First published January 1950 Made and printed in Great Britain by the Lewes Press, Lewes, Sussex.

NATURE CURE EXPLAINED

BY

ALAN MOYLE (Member: British Naturopaths Association)

LONDON: HEALTH FOR ALL PUBLISHING CO. 17/18 HENRIETTA STREET, STRAND, W.C.2.

NATURE CURE EXPLAINED

I wish to take this opportunity to express my profound appreciation and thanks to my severest critic—my wife; and to the many patients and others whose kind help and co-operation have made this book possible. ALAN MOYLE

FOREWORD

I was once asked, "What is Nature Cure?" To the best of my limited capacity I replied, ending with the words: "It is really only ordinary common- sense." " But you're wrong," was the rejoinder. "It's not ordinary common-sense— it's extraordinary common-sense!"

REFERENCES

Body Mechanics . . . by Drs. J. E. Goldthwait, Lloyd T. Brown and Lang T. Swain Allergic Man...... by Erwin Pulay Report from the Zoology Department of the Dr. Barnet Woolf and University of Birmingham Mr. John Waterhouse The Living Soil. . . . .by Lady Eve Balfour The Newer Knowledge of Nutrition . by McCollum and Simmonds Human Physiology . . . .by Furneaux and Smart Physiological Economy in Health . by Professor Chittenden Iris Science...... Dr. W. H. Andershou The Schroth Regeneration Cure . . by A. Pitcairn-Knowles The New Bedrock of Health by Richard J. Ebbard and F. W. Vogt Nature Cure...... by Ernest Lindlahr My System and Fresh Air Book . . .by Lt. J. P. Muller Actinotherapy Technique . . .by Sollux Publishing Co. Textbook of Massage. . . . .by L. L. Despard The British Medical Journal Principles of Osteopathy . . by Dain L. Tasker, D.O. Coffin's Botanical Journal Herbal Manual...... by Harold Ward Dr. Schuessler's Biochemistry . . by Dr. J. B. Chapman

CONTENTS

FOREWORD REFERENCES CHAPTER I THE MEANING OF NATURE CURE

CHAPTER II NATURAL LAWS

CHAPTER III MEDICINE AND NATURE CURE

CHAPTER IV GENERAL NOTES

CHAPTER V DIET COMMERCIALISM AND FOOD

CHAPTER VI SPECIAL DIETS

CHAPTER VII THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

CHAPTER VIII WHY FAST?

CHAPTER IX SPECIAL FASTS THE GUELPA FAST

CHAPTER X THE HEALING CRISIS

CHAPTER XI HYDROTHERAPY

CHAPTER XII SUN AND AIR BATHING

CHAPTER XIII MASSAGE AND EXERCISES

CHAPTER XIV THE PROBLEM OF REST

CHAPTER XV OSTEOPATHY AND NATURE CURE

CHAPTER XVI HERBALISM

CHAPTER XVII BIOCHEMISTRY

CHAPTER XVIII DIAGNOSIS

CHAPTER XIX CONCLUSION

CHAPTER I

THE MEANING OF NATURE CURE

WHAT is Nature Cure? Briefly, it is a method of curing disease without the use of drugs or surgical interference. But that is too simple an explanation, for Nature Cure is not merely the negative approach to disease—it is a positive way of life. By positive life is meant the full abundance of life, which can be appreciated only by those who know what real, vital health means. Some of us have experienced this. We remember the years, probably between seventeen and twenty-one, when we cared little for anyone or anything outside our own intimate circle, and life was lived to the full. The lack of material cares and woes form only half the secret of that joie de vivre which is the normal attribute of that period—the other half is the health that goes with it. We sigh for those days to return, thinking they are beyond our grasp. Yet they are within the reach of everyone when once we have realised that health is not a commodity to be bought over the counter, but that it lies within each one of us. Nature Cure or Naturopathy is an art—a philosophy. As a science it is not new, nor has it been re-discovered, though it is experiencing a renaissance. This renaissance is due principally to the long-term failure of orthodox medical methods, to which we shall refer later. Curiously enough, the world acclaims Hippocrates as the Father of Medicine. A small excerpt from the Encyclopoedia Britannica's allusion to the Hippocratic Collection (i.e. medical works written or attributed to Hippocrates and his followers), demonstrates how far modern medicine has diverged from the true path.

. . . the physician attends cases of every type. He is no specialist. But the mass of his practice lay with cases to which instrumental treatment was inapplicable. In these cases he tended to adopt the "expectant" line of treatment. Realising that the tendency of the body is to recover, he contented himself with "waiting on Nature." This does not imply that he was helpless, for much could be done by nursing, regimen and diet to aid the patient in that conflict which he alone must fight. For the conduct of that great battle wise and useful directives are recorded. But believing in the healing, power of Nature—the phrase is characteristically Hippocratic—the physician was not eager to administer drugs.

