the pregnancy itself. The inclusion of nutritious red clover, nettle or ginseng tea in the diet is safe and beneficial for the woman waiting to conceive. If conception proves difficult, consult a health professional. A supplement of folic acid can help as can an increased intake of Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin.

One of the most uncomfortable side effects of early pregnancy is morning sickness, the nausea resulting from the destablisation of the gastric juices. While mild and lasting only a few weeks in most women, the vomiting and resulting loss of nutrients can be debilitating. Ginger is highly effective in reducing nausea in all cases and the tablets, powder or fresh root can be taken safely at this time. A widely prescribed remedy for mild morning sickness is raspberry leaf, taken as a tea or a tablet, and both peppermint and chamomile teas have helped many a pregnant woman face the day. It is recommended that you drink no more than 3 cups daily.

The nutritional demands on the pregnant woman soon increase and care should be taken with the diet to include the consumption of plenty of protein and carbohydrates. The most common nutrients found to be deficient in pregnant women are zinc (from brewers yeast, wheatgerm, green leaf vegetables, eggs and legumes), folic acid (from yeast, green leaf vegetables, nuts, milk, and mushrooms) and calcium (from dairy foods, nuts, green vegetables and fish.) Zinc deficiency is thought to result in increased birth defects and increased stretch marks on the mother. Folic acid, a B Group vitamin, assists with the production of red blood cells. Calcium gives strength to teeth, bones and cartilege. Being rich in a citrate of iron, raspberry leaf tea taken throughout pregnancy helps to prevent miscarriage and strengthen the uterine and pelvic muscles for the birth. It can help control the pain when administered during labour itself, while feverfew will regulate contractions and help to hasten the expulsion of the afterbirth.

During pregnancy, normally healthy women are prone to ailments like indigestion, constipation, fluid retention and backache. Most of these can be safely treated with natural remedies. Take slippery elm for indigestion, psyllium seeds for constipation and seek advice on gentle exercises you can do to relieve backache. Consider a gentle spinal manipulation by a qualified chiropractor if backache is severe.

After the birth, the mother’s milk flow can be increased safely with the help of herbal preparations such as raspberry leaf tea, dill or fennel oil or milk thistle seeds. Raspberry tea is soothing when dabbed on sore nipples.

Some herbs which are uterine stimulants, and others which contain chemicals that will cross the placental barrier, should be avoided in pregnancy. Do not use any of the following unless prescribed by a qualified practitioner. (Some of these are culinary herbs which are safe to use in small amounts in teas and cooking, but should not be taken in therapeutic doses.)

*36/69/2*

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TUMMY TROUBLES: GASTRIC INFECTIONS

Dec 14

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Q. I suppose everybody has suffered from an infection of the stomach and bowel system.

A. This is undoubted, for via the mouth, germs have direct access to the stomach and intestinal systems. Located on food they are quickly transmitted to the stomach and intestinal system where they multiply and produce irritation of the bowel lining, causing an increased rate of peristalsis (movement) which gives rise to abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, a fever, perspiration, chills, lack of appetite, general aches all over and headaches. Dehydration and prostration may occur quickly, especially in small children.

Q. Is this the same as food poisoning?

A. The symptoms are similar but in food poisoning germs have actually entered the food, multiplied there and produced their toxins which are then eaten. The body absorbs these and similar symptoms occur. They may be severe but are usually self-limiting.

Q. What is the best treatment?

A. In simple cases, starvation for 24-48 hours is best. Adequate fluids, such as frequent sips of cool water, or lemonade with powdered glucose D (about Vi tsp per half glass); ice blocks or chipped ice. Cool sponges will help brighten the spirits. Gradually resume normal meals but small amounts of non fatty products are best. Fats seem to aggravate the condition. Doctors sometimes prescribe anti-vomiting medication but it is usually unnecessary. Diarrhoea also may benefit from medication such as Lomotil or Imodium but this is for adults only.

Q. Aren’t some cases due to specific organisms?

A. Most of the common causes of gastro, as it is commonly called, are due to viruses, often transmitted by flies. Other types are due to certain identifiable organisms which produce dysentery, such as one named shigella. Symptoms are similar or may be more severe. Fluid replacement is necessary and certain antibiotics are effective. Medical supervision is advisable both for diagnosis and treatment.

A very severe type of bowel disorder is called botulism, rarely seen in Australia. This infects food and may produce serious symptoms which may be life-endangering. They are similar in nature to general bowel infections but may lead on to prostration, weakness and sometimes respiratory failure as the nerves are poisoned. Special anti-toxins are available.

