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THE HISTORY of the development of the combined dietary regime in cancer follows briefly: After the dietetic treatment of lung tuberculosis was established (1927-1928) I treated, during 1928-29, my first three cancer cases all with favorable results. The dietary regime as it was used in tuberculosis consisted essentially of a saltless, properly prepared diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, predominantly raw, finely grated, and many freshly prepared juices, such as orange, grapefruit, and especially, apple and carrot juices. Frequent enemas were applied and Mineralogen (a composition of minerals) was administered. Later there was added daily: buttermilk, pot cheese, yoghurt and two raw egg yolks, stirred up in orange juice.
My first cancer case was a carcinoma of the bile ducts with two small metastases of the liver. Jaundice and high fever were present. The next two cases were both stomach cancers with adhesions and metastases in the surrounding glands. In all three cases, surgery had been tried in vain and biopsies had been made. One of the cancer patients died of an accident by sliding in the mountains two years later. She was brought to a small mountain village hospital in Quedlinburg and operated on for a ruptured spleen. The organ did not show any bleeding. Professor Lange-Bremen, who had operated on her the first time for cancer came the next day, found the ruptured left kidney but could not save the patient. The autopsy proved that she was free of cancer.
In Vienna during 1933-1934, six cancer cases were treated by me. All six were failures despite the fact that I had added the valuable liver injections. The kitchen of the Sanatorium was not adequately equipped for such a strict regime. All the other patients were treated for other diseases, without much regard to diet. It was difficult to overcome the objections on the part of the physicians, the nurses, the kitchen personnel and others.
In Paris during 1935-1936, I saw three favorable results in seven cancer cases. There I applied the same dietary regime as in my first cases, but with the addition of liver injections and three to four glasses a day of green leaf juice.
In New York I had to treat all my patients, including cancer cases, ambulant until 1943. Since 1938, after several setbacks, I have been able to develop a more successful therapy by adding other medications. At first I recognized that the B.M.R. was very low in a number of cancer patients; I interpreted this as a clinical symptom indicating a loss of iodine. Therefore I applied iodine-medication , first in organic form as thyroid, and later also in inorganic mineral, in lugol solution, half strength, starting with three drops three times daily; later, the dosage was increased to 6x3 drops in the first two to three weeks, and still later the dosage was decreased until the metabolism continued to stay at plus six to plus eight. I found this the best range for the healing power. Iodine is a decisive factor in the normal differentiation of cells, and can be used in order to counteract the decrease of cell differentiation as seen in the cancerous tissues. Iodine is also regarded as counteracting some adrenal hormones.
The results can be further improved by adding niacin which dilates the capillaries (Zwiegebäck) and in that way is helpful in the exchange between serum and cells. Niacin is also necessary for the function of the oxidation system. These additional medications helped remarkably in checking the cancerous growth and aiding the surrounding tissues to regain their electrical potentials and resistance. Finally, it was observed in more advanced cases that potassium in special composition stimulates the visceral nervous system (Kraus-Zondek) and helps to restore the functions of the organs of the intestinal tract. At the same time it counteracts some adrenal hormones.
The more I treated cancer cases the more the patients and their relatives recognized that something could be accomplished for those advanced cases who had been sent home. Gradually the number of so-called terminal cases among my patients increased to more than 90 per cent of the total, having come to me after the applied treatments had failed. As a result of having attracted such a large number of greatly advanced cases, I was urged to explore the cancer treatment in many directions and to improve it as far as possible. About 50 per cent of these cases could be improved and saved; this percentage could be higher if there were better cooperation from the family physician, the patient himself and less resistance from the family against such a strict regime - one which had to be carried out over a rather lengthy period. The initial percentage of improvement is higher, but often with a period of one to two months - a number of patients present clinical symptoms which indicate that the liver and/or other vital organs are too damaged to be sufficiently reactivated to maintain the healing process.
A major portion of the day is needed to prepare this treatment; it is also more expensive than the normal three meals. Where affection and devotion in the family exist, all difficulties are disregarded for the sake of saving a life.