We record this with a view to demonstrating that the true descendants of Hippocrates are not medical doctors but naturopaths. For the medical man must interfere and suppress the inherent healing power with drugs, while the naturopath assists the healing power of Nature by the application of natural methods. Nature Cure, therefore, is the art of assisting Nature to overcome disease and to maintain health. Medicine, on the other hand, can mean (and very often this is all it literally constitutes) a bottle of highly coloured fluid. It is the dissatisfaction with allopathic methods that has caused the resurgence of Naturopathy. Nature Cure recognises that there exists within the body the power to overcome disease. Cognisance of this factor, together with the proper use of knowledge and experience gained through the centuries, has evoked the philosophy of Naturopathy. It is still being added to, but the basic laws are the same immutable natural laws which have stood the test of time. And it is the violation of natural laws that produces disease. Man was created a healthy unit; so long as he obeys the natural laws that his body was designed to observe, then he remains a healthy unit—even unto death. Unfortunately, as civilisation progresses, so the observance of natural laws recedes. Two instances of this face us every day. These lie in the refining of flour and sugar. It is an indisputable fact that health has decreased as the refining of food and the lowering of the "natural" value of food has increased. Food is refined and made "palatable" but loses its quota of vitamins and mineral salts; nerves (jangled by the myriad problems of civilisation) are stimulated by drugs, fresh air is neglected, speed demands quicker locomotion than the legs can provide, our pleasures are the artificial stimulation of senses, work is concentrated, industrialisation causes neuroses. . . . In short, Man has become the slave of the machine he constructed. With the regression from natural laws, we must inevitably find that Man is a sickly being. His sickness grows with each violation of the laws he was constructed to observe. The resilience of Man is one of his virtues and his weaknesses. Without this inherent tendency to be healthy Man would probably have rendered himself extinct by this period. Yet it is this very power which orthodox drugs suppress, and which the naturopath encourages. Naturopathy recognises that disease is the result of the violation of natural laws. Individually we eat too much, drink too much and have the same indulgences in pleasure and tobacco. We concentrate our lives into patches of sub-health and illness because of our pandering to the senses. And in sub-health we subsidise with drugs which, unfortunately, suppress the symptoms of disease. Then, when we fall really ill, the symptoms of disease only are treated and, with a combination of suppression and the assertion of healing power, we are deluded into assuming that health is once more with us. But this is not so, and no one is more aware of it than the naturopath. The medical profession also should be cognisant of the fact that real health is on the down-grade. The yearly statistics revealing the growing incidence of rheumatism, arthritis, nerve disorders, heart diseases, etc., point to the failure of Medicine. Nature Cure, therefore, insists that disease is created by the departure from such natural laws as govern diet, exercise, sun, fresh air and environment. When these natural laws are obeyed, health follows. The cure of the disease, obviously, calls for the correction of the non-observance of natural laws and for the application of such methods as will assist the healing power of the body to overcome disease. Such methods are fasting, diet, water treatments, the use of sun and air, herbs, bio-chemical medication, exercises and manipulation, electrotherapy, etc. Naturopathy differs from Medicine in many ways. Diagnosis follows largely the same lines, but its most sharp contrast is in the interpretation of disease. For it is this divergence in interpretation that culminates in opposing methods of treatment. Disease, briefly, is classified as acute or chronic. Naturopathy recognises that acute diseases—i.e. colds, fevers, tonsilitis, skin eruptions—are merely attempts by Nature to overthrow disease. Acute diseases are healing crises. It is, so to speak, a condition whereby the system endeavours to throw off the accumulation of poisons caused by wrong living over a period of time. Acute diseases, therefore, are beneficial. And it is in the manner of treating acute diseases by fasting, diet, water treatments, etc., that the naturopath observes and assists the process of self-cleansing. Naturopathy, then, hinges upon the theory that disease is the result of non-observance of the laws of Nature and that acute disease is a beneficial effort on the part of Nature to eliminate pent-up waste products. The medical treatment of acute disease consists of suppressive measures, since the main object of medical treatment is the recognition and suppression of symptoms only. The cause of disease, the transgression of natural laws, is left untouched (and is, in fact, made worse) by medical attention. The repeated suppression of acute diseases gives rise to chronic disease. Is it any wonder, therefore, that chronic disease (rheumatism and arthritis are common examples) is on the increase? And the increase in chronic disease is largely responsible for the rapid growth of Naturopathy, for it is, sad to say, the victims of chronic disease (disillusioned with allopathy) who swell the ranks of believers in naturopathic methods. The reader will, by this time, have gathered that Nature Cure must place little or no reliance upon the germ theory of disease. Germs and bacteria do, of course, exist. In disease they are increased. But it is contended that germs and bacteria are not the cause of disease, but that the body must be in a depressed state of health before germ contact (infection) can bring about disease. It has been conclusively demonstrated that people in a normal state of health carry the same germs within their systems as are presumed to be the cause of disease. Germ infection can take place only when the body is already clogged with an accumulation of poisons and there is a fertile ground for the multiplication of the germs. Even then the inherent healing power of the body seeks to overthrow the infection by a healing crisis (acute disease). For any person to fall ill by reason of germ infection, therefore, there must be a predisposing factor. This factor is the vitiated condition of the body brought about by wrong living and lack of adherence to natural laws. Dr. Beddow-Bayly quotes an illustration of the complete fallacy of the germ theory in the following instance:—

The celebrated Professor Pettenkoffer, to show his disbelief in the then recently mooted germ theory, swallowed a test-tube of cholera germs—supposed to be sufficient to kill a whole regiment of soldiers—before a classful of gaping students. Nothing happened! As Pettenkoffer maintained, in support of his amazing act, "Germs are of no account in cholera." The important thing is the disposition of the individual.

Since Nature Cure does not believe in the germ theory— regards acute disease as attempts by the body at self-cleansing and submits that disease is the result of wrong dieting, lack of exercise, excesses and bad environment (mutation of natural laws)—then it is obvious that all disease is regarded as one. Any disease, therefore, it is claimed, springs from a system poisoned with an accumulation of toxins arising from disregard of the true laws of Nature. This reiteration that disease is the result of the transgression of the fundamental laws of Nature is necessary, because it is the basis of the philosophy of Nature Cure. Modern Nature Cure, then, is concerned with the application of age-old natural laws interpreted in the light of knowledge and experience. There is nothing antique about Naturopathy—though its principles are steeped in antiquity. Nature Cure follows the cold logic of cause and effect, and its success is due entirely to its working in harmony with Nature. To sum up, the naturopath, instead of using drugs to suppress disease, resorts to the principles in harmony with Nature, and these are:—

Fasting. Hydrotherapy. Biochemics. Dieting. Electrotherapy. Herbs. Exercises. Massage. Manipulation (Osteopathy).