Q. Is it advisable to seek medical help with any bowel disorder?

A. Often symptoms are mild and fairly quickly vanish. However, with any persisting symptoms, especially if associated with considerable fluid loss and abdominal pain, medical attention is essential. This is very important in babies and infants who dehydrate rapidly and may quickly reach an irreversible stage. Many years ago huge numbers died from simple gastric infections.

*36/61/2*

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THE FIRST SEIZURE AND THE DIAGNOSIS OF EPILEPSY: WHAT WILL THE PAEDIATRICIAN OR NEUROLOGIST DO?

Dec 14

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The analysis of ‘funny turns’ or ‘blackouts’ of one sort or another makes up a considerable proportion of the work of a neurologist and quite a bit of the work of a paediatrician. Their first concern is to obtain as accurate as possible an account of the events which led up to and occurred at the time of a seizure. People who have lost consciousness cannot themselves say what happened while they were unconscious. However, people will be able to give important information about what they were doing and how they felt before loss of consciousness, and how they felt when they first recovered, but the neurologist will want to know what was happening during the time that consciousness was disturbed. For this reason an eye-witness account is essential. Information must be asked about:

• What time of day was it?

• What was the person doing before the attack?

• What were the events leading up to the seizure(s)?

• Did the seizure or attack occur without warning, or were there initial symptoms suggestive of an aura or of a simple faint (syncope)?

• What precisely did the child or person look like or do during the seizure?

• How long did the seizure or attack last?

• What did the person look like and do afterwards?

If the patient or eye-witness is unable to recall accurately exactly what happened during the seizure, then it is useful to ask the eye-witness to show the doctor what sort of ‘jerking’ or shaking occurred, but sometimes people are too shy or embarrassed to do this. If repeated attacks occur, and there remains diagnostic difficulty, the potential eye-witness should be given a list of these check points, and encouraged to use a video-camera or cam-corder to record the seizure or attack. This is becoming increasingly useful in the diagnosis of epilepsy, particularly in infants and young children.

It should be possible to make a definite diagnosis of epilepsy or of some other condition on the basis of all this clinical information.

The diagnosis of epilepsy must not be made lightly and if there is doubt then epilepsy should not be diagnosed and the doctor should wait for more convincing evidence from further ‘attacks’ or episodes before making a firm diagnosis. The risk of someone with epilepsy coming to harm from a delay in the diagnosis is small, whereas a diagnosis of epilepsy incorrectly made is nearly always damaging. This damage may be reflected in unfair prejudice and resulting social burden, in addition to the prescription of unnecessary and potentially hazardous medication.

A large number of conditions may be misdiagnosed as epilepsy particularly in children.

*35/188/2*

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WHAT IS BIOLOGICAL MEDICINE?

Dec 14

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My first question to Dr. Essen concerned the meaning of the term biological medicine. The concept of biological medicine is very exactly defined by Dr. Essen in Vidi Nova, a special publication for biological medicine issued by him, which deals with the practical results of applied biological methods. As the foremost representative of biological medicine in Sweden and the leading spirit behind the new and growing movement of progressive doctors following the principles of biological medicine in their practice, Dr. Essen was indeed a man well qualified to answer my question: “What is biological medicine?”

“May I, instead of using dry, scientific definitions, illuminate this with a concrete example,” said Dr. Essen. “A doctor is treating a case of infectious disease by the conventional methods. The determining factor for a successful result of this kind of treatment is to identify the kind of bacteria considered responsible for the infection in question. When the intruder is identified, the patient is given a specific chemical or antibiotic drug, which, as a rule, accomplishes the immediate results: the bacteria are destroyed and the patient is free from symptoms.

“After a while, it may happen that the same patient will turn up with a new infection. The diagnosis shows that either it is a question of the same kind of bacteria, which this time, however, is already immune to the specific drug, or there are new bacteria involved. Accordingly, new and more potent drugs are prescribed, which bring about immediate results, as far as the fighting bacteria is concerned. But in spite of the “success” of the treatment, the patient’s resistance to infection seems to progressively weaken and various complications set in. Now, perhaps, such potent drugs as cortisone—pain-killer and symptom-remover—and other highly toxic synthetic drugs enter the picture. The body, already weakened by the disease, must now, in addition, cope with the toxic and damaging side effects of the poisonous drugs.

Then, one day, we stand by the deathbed surprised and shocked. The patient had received all the correct treatments in accordance with medical science’s conventional practices and regulations. The laboratory tests proved that we made no errors! Bacteria samples showed that the bacteria, which our treatment was aimed at, were ‘successfully’ eradicated. As far as the direct cause of the symptoms was concerned (the bacteria) our treatment was a complete success. The only problem was the patient died! We succeeded in killing the bacteria, but we failed to save the host organism, where our war on bacteria was so successful It also could be said that the treatment was successful, but unfortunately, as a result of the treatment and resultant complications, the patient died. Or, The operation was successful but the patient didn’t survive.’

