Which Is First—The Disease or the Microorganism?
The following is a transcription of the January 1957 issue of Dr. Royal Lee’s Applied Trophology newsletter, originally published by Standard Process Laboratories.
Also in this issue:
- Science Discovers Vitamin E
- Oxidative Diets
- Cancer and Rancid Fats
- Items of Interest (Vitamin E in Infants)
- Tip of the Month (Cramps)
- Q&A
- High Points of Trace Minerals-B12, Antronex, Arginex, and Betaine Hydrochloride
Which Is First—The Disease or the Microorganism?
Medical science has been insistent that germs, viruses, etc., are basic causes of disease. Many doctors insist that disease is a state of malnutrition, poisoning from endogenous or exogenous sources, stress, and environmental abnormalities rather than accidental encounters with microorganisms—health being a “normal reaction to a natural environment, disease a normal reaction to an unnatural environment.”
Dr. Rene J. Dubos of the Rockefeller Institute leans toward the latter hypothesis. In his book Biochemical Determinants of Microbial Diseases (Harvard University Press, 1954), he says:
“The study of the tissue factors which are responsible for arresting the progress of infection, or for allowing it to evolve into overt disease, is still in the most primitive state…The dependence of susceptibility to infection upon the physiological status of the host is of course a familiar observation. However commonplace, it focuses attention upon an aspect of infectious disease which is much neglected. Most human beings, indeed probably all living things, carry throughout life a variety of microbial agents potentially pathogenic for them. Under most conditions these pathogens do not manifest their presence by either symptoms or lesions; only when something happens which upsets the equilibrium between host and parasite does infection evolve into disease. In other words infection in many cases is the normal state; it is only disease which is abnormal.
“Let us consider a few examples…As is well known, the agent responsible for mammary carcinoma among breeding female mice (appears to be) a virus…(the) virus can be present…and cause no sign of disease…until lactation begins. Male mice never develop cancer even if they carry…the virus, nor do females unless under the stimulus of continuous reproductive activity” (stress). “Of particular interest is the fact that cortisone treatment can cause animals to develop a fatal disease owing to the multiplication of microorganisms which they normally carry in their tissues in the form of an unapparent infection.”
Dr. Dubos follows with a discussion of the way vitamin deficiencies invite disastrous multiplication of bacteria where, before the induction of the disease by environmental control of diet, there had been no detectable germs in the tissues of the animal.
This is, of course, very old stuff to all doctors who have had a little experience with the nutritional values of unprocessed foods and of natural vitamin complexes. But it is new to most followers of orthodox medical science!
Science Discovers Vitamin E
Cytochrome is an enzyme found in heart cells and essential to muscular function. It is now discovered that vitamin E activates this enzyme, and this is considered “tentative evidence of the need for vitamin E by the human species,” according to research findings reported in Science of July l, 1956. This is not news to the doctor who has been routinely using vitamin E for his heart patients, nor to the doctor who has seen the common reaction in the recorded heart sounds of the Endocardiograph after supplying a little vitamin E to the starving patient. Because vitamin E is destroyed by rancid fats, being lost within a week in all processed cereal products and commercial flour, these starving victims are common—so common as to put death from heart disease at the top of the statistical list of causes of death.
Oxidative Diets
Diets that promote rancid reactions of fats, as given by Dr. Hickman in Biological Antioxidants (Josiah Macy Foundation, 1950):
“Fish (sardines in oil), white bread, pie crusts, stale crackers (most packaged crackers are not eaten until they become stale), yesterday’s food, particularly potatoes cooked without their skins; and among the supplements, vitamin A, cod liver oil, and medicines containing iron. While most persons would disclaim regular adoption of an oxidative diet, reflection will convince that the poor, the aged, and many children often receive little else” (page 119).
Dr. Hickman on page 144 further tells of a victim of indolent ulcer on his foot who refused to consider vitamin E as a remedy until he was faced with amputation and recovered promptly without the amputation when supplied with vitamin E. A typical victim of an oxidative diet.
Cancer and Rancid Fats
The first wheat germ oil prepared for pharmaceutical use caused cancer (no doubt because it was made from germ more than a few days old), yet this carcinogenic effect was not found in fresh oil (see The Vitamins in Medicine, second edition, Bicknell and Prescott, p. 735). Since cancer specialists such as Dr. D.T. Quigley have found the use of fresh ground flour in the diet of cancer patients to be essential to their recovery, and since cod liver oil (always rancid in some degree) aggravates cancer in vitamin E deficient animals, the carcinogenic effect of rancid fats should be considered as highly probable until more light is thrown on the question.
The only safe food is a fresh, perishable food “eaten before it spoils,” as per Dr. E.V. McCollum. The processing, grinding, or crushing of cereals, oil, seeds, and nuts is followed by a rapid development of rancidity in most cases. Only the intact seed is designed to survive by Mother Nature. Break the seal, and decay and rancidity follow. Only a “refining” process saves the product by removing the perishable factors—the vitamins and enzymes—but then you have lost the health sustaining factors, with only calories left, and who needs calories?