CHAPTER II

NATURAL LAWS

A DISTINGUISHED visitor to a mental asylum once encountered a harmless-looking individual in his cell. "What," said the visitor," are you in here for?" The man replied: "Sir, I thought the world was mad. Because I thought the world was mad, the world said I was mad. And the world, being in the majority, placed me here." To a lesser or greater degree each pioneer must have felt himself in the same position as this inmate. It is illogical but true that we have progressed and retrogressed at the same time. Progress, or evolution, has taken place because Man demanded Power, Luxury, Knowledge and Security. In the first place Man had to find Food, Comfort and Security. His natural inquisitiveness showed him how to increase his wealth, comfort and power. From the first flickering of flame and the first turn of the wheel Man sought to conquer Nature. In the process, instinct was submerged and reason and culture grew—and with them, Commercialism. The observance of natural laws does not imply a reversal to primitive type (though, who knows, the atomic age may yet thrust it upon the scattered remnants of a world-wide disaster); it means the adoption of what is recognised as the fundamental laws of Nature in relation to modern standards. Commercialism, though it may play a vital part in civilisation, has rendered the world a catastrophic disservice by its interference with Man's food. From the growth of milling and refining has come disaster. Modern technique in food processing has resulted in a depletion of the "natural" value of food. Milk is pasteurised (a poor substitute for clean, healthy cows), so that it is served—presumably clean—to the customer. Pasteurisation, however, owing to the heat required in the process, destroys the vitamin C and precipitates the vital calcium phosphate mineral salt which is left in the containers and not in the milk. Balkans, Sikhs and Arabs drink sour milk, and this, together with eating whole wheat, helps them to remain virile. The diet of the Sikh is a "whole" diet, in that it is grown and consumed without any artificialities such as chemical manures, refining, pasteurising or concentrating. Modern milling of flour demands that the germ of the wheat and the wheat-grain covering (bran) be removed from the flour, in order to save the mills and permit the flour to be kept without going sour. The germ and the bran contain the vitamins and mineral salts essential to health, but Commercialism, and the inability of Britain to feed its population, decrees that we shall lose the very parts of wheat upon which we depend for health. By the refining of sugar-cane we suffer the same losses in natural food value. Sugar found in a dilute form in fruit and honey is natural. Refined sugar, however, is a concentrated form of carbohydrate and can easily be taken in excess. Dr. Chalmers Watson says: "There is a widely prevailing opinion in the medical profession that the modern excessive use of highly refined artificial sugar is definitely detrimental to the health of the community, lowering the resistance to disease, predisposing to catarrh, dental disease and other disorders, especially in early years." The reduction of catarrh in a boarding school during the war was ascribed to the reduced sugar ration. There is little doubt, however, that the increased extraction rate of flour (making it more wholesome) would also materially assist the lessening of catarrhal incidence. When we include tea, coffee, pickles, sauces and other artificial appetising ingredients to the national diet, it is easy to comprehend how the natural laws of feeding are ignored. The orthodox diet of concentrated and highly refined food is one of the major items in the causation of disease. Breakfast, for instance, of stimulating tea, vitamin-less bread, concentrated jam or marmalade and probably refined cereal with pasteurised milk, shows up as a meal which is almost entirely carbohydrate in form. This contains the bulk to satisfy hunger, the stimulant to soothe nerves, but no protective vitamins and little of the mineral salts essential to well-being. The other meals of the average family contain acid-forming meat, boiled-out vegetables, tea or coffee and more bread, cakes and jam. The protective foods like fruit, raw vegetables and unpasteurised milk are taken only in quantities insufficient to balance the "energising" elements in the diet and, incidentally, insufficient to provide a clean system and protection against disease. The natural laws of feeding, therefore, are the first laws we transgress, not only as to quality, but also as to quantity. The great majority of people consume excessive meals and suffer from indigestion, lethargy, constipation and a host of other ailments, as a result

We previously referred to acute diseases as beneficial attempts by Nature to cleanse the system of impurities. In Naturopathy we encourage the inherent healing force by fasting and other methods in harmony with Nature. Orthodox civilisation, however, maintains that these symptoms must be suppressed. One of the great faults of civilisation is that it demands quick results and a minimum of discomfort. This has been, in part, encouraged by Commercialism, for the manufacture of patent remedies and drugs forms a lucrative business It is an utter fallacy to assume that the treatment of symptoms by suppressive drugs will cure disease. Symptoms are certainly masked for a transient period, but the ultimate result is a more highly poisoned condition and, eventually, chronic disease. The futility of patent medicines and drugs is borne out by the ever-increasing consumption of these articles and a glance at the advertising pages of the daily Press will confirm the enormous hold the patent medicine industry has upon the public. The damaging effect of drugs is that they are poisonous agents which suppress disease. Orientals are commonly supposed to be drug addicts. But the average Oriental is most abstemious in the use of drugs. Opium, for instance, is given for insomnia, the suppression of pain and inhibition. Diarrhoea, a sign that the system is throwing off extra poisons, is checked with the use of opium. Opium is used in many familiar forms, and one can build up a tolerance to it, but it is essentially a poison foreign to the system. As such it will temporarily check symptoms of disease. Its ultimate result, however, is to excite the brain, deplete the nervous system, inhibit natural secretions and depress the system. Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system and culls pain. Its continued use causes wasting, loss of memory, insomnia and general breakdown. Chloral hydrate, sulphonal, trional, bromides and paraldehyde all cause mental troubles, digestive disorders and depression of the system. All drugs are injurious to the system, and their action is entirely one of suppression—leaving a false notion that the trouble has been cleared up. The poisons resulting from drug-taking add to the accumulations of toxins within the system and create more deep- rooted disease, which inevitably turns to chronic disease. Drugs are not in harmony with natural laws and suppress the healing efforts of Nature. We previously mentioned that the sharp differentiation between allopathic and naturopathic methods is due to the entirely opposite ways in which disease is interpreted. The failure of Medicine is due to its addiction to the germ theory of disease, its ready recourse to drugs to suppress symptoms and its non-recognition of the healing force. Medical methods, plus the activities of patent-medicine manufacturers, thus provide the means whereby one of the basic laws of Nature is negated. The pressure of modern life and the effects of modern salesmanship combine to intensify the demands upon physical fitness. When the effects of bad diet and drug-taking are added to those of high-pressure living, is there any wonder that we fall an easy prey to disease? Industrial neuroses are on the increase largely because of the lowering of vitality plus the monotony and concentration demanded in industrial occupations. A feature of such troubles is the bad diet, drain on nervous energy and postural defects in such work. Regarding defects in posture, it is of interest to record the findings of the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection by one of their Committees' Report on Growth and Development. In this it was stated that poor body mechanics are extremely common among children of school age and cause unnecessary fatigue. In a book entitled Body Mechanics written by Drs. J. E. Goldthwait, Lloyd T. Brown and Lang T. Swain there occurs the following:— "Poor health may be found with no disease of the organs but it is always associated with faulty adjustment of the body or what is better called Body Mechanics." More and more we are pressed for time. We set out to gain a minute, but what for? Even the calls of Nature are often pushed aside in the rush to catch the seven or eight o'clock bus or train. Then we pant to catch the four or five o'clock back home. This, for many people, is about the only form of exercise. We call ourselves sportsmen and stand in queues for the spectators' stands at the football or cricket games . Organised sport has taken the place of individual effort. We do not even know how to relax when on holiday, because we must rush from place to place and do all there is to do. The wireless, cinema and concert hall are satisfying forms of relaxation, but they are usually taken to the extreme. The unfortunate lack of exercise, sunlight and fresh air combine, with over-feeding, to clog our systems with impurities. For the fact is, that with intake exceeding output, the balance in the system is deranged. Elimination fails to keep pace with ingestion, and an accumulation of toxins is permitted to burden the body. As a result of eating masses of starch, constipation is rife, and this adds to the trouble. Lack of exercise fails to burn up the unnecessary food consumed, and we are left a prey to illness. In such a state as this, headaches, nerve disorders, rheumatism, high blood-pressure, indigestion, colds, catarrh and feeble circulation become common ills. When we suppress these with drugs we do our utmost to complete a vicious circle. Man endeavours to be an effete animal. He shelters himself from the elements and covers himself with layers of unnecessary garments. Food and warmth are, of course, essential to health. But air is required to oxygenate the blood, and the skin has a peculiar function in that it gives off carbon-dioxide and excretions. When we do not use our lungs—and the average person only takes advantage of 50 per cent. of his lung capacity—then it means that the bloodstream is deprived of life- giving oxygen and that the carbon-dioxide is inadequately eliminated from the system. We are all aware of the story of the little boy who was painted with gold paint and died. How many of us think of that when we boil our skins in steaming hot water and then pile on garments to ensure that as little cold as possible reaches the skin? Nature demands that the skin be exposed to the elements to invigorate it and renew its vitality. Instead we impair its function by pandering to the weaker element of our make-up. This ignoring of the natural physiological demands of two of the eliminatory organs of the body (bowels, kidneys, lungs and skin are the organs by which normal elimination takes place) lowers our efficiency and creates the very illnesses we seek to avoid. We have all experienced the lack of appetite that overtakes us when we are attacked by illness. When we have no desire to eat, anxious relatives, misguided physicians and our own fear and greed, plus the conventional idea of building up the resistance by good feeding, conspire to make us overcome the temporary anorexia. Yet this same lack of appetite is a protective instinct dictated by the natural laws that govern life. It means that the efforts of the body are concerned with healing and that food is not desired, so that the main efforts may be concentrated upon ridding the system of undesirable impurities, and not engaged upon the digestion of unwanted food. In this way Nature seeks to save the dissipation of energy. How many times do we allow this protective impulse to function? Over and over again we violate the laws of Nature without ever realising that each transgression takes its toll of health. Such is the resilience of the human body, however, that it will withstand countless inflictions upon its functioning and still strive for health. All through our lives Nature fights to maintain harmony within the system. We must learn to work with—not against—Nature.