“Now, actually, this kind of a result is not so surprising, is it?” continued Dr. Essen. “After all, what did we treat? Our treatment was directed at micro-organisms which we considered pathogenic or disease-causing. In the meantime, the biological environment for this micro-organism, the host organism, the living, delicate, sensitive, and easily damaged human body, has actually been completely neglected. The man hardly comes into the picture at all. What we actually treat today are diseases, not the diseased people. The sick body, however, is subject to very different biological laws than those which could be applied in primitive germ war with chemical and antibiotic germ-killers.

“A parallel to this can be seen in today’s damage and destruction of life and natural environments as a result of man’s indiscriminate use of insecticides and other poisonous chemicals. Is there any intelligent human being who is so naive as to assume that these poisons will be less devastating to the human body, with its endlessly more intricate and delicate living mechanism? The biological laws of life are quite different from the laws which regulate chemical reactions observed in laboratory tubes. When we fail to see the difference between the two, catastrophic conditions will be the result, and we have to accept the consequences of our unwise actions.”

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POISONING

Dec 14

Posted by admin in General health | No Comments

Poisoning occurs when substances harmful to the normal functioning of the body are swallowed, inhaled, absorbed into the skin or injected. Signs that poisoning has occurred include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, burning pains from the mouth to the stomach, difficulty in breathing, congestion in the chest, headaches, ringing in the ears, blurred vision and sudden collapse. If possible the type of substance which has been ingested should be determined before giving first aid. Vomiting should not be induced if corrosive or petroleum based substances have been swallowed, nor in cases where the source of poisoning is unknown.

Food poisoning or gastroenteritis is usually caused by bacteria which inflame the lining of the stomach and intestines. The bacteria salmonella and staphylococcus are among the most common culprits and their growth is encouraged by reheating or half cooking food. It is important to practise good personal hygiene, especially washing hands, when handling food and to keep utensils and food preparation areas clean. Frozen food should be defrosted properly before cooking and not refrozen after it has thawed out. Previously reheated food should be cooked at a high temperature. Hot, cooked food should not be left in a cooling oven or other warm place. Bacterial growth develops. Food poisoning also occurs with contaminated seafood.

Symptoms of food poisoning are vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramping, sometimes accompanied by sweating and fever. Diarrhoea and vomiting can lead to fluid loss, so dehydration may follow.

To treat food poisoning, fluid should be replaced by drinking small amounts of water, flat lemonade or diluted fruit juice frequently. Often the stomach will not tolerate solid foods. Taking garlic capsules can help fight infection. Peppermint tea is helpful in cases of nausea.

Poisoning can also occur as a result of absorption of various toxic metals in the environment. Lead, cadmium, mercury and aluminium are widely used by industry and our environment is now permanently polluted by them. These metals cannot be biodegraded into the environment. Lead poisoning can be caused when sanding off old lead based paint during renovations. The bioflavonoid, quercitrin, contained in the juice of citrus fruits, is a good chelating agent for lead, and gradually removes it from the body.

Cadmium is found in tobacco and cigarette paper and in superphosphate fertilisers. Usually found in conjunction with zinc, the ratio of cadmium to zinc is much higher in refined flour and white bread than in the same wholewheat products. Eating wholewheat products and not smoking reduce exposure to cadmium. Vitamin C, glutathione and the trace element selenium all help to alleviate cadmium toxicity.

Mercury is another highly poisonous metal. Apart from pollution of the environment, the consumption of seafoods and fish is a major source of mercury. Mercury is concentrated in algae in the ocean and becomes progressively more concentrated as it progresses up the food chain. Selenium is a natural defence against mercury. It is found in wheat which is grown in selenium rich soils.

During the 1970s evidence emerged that aluminium could be harmful to humans when people in Scotland using home dialysis for kidney failure suffered a type of dementia which was traced to the town water supply which was being used in the dialysis and which had been clarified with alum. There has been some evidence to link aluminium with Alzheimer’s disease, but this is still controversial. The consumption of aluminium is increased when food is prepared in aluminium utensils.

Some herbs can cause poisoning when taken in large amounts. It is therefore important to consult a qualified herbal practitioner when taking herbal remedies.

Water contamination by algal blooms, becoming more common with the pollution of our freshwater lakes and rivers, is another source of poisoning. Microcystis, a type of blue-green algae, produces hepatotoxins which cause bleeding and breakdown of the liver, sometimes inducing tumours. In 1981 several people in Armidale, New South Wales, showed signs of liver problems after drinking water from a reservoir contaminated by microcystis blooms.

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