Items of Interest (Vitamin E in Infants)
The vitamin E content in the blood of newborn infants is from one-third to one-fifth that of the mother (Sebrell and Harris, The Vitamins, volume III). This is evidence of the greater need in growing tissue for this vitamin, which is commonly destroyed by flour bleach and whose deficiency no doubt is responsible for the infant blindness of retrolental fibroplasia, aggravated by oxygen used in incubators for premature babies. The real cause is the mother’s use of bleached flour, it would seem.
Tip of the Month (Cramps)
Cramps may be due to not only a lack of calcium (best supplied as lactate for this purpose) but to a deficiency of vitamin B6. This vitamin promotes the formation of vitamin F (unsaturated fatty acids) from protein (as reported in Annual Review of Biochemistry, pp. 238, 265, 1942). Babies get convulsions from B6 deficiency. (Dunk the baby in hot water to stop the cramps.) Dr. Paul Gyorgy said recently, “Deprivation of B6 results in epileptiform seizures in all species, including man” (Drug Trade News, November 7, 1955). B6 has long been known to relieve vitamin F deficiency symptoms (skin lesions) in test animals, though less effectively than the vitamin F. Without vitamin F the muscle cell fails to get calcium from the blood. Result: fatigue, cramps, loss or diminution of the second sound of the heart (due to heart muscle impairment).
Questions and Answers
Q. Does sodium fluoride in drinking water harm the heart muscles and bone structure, and what amounts of it are safe?
A. Sudden deaths in Grand Rapids doubled after fluoridation. The University of New Mexico reported that 1 part in 15 million of sodium fluoride in water inhibited vital enzymes as much as 50 percent; so it is a potent poison, officially recognized as such.
Q. The chemical analysis of cancer tissue? The vitamins and/or food supplements necessary to arrest or prevent cancer?
A. Chemical analysis has revealed nothing significant. Bovine nucleoprotein has shown very promising results as an adjunctive therapy. It is the newest version of the Davidson Factor. Raw foods and a low sugar diet are important.
Q. Is white high-protein bread really poisonous to the health of my family?
A. All white bread if made from bleached flour is poison. It aggravates gastric ulcers and causes diabetes from the alloxan content.
Q. Any new findings in treatment of female frigidity or male impotency?
A. These functions are usually restored if the multiple vitamins are used and specific outstanding deficiencies are corrected.
Q. Discuss the medico-legal comparison between the Endocardiograph and electrocardiograph.
A. The electrocardiograph shows how much damage has been done by malnutrition. The Endocardiograph shows what specific vitamin deficiencies are developing before much damage has occurred.
Q. Other than the possible hyperinsulinism, as reported by Dr. Abrahamson, what nutritional factors are definitely involved in multiple sclerosis?
A. We believe multiple sclerosis results from a deficiency of the phospholipid protomorphogen wrappers (vitamin F2) and the E complex. Then antibodies to nerve can develop, which act destructively on nervous tissue. The cause seems to be the use of refined and synthetic fats.
Q. Is it possible to develop a toxic complication with prolonged use of Cardiotrophin, Pneumotrophin, or other protomorphogens?
A. No. After they are not needed, they represent just so much more protein intake.
Q. What is considered proper dosage of Cardiotrophin and Pneumotrophin over an extended period?
A. One tablet per day seems ample in most cases.
Q. Are there any specific contraindications to the use of cytotrophins?
A. None found as yet.
High Points of Standard Process Nutritional Adjuncts
Allorganic Trace Minerals [Trace Minerals-B12]: Major action is to stimulate enzyme activity by its content of cobalt and manganese. By this means it promotes repair of ligaments and bone. Clinically effective in back pains, weakened ligaments, fallen arches, and similar disorders due to stretched and damaged ligaments. Improvement is usually prompt and progressive. It is an indispensable product to the physician who is aware of its effects. Differs from the inorganic salts in that it will not create gastritis or irritation.
Anti-Pyrexin [Antronex]: A physiological antihistamine factor. Prevents toxic reactions from thyroxine. Valuable in hyperthyroid states. Not an antidote for thyroxine but a physiological synergist normally supplied by the liver. Useful in hay fever but not effective unless the patient’s salivary pH has been normalized (to pH 7) by the use of Cal-Amo tablets or Betaine Hydrochloride as shown by Hydrion test papers. Systemic alkalinity is normally found in victims of hay fever and must be corrected before Anti-Pyrexin will produce relief. Calcium Lactate cooperates. In alkalinity calcium is lost by precipitation in body fluids; bursitis and neuritic pains are common as a consequence.
Arginex: Its arginase is very important as an aid to the kidney in overloaded conditions. Very helpful as an adjunct in nephrosis and nephritis, spectacular in some cases. No contraindications or toxic possibilities known.
Betaine Hydrochloride Tablets: For use as a physiological remedy for alkalosis and where hydrochloric acid is lacking in the gastric secretions. The betaine is a valuable adjunct since it is one of the vitamin B complex factors required in liver detoxification (supplies methyl groups). Ammonium chloride is a normal constituent too of gastric juice; it is reduced where HCl is absent.