CHAPTER III

MEDICINE AND NATURE CURE

FROM the foregoing chapters it will be readily appreciated that there is a vast discrepancy between Nature Cure and Medicine. Although each acknowledges the same laws of anatomy and physiology, although diagnosis follows largely the same lines, and the naturopath recognises that there are occasions for surgical work, the similarity ends there. Nature Cure recognises the unity of disease and the fallibility of the germ theory. Medicine adheres to the germ theory and administers to symptoms. If, then, Naturopathy claims to be the superior of the two methods, why does it appear that Medicine is successful? The answer to the superficial success of allopathy lies in its very suppression of acute conditions. We related previously how drugs suppress pain, depress or accelerate vital functions and, as the case may be, stimulate or inhibit secretions. By these means a transient victory is gained. This victory, however, is won only at the expense of the body politic. The patient recovers, partly because of the suppression and partly because of his own inherent healing force. But the cause of the disease has remained untouched. Only if the disease factors involved (bad diet, habits, environment, etc.) are corrected will the cure remain permanent. That permanent cures are found only rarely in allopathic methods is proved by the immense outlay diverted to popular patent remedies. There are sufficient superficial successes to convince both the public and the doctors that medical administration is correct. That does not explain, however, the inability of allopathy to cure the common cold or rheumatism, nor does it explain the "incurable" diseases. The failures of Medicine are the successes of Nature Cure. Naturopathy's victory over chronic disease is, in effect, thrust upon it by the failure of orthodox treatment. It is in the sphere of chronic disease that the naturopath works most. It is from this section of the populace, too, that the major part of the dissatisfaction with allopathic treatment springs. We can give a simple illustration of this in a case of rheumatism. Nature Cure maintains that the cause of rheumatism is the direct violation of natural laws. The over-consumption of protein food and starches, together with indulgences in stimulants and highly refined foods, are the commonest dietetic errors. These contribute to a state of constipation and retention of poisons. With ingestion exceeding elimination there ensues a system burdened with toxins. The usual colds which are a concomitant of this condition are suppressed with drugs, leading to a more highly toxic condition. To this dangerous state of affairs we have to add the effects of weather and hereditary influences (both exaggerated by the medical profession), the harmful tendency of the pressure of life, lack of exercise, over-concentration, worry and depression. All the conditions that help to create rheumatism are caused by either direct or indirect violation of natural laws. Orthodox medicine promptly reacts, not by removing the cause or causes, but by suppressing the symptoms with alkalis, claiming that the attack is thereby shortened and pain relieved. Salicylate of soda has long been used to combat rheumatism, and its action is similar to that of phenacetin and other coal tar products. When taken for some time, the effects of these drugs is to cause deafness, head noises and fullness in the head. Aspirin is a popular remedy for rheumatism and, as such, adds to the cause of rheumatism by increasing the toxicity of the system. It does, however, give an impression of cure by temporarily suppressing the pain. But the patient, wearied by constantly increasing attacks, usually of greater severity, eventually grows tired of medical methods. Until he realises that there are other methods, however, he accepts with grim resignation the inevitability of his disease. When he learns of other methods and is thereby cured, his objection to Medicine is profound. Serious consideration of the facts proves that the suppression of symptoms can only lead to chronic disease. What Medicine fails to grasp is that its very suppression of symptoms is one of the causative factors in disease. Superficial successes are entirely misleading. We have only to study the statistics to realise that chronic diseases are on the increase. Let us consider the commonly advertised picture of a man suffering from stomach pains. He is advised to take—and more often than not he accepts the advice—someone or other's bicarbonate of soda preparation or stomach powder. Here we have a classical example of the attention to symptoms. The stomach acidity is due probably to over-eating or indulgence in an unwise diet or to the cumulative effect of an impoverished diet. On the surface it appears that the alkaline powder or medicine has a marvellous effect. Certainly the pains seem to go. It will be found from experience, however, that larger and larger doses are required to overcome the trouble. This is because the powders do not get at the cause of the acidity, nothing is done towards correcting dietetic faults, and the alkaline agent itself is causing disease. The first effect of an alkaline powder or liquid is to interfere with the digestion of protein (meat, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, etc.) because protein foods require an acid medium for digestion. Delayed digestion causes intestinal fermentation and putrefaction. This calls for laxatives to remedy the intestinal stasis (note how one medicine leads to another in orthodox treatment) and we have an unnatural stimulation of the bowels. The membrane lining the stomach is attacked by the alkaline agent and is coarsened and thickened, predisposing to ulceration and cancer. The kidneys have to deal with the residue of the alkaline agent and become overworked when these medicines are habitual, resulting in serious kidney trouble. The poor victim is still a martyr to an acid stomach but, owing to this attention to symptoms only, the condition is complicated by the ever- increasing dose of drugs which he has, perforce, to consume. Since we claim that Medicine fails to produce health, how do we explain the growing freedom from epidemics? We do not deny that germ infection can cause disease, but only when the victim is already in a sub-normal state of health. The freedom from epidemics cannot be traced to any orthodox victory over germs. The secret lies in the vast improvement in sanitation, social advancement and public hygiene. Even when infection spreads its ugly shadow there is ample evidence to demonstrate the futility of allopathic counter-action. In an outbreak of smallpox in Edinburgh in 1942, eight people died from smallpox, but ten from the effects of vaccination. Only 50 per cent. of the population were vaccinated, though presumably all were exposed to the disease. Erwin Pulay, in his book Allergic Man (Fdk. Muller, Ltd., London) has the following to say about serums:—

We know how often, after curative sera have been administered, eruptions and high temperature take place, as the effect of hypersensitive reactions. We must not, therefore, inject diphtheria or other sera indiscriminately. Indeed, when diphtheria serum was first used a vast number of cases died owing to ignorance of allergic reactions. A second injection given to a child, for example, would kill it.

Those hypersensitive reactions are the result of toxic matter causing disharmony within the system. The body was endeavouring to throw off the serum introduced, and where the condition of the body was already low (owing to bad feeding and environment) death intervened. Despite these facts, and the misinterpretation of hypersensitive reactions, serum is still given indiscriminately when panic reaches infectious areas. In a report issued by Dr. Barnet Woolf and Mr. John Waterhouse of the Zoology Department of the University of Birmingham it was stated that of preventable infant deaths

. . . one-third are associated with over-crowding, one-quarter with low-paid occupations, one-fifth with unemployment and one- eighth industrial employment of women. In England and Wales over 250,000 deaths in 11 years, about 63 per cent. of the total, can be attributed to adverse social conditions.

A further comment by these two scientists merits attention:

In the 21 years between the two great wars, just under 1,000,000 infants died in England and Wales, including about 400,000 potential mothers. To these deaths we should add over 1,000,000 still-births. If these deaths were unavoidable, one might face them with mournful resignation. But there is a strong prima facie case for believing that a large proportion of infant deaths are preventable.

From the many reports issued by committees and investigating bodies of every type there comes conclusive evidence that it is not allopathy that prevents disease—or cures it—but cleaner and more natural living. When their very own reports demonstrate the failure of Medicine and the superiority of diet, hygiene, observance of natural laws and social advancement, one would imagine that more serious thought would be given to the observance of those material things that influence health, and not the present concentration upon germs. It is with this addiction to drugs, sera and vaccines that the naturopathic profession quarrels with Medicine. Against doctors personally there is no question of their integrity and high- mindedness. Medical methods, however, are open to serious doubt, and there is every reason to assume that drug administration causes disease. The following quotations are very much in line with Nature Cure thought, yet they were written more than forty years ago by Dr. Paezkowski, a German, and ignored by the medical profession. What he has to say is largely an exposition of the Nature Cure theory of disease, but not of the Nature Cure way of life. It is the latter that must be stressed: for Nature Cure is not the negative attitude towards disease that many people unwittingly assume; it is a positive way of life. But let Paezkowski present his conception of disease:

1. Food—other than absolutely necessary for the body—acts on the system as a poison in consequence of waste and decomposition. 2. The remnants of the metabolic process, if not expelled in time, due perhaps to weakness of the excretory organs, likewise become poisons. In both cases the remnants are changed into poisons which have an irritating and paralysing effect upon the whole system. Thus auto-intoxication (or self-poisoning) is no more than a poisoning of the organism by products of its own metabolism which accumulate to an excessive quantity, their formation being encouraged partly on account of a surplus of material having been furnished to the body, and partly on account of an inability of the weakened excretory organs to fulfil their task thoroughly. There are many diseases, more than a cursory glance will reveal, but all these divers diseases have one original causation in common, viz. a derangement of the excretory organs. As long as the latter function properly, disease is an impossibility. In these days we frequently speak of bacilli and "colds," but we are oblivious of the fact that they merely denote opportunities, not causes. Long before the disease broke out, something was wrong. One of the organs had got out of working order, and now but a slight opportune circumstance, such as a cold, a shock, physical or mental strain, would suffice to call forth a disease immediately. The contention has been advanced that all diseases have their origin in impure blood and bad circulation, which is, generally speaking, true, but I wish to amend that impure blood is in itself a disease which was originated as above delineated. The blood can only become impure or bad if it contains elements which are not meant to be there. However, as these elements are formed in our body every day, aye, every minute, we may confidently infer that our body—a priori—possesses organs whose sole duty it is to remove the former. These special organs are the excretory organs already referred to. As soon as they become fatigued or diseased they cannot eliminate all poisonous substances, but a portion remains in the system, which latter may thus become seriously deranged. This applies with equal force to the lungs and kidneys, as well as to the skin and bowels. Should the lungs fail to work satisfactorily, too much carbonic acid remains in the blood; if the kidneys lose their energy, urea and uric acid cannot be expelled properly; be the skin neglected, poisons proper—not unlike septic or snake poisons—vitiate and poison the blood; and sluggish bowels retain the remnants of food too long, causing putrefaction. It becomes a matter of course that under such circumstances the blood grows overcharged with morbid matter, and that a system thus contaminated will yield itself readily to the invasion of diseases. We are liable to these impurities already as children, and the whole host of infantile diseases—as, for instance, diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough, etc.—are merely the outcome or expression) of these accumulations. Still, the much-discussed bacillus is there, but it can only exert its powers in an impure soil. It is a well-known fact that millions of these bacilli float around us in the air; we inhale thousands of them in the loveliest garden and in the cleanest room. But how is it that, although we are all exposed to these common dangers, only a few of us succumb to them? Why, of all the children who live in the same air, does only one get an attack of diphtheria? And further, why does only one or only a limited few of all the people who walk home during a chilly and damp night, contract pneumonia? They all were exposed to the same atmospheric conditions and breathed the same air. Does not this show that only diseased individuals can become diseased? It may sound queer and paradoxical, but it is a fact all the same. Disease can only thrive in a diseased (or impure) body! For example, take a man whose system is excessively overcharged with impurities. Say, he catches a cold. What will very likely result? An attack of pneumonia or inflammation of the kidneys or some other grave disease! A person, however, with cleaner blood will probably escape with a mere cold in the head. But a thoroughly healthy individual will not catch a cold at all! Catching a cold is a process of sudden refrigeration. Everyone will have observed that our skin grows red in warm, and pale in cold, weather. This phenomenon is founded on the contractility and expansibility of the skin. If these faculties remain unimpaired, the skin will be able to contract as quickly as it will expand; but if the skin has been neglected it can only change from one state into the other with difficulty. If, in that case, a cold draught strike a part of the body, or the whole body become suddenly refrigerated, the skin will contract spasmodically without being able to expand again quickly. Furthermore, however, we know that the skin should constantly transpire to prevent the organism from becoming poisoned. But a contracting skin cannot excrete, and consequently all the morbid matter with its poisonous products assails the internal organs: lungs, kidneys and bowels. These, not prepared for the assault, become inflamed and lead to the various diseases, really severe forms of a cold, known as pneumonia, acute catarrh, inflammation of the kidneys and bowels. I have endeavoured to show by the above exposition that the blood is the most important and vital element in our body, and that health depends on its quality, which, to wit, must be alkaline, i.e. sweet. As soon as it becomes acid it jeopardises health and even life, as, for instance, in gout and diabetes. Acid blood is a veritable poison within our veins, causing disease and breaking down the resisting power of the body. The alkalinity of the blood (i.e richness in potash and sodium) attains to its greatest significance in all febrile diseases. The fact that the alkaline salts disappear in the blood and urine during these diseases leads us to believe that these salts are used up in the body by combating diseases. Only the alkaline blood is able to destroy the morbid matter in such diseases as typhus, pneumonia, scarlet fever, and erysipelas. It has, indeed, been proven that the alkaline blood kills the most powerful bacilli as effectually as any disinfectant, carbolic acid or sublimate. We can, therefore, dispense with the latter; our blood—provided, as already emphasised, it be correctly composed—being the best and most reliable protection against injurious invasions. Not so much depends on the action of the heart in febrile diseases as a rich supply of alkaline blood to the whole system.

From the above it will be gathered that most diseases arise from a clogged condition of the body; and this is caused by excesses, wrong selection of food, lack of exercise and so forth. How many doctors will tell their patients that they overeat, that they do not work enough and that if they would only go home and eat less, exercise more and worry less, they would be fit? Not many. In the first place his interpretation of disease is wrong; in the second, he must suppress the disease quickly; and last but not least (since doctors are human) he does not wish to offend patients, though some doctors tell the truth and are respected for it, when they come across a case of excesses.

CHAPTER IV

GENERAL NOTES

IN the following chapters we propose to discuss diet, fasting and hydrotherapy in some detail. The reason for this is that the above subjects are of the most practical value to the person who wishes to gain health and to practise Naturopathy in his own immediate surroundings. Osteopathy, herbalism and other branches of Nature Cure are, of necessity, the work of the expert and can hardly be translated into practical application for home use. When, here and there, I is inserted instead of we, the reader will understand that I am expressing my own opinion—and that this opinion may not necessarily represent the opinion of all naturopaths. The same basic principles of Naturopathy, however, are adhered to throughout. That differences of opinion and procedure exist—even in Nature Cure—is a healthy sign. One of the main assets of Naturopathy is that it does not encourage, nor can it be allied to, anything approaching regimentation. Naturopathy is entirely individualistic and must remain so. The relationship between naturopath and patient is entirely personal. There is no room for merely interviewing a patient and prescribing certain remedies. Personal treatment has to be applied, more often than not through the medium of the hands, in the form of manipulation and other types of manual therapy. That is not to say, however, that nothing can be done at home on personal initiative. On the contrary, no other sphere of healing offers so much that can be achieved by personal endeavour. The essence of Nature Cure is simplicity. Once the fundamental principles of Naturopathy have been grasped golden opportunities for health lie ahead. It will be discovered that naturopaths differ greatly in the emphasis placed upon various therapies. No one need be confused by this differentiation. There is always a personal or psychological or economic reason for the apparent emphasis of one therapy. Sometimes, indeed, it is a matter of convenience that circumstances thrust upon the practitioner. In some areas, for instance, there are restrictions placed upon the practitioner by local regulations which do not permit him to use either electrotherapy or hydrotherapy. In all cases, however, there is the same insistence upon all the branches of Naturopathy. In typical working-class districts, for example, there is a greater demand for herbal therapy than in the more affluent neighbourhoods. This requirement is based, not solely on expediency, but because of psychological and economic impulses. Country people and working classes have always had more faith in herbs than other sections of the public. This is perhaps because the countryman and his industrial counterpart are in closer touch with the soil. Osteopathy, on the other hand, is more popular among the middle and upper classes. That it is usually more expensive is entirely owing to the time factor involved and to the maintenance of a more adequate establishment. Hydrotherapy is difficult to apply in busy office practices, and it so lends itself to home application that it is very rarely utilised, except in institutions. The only exception to this rule is the high colonic irrigation, which is particularly adaptable to office practices and can be classified under water treatments. One of the sharp differences between Nature Cure and allopathy is the fact that Nature Cure teaches people how to live. Nature Cure, as previously stated, is a philosophy and not a mere negative approach to disease. Nature Cure is fundamentally simple. It is its very simplicity that deludes people. In these times we are so accustomed to scientific ideas that we overlook the fact that Nature itself is a science. The fact that it is a simple science governing the laws of life is ignored. We, who try to oust Nature, have to pay for our folly. It can hardly be over-emphasised that Naturopathy particularly recommends itself to home application, since it is a way of life. Once the principles of Nature Cure have been driven home, there is no need to hesitate in translating principles and theory into practical application. Quite naturally, there is always the need for intelligence, but even a car has to be used with intelligence. The reader is, however, encouraged to test the Nature Cure theory for himself. In this he is warned to make haste slowly. If he gradually applies naturopathic methods he will find improvement in his condition. This improvement will beget confidence and appreciation of the logic of Nature Cure, thus paving the way for a complete conversion to Naturopathy and full, abounding health. There is a general impression that Nature Cure is expensive. Nothing could be further from the truth. The simple home remedies that can be applied for next to no cost are numerous. The food-reform diet that goes with Nature Cure need not be any more costly than the orthodox diet. There is an infinite saving in doctor's bills, loss of earning capacity and expenditure on patent medicines. But the monetary gain is nothing compared to the immense saving in health and happiness. Apart from accidental injury, no adherent to Nature Cure need be forced into the position where an early retirement from business is necessitated on account of low health. There is every reason to assume that the adoption of naturopathic methods will add years to the physical and mental efficiency of the convert. The really unfortunate part of the cost of Nature Cure is not in its actual cost, but in the fact that the person who takes up Nature Cure to save his health is handicapped by the nation in that he gets no redress if he has to consult a naturopath professionally. That the country has not seen fit to include Nature Cure in its National Health Scheme is, perhaps, unfortunate. While I (personally) doubt whether naturopaths wish to be included in the Government Health Scheme, that is not to say that the patient who has to subsidise the Health Scheme should not have the right either to "contract out" or to obtain equivalent benefit. There should, of course, in all fairness to the believer in Nature Cure, be some means by which he can claim financial benefit should he fall sick and not feel justified in calling in an orthodox practitioner. At the same time, for the practitioner, it must be stated that the reasons for staying outside any Health Scheme are very concrete. These are, in the main, to keep free from the shackles that bureaucracy always tends to impose and to maintain a personal relationship that can hardly conceivably exist under any official system. It will be readily appreciated, too, that the opposition from medical quarters is very real. Under the National Health Scheme the Nature Cure movement would be allowed but little freedom and every effort would be made to ensure that the naturopaths would become not independent practitioners, but little more than medical auxiliaries. Such an invidious position could not be tolerated. It would be a serious mistake to assume that, since the naturopath has no official connection with the State (at least at the moment), Nature Cure practitioners wish to avoid responsibility. The reverse is actually the case. No naturopath, for instance, is empowered to write out a death certificate. Any negligence on the part of a naturopath leading to the death of a patient involves severe castigation from the authorities. Serious treatment (fasting, for instance) is sometimes called negligence for want of better understanding. If a doctor makes a mistake he can, in effect, bury it. The most he can expect is a chastising. For a gross misdemeanour the doctor may be struck off the register. As a general rule, however, there is a bias in favour of the medical man. Not so with the naturopath. He must stand on his own, completely unprotected, and be the object of censure and of gross misrepresentation in the daily Press. The gratifying aspect of the few cases that arise is the immediate response of grateful patients. These are, however, rarely permitted to give evidence in favour of the unorthodox practitioner. Knowing, then, what the forces are against him, it is decidedly improbable that the naturopath could be anything but responsible. Nor is irresponsibility consistent with the steady growth of Nature Cure. The naturopath has a responsibility to his patients no less than the doctor. In carrying out this responsibility he is not deterred by the handicaps and limitations that the authorities insist upon. Though the word "quackery" is now little used in connection with Nature Cure, that strong antipathy to the profession remains, especially among orthodox medical circles. When the authorities make laws bearing on health, they are, of course, subject to the influence and pressure of the experts—the doctors. Can we, therefore, reasonably expect an unbiased consideration from the authorities? I think not. No matter what inducements are offered by a free Parliament to the naturopathic profession for inclusion into any health plan, it would be advisable for Nature Cure to be wary. Once Nature Cure came under the auspices of the medical profession—and that would happen if the State controlled all healing—then Nature Cure would be lost. Regulations, safeguards and protection there must be. In no circumstances, however, should Nature Cure be lured into a position where it can be controlled out of existence. Nature Cure is a way of life. Its policy and application are inconsistent with regimentation.

CHAPTER V

DIET

COMMERCIALISM AND FOOD

THE Industrial Age and the growth of Commercialism may have provided manifold benefits, but, paradoxically, they have been the cause of intense misery throughout the civilised world, particularly the Western civilisation. One of the major instances of the decline was the introduction of the steel rolling mill for the production of flour—white flour. Make no mistake about this, modern milling methods were not designed for the benefit of the consumer, though it could be argued that the introduction of the steel roller mill helped to fill an ever-growing number of hungry mouths. The change-over resulted in disaster for the public, but in satisfying convenience and increased profits for the millers. What were the immediate causes of the introduction of white flour which, at one time, was only a luxury for the upper classes? The answer lies in Industrialisation, the growth of population and the decline of agriculture. To meet a growing demand wheat had to be imported and flour kept for a long time. The old milling processes did not permit flour to be maintained in a good condition over any lengthy period. This obstacle was overcome by the steel roller mill, apart from the fact that it was more economical. For efficient functioning, however, the wheat germ and the bran (the outer skin of the wheat) had to be removed— hence white flour. Unfortunately it is the germ and the bran that contain the vital parts of the wheat. These are the Vitamin B and the mineral salts. The bran, too, provides the roughage essential for peristaltic action and natural defaecation. Can we wonder that constipation—with its resulting self-poisoning—is so rife? If bread did not play such an important part in the national diet, the consequences would not be so serious. For millions of people, however, it is the "filler" food, and the working classes especially rely upon bread to stave off hunger. It is, therefore, the height of folly to take the vitamins out of flour and so deprive the masses of an essential ingredient of the natural food. The same truth applies to bran. Yet what an excellent proposition it is to Commercialism! One of the main attractions in this profitable venture is the fact that the same material can be sold twice. The public pays for its bread minus the bran and then pays again to have the bran packeted and sold as a remedy for constipation—the constipation having been caused, to a large extent, by eating the denatured bread. Vitamins have to be manufactured and sold to make up for what is taken out of the wheat. Even the existing "National" loaf only half covers the problem, though it has resulted in a substantial increase in resistance to disease and provides one of the reasons why epidemics did not arise through or immediately after the Second World War. Commercialism with bread does not end with the removal of the vital parts of the wheat. When Mr. Strachey, Minister of Food, announced in Parliament that the amount of creta proeparata in flour would be permitted to be doubled, one M.P. interjected: "Why not call it chalk?" Why not indeed, since that is all it constitutes? Chalk is not the only item added to white flour. There are other (so-called) improvers: benzol peroxide powder, chlorine gas, nitrosil chloride, sal ammoniac and alum are among them. The only "whole" bread is the stone-ground wholewheat. Even the commercial brown bread is darkened and has bran added to it. Commercialism is intent upon perverting the taste for natural food. It is a lucrative business. The liking for white bread was deliberately encouraged. The masses, in their folly, were not slow to imitate the rich and discover a taste for white bread. Alum, used in flour, baking powder, cheap ciders and wines, is, according to a Dutch scientist who spent years investigating the cancer problem, one of the contributory causes of this scourge. The chemists and food merchants could not even keep their hands off the humble kipper. Artificial dyeing of kippers was at one time a menace to public health. But the rich hue imparted to kippers by chemical processes was a strong inducement to the unwary housewife. A suggestion was mooted, and the experiments were made, to breed bigger and better fish on chemicals in inland waters, so as to save the expense of fishing! There is no doubt, too, that a certain amount of superficial success would be obtained. As to the quality of the said fish one can hazard a guess, but even the cleverest scientists cannot make an accurate reduplication of Nature's work. There are very few articles of diet that the tentacles of Commercialism do not touch. Practically every time this occurs there is chemical adulteration by colouring, spicing, preserving or, in one way or another, an endeavour to stimulate the jaded appetite of the consumer by artificial flavouring. More often than not this calls for the denaturing of the food product. With the vitamins and mineral salts removed from the food on the one hand, every effort of salesmanship is made to draw money out of the people's pocket for the purchase of some vitamin capsule or vitamin food or some article containing mineral salts. Though apparently trivial, there is, on second thoughts, solid foundation for believing that this trick of having to pay twice for food does materially contribute to the extra cost of living. Some may argue that it causes employment. But is denuding the nation's food of natural, health-giving ingredients (at the same time adding harmful chemicals) productive employment? And does not the health of the people count for anything? Any flour or sugar product is an unnatural food if it is not made from pure wholewheat flour or from pure, unrefined sugar. By "unnatural food" it is meant that it is devoid of all or some of the vitamins or mineral salts that are essential to health. If one contemplates the wide range of food products that have the above two items for a base, then one can have a glimpse of the harm wreaked upon a largely unsuspecting public. And if one assumes that there is much freedom of speech over these matters, allow me to say that, just before the Second World War, one of our biggest dailies had a large notice installed saying that it was forbidden to mention anything detrimental about bread. By bread it can be presumed that white bread was meant, since it had by far the largest sale. If one's mind runs back to that period, it will be recalled that there was a large advertising campaign about "Eat More Bread" going on at much the same time. Whether there is anything significant in connection with the admonition to journalists and the large-scale advertising, both taking place at the same time, I leave to the imagination of the reader. Take a look in a grocery shop some time and note the prepared foods that are for sale. Remember that almost each one is adulterated in some way or another. There are, of course, reputable manufacturers who specialise in preparing food in either a natural state or in a condition that calls for a minimum use of preservatives. Reputable manufacturers, too, deplore the activities of less responsible business interests. Drinks, in particular, are often the source of profound suspicion. The multi-coloured liquids offered as refreshment are often detrimental to health. At the close of one of the Derbys just before the Second World War a vendor of refreshments poured his remnants of so-called lemonade over the grass. He was subsequently brought before a court and fined, not, as you might think, for selling liquid dangerous to public health, but for damaging the sacred grass of the famous Epsom course! His lemonade had actually "scorched the earth." It is unfortunate that the Food and Drug Laws of this country are inadequate. Of late years these laws have been made more sweeping (even some tea packets now carry the statement that the tea is of no food value) and it behoves every housewife to study diligently the labels on packet food, tinned goods and any form of preserved food. Despite the more extensive restrictions, however, clever advertising agencies and others directly concerned with the marketing of food products show remarkable ability in the art of finding loopholes. We have previously discussed the disastrous impact of Commercialism upon our milk supplies. The fear of tuberculosis from unpasteurised milk has been proved to be riddled with inaccuracies and is fostered by the large milk combines. Not so, however, the case with mother's milk. Here, the rapid growth of bottle-feeding from artificially prepared foods is proving to be a deadly menace. An investigation by the Infant Welfare Centre of Chicago between 1924-29 produced the following results. 20,061 infants attended the Centre during the period. Of the total number 48.5 per cent. were entirely breast-fed, 43 per cent. partially breast- fed and 8.5 per cent. entirely fed on artificial foods. The mortality figures for the entire group were as follows:—

No. of Deaths Percentage Infants Total of Deaths Entirely breast-fed 9,749 15 0.15 Partially 8,605 59 0.7 Artificially fed 1,707 144 8.4

Study of the above figures reveals the appalling danger of artificial infant foods. Contrast this with the beautiful babies we see on pictorial advertisements for baby foods. Not so much by direct encouragement as by indirect implication do commercial interests pander and foster the artificial bottle-feeding of infants. When the child puts on an abnormal amount of weight, the mother—in her ignorance—attributes special powers to artificial feeding. There is no doubt, of course, that many mothers are only too pleased to find other methods than the breast for feeding infants. Commercial interests are not slow to realise this factor in modern social conditions. The luckless baby who is bottle-fed suffers much more from colds, stuffiness, indigestion and tonsilitis. It is also dosed with useless medicines, hence it has a bad start in life. The mother should not only feed her own child, she should also ensure that the breast-milk is of the highest quality. To do this she should regulate her diet and habits. This care, however, should begin long before the child is conceived. Thousands of potential mothers not only influence the lives of unborn children, they also render themselves sterile. Though hereditary influences are probably exaggerated, there is little doubt that due caution and respect for one's own personality and that of the unborn child demands stricter adherence to natural laws of living and to a more natural diet. In this respect we are sadly inferior to many native races. Testimony of the advantages of a natural diet have come from various sources: from explorers, scientists, doctors, the London County Council, leading dieticians, naturopaths, etc. In the Geography and Diet section we shall discuss some of the more appropriate accounts. It is not necessary, however, to seek confirmatory evidence from abroad of the disastrous effects Commercialism has upon food. Sir Paul Dukes, a former British Intelligence Chief in Russia, investigated longevity in 1938. Of 150 people over 100 years of age in Britain he visited 110. The majority of the centenarians came from lower-income groups whose diet, in the major part of their young years, had been coarse, wholemeal bread, vegetables and dairy produce. Sir Paul Dukes, speaking of the centenarians he met, said: "The illnesses that overcame them in the course of their lives coincided for the most part—significantly or not I will not venture to say—with the cheapening of luxuries. Certain it is that dentistry has especially flourished since sugar and sweets became plentiful and cheap." It would not be out of place to add laxatives, purges, drugs and other patent medicines to dentistry. That beri-beri is a deficiency disease created by polished rice is already well known. What is not generally realised is that we have our own deficiency diseases—not so spectacular to be sure—but none the less having their own deadly effects. Owing to the slightly observed changes we do not attribute our deficiency diseases to the unnatural diet of the times. Yet these deficiencies, due to the tampering with food, produce a decreased resistance to disease and manifest themselves in the hundred and one common ailments to which we succumb. The activities of Commercialism, whether with good intent or not, actually begin with the growing of food. The experiments of Sir Albert Howard, Sir Robert McCarrison, Lady Eve Balfour and others go a long way towards emphasising the detrimental effects of artificial fertilisers and the unremitting exploitation of the soil. American authorities are already perturbed about certain features of modern agriculture. They have demonstrated, too, that American citrus products have a decreased Vitamin C content because the soil is exploited by artificial fertilisers and intensive cultivation. What once were thriving granaries in North Africa, Persia, Mesopotamia, etc., are now deserts. This transformation took place because the soil was exploited, the essential humus used up and no efforts made to replace it. The humus holds the soil in place. When it became too scanty to perform this function, the winds blew away the top soil, and what we now know as erosion caused the deserts with which we are so familiar. This process, of course, is insidious. None the less, the same thing is happening in America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and even in our own beet-growing areas. In an article in the Sunday Times of February 6, 1944, Lord Hankey said:

. . . For the reformers [alluding to people such as Sir Robert McCarrison, Sir Albert Howard] believe that some chemicals poison the life in the soil, destroying the earthworms (which aerate it and render other essential services), and probably also the mycorrhiza, those beneficent fungi which, as modern research has discovered, give a stimulus to health and resistance to disease to an ever-extending list of trees and plants, which already includes cereals, potatoes, vines, hops, clovers, peas, beans, and other leguminous crops; and in the tropics, tea, coffee, cocoa, coco-nut, rubber and tobacco. The results of artificials, they believe, are over-stimulation and excessive crops, followed by deterioration of the soil and reduced resistance of the plants to disease which necessitate spraying by more chemicals and further destruction of life in the soil. Eventually the humus which holds the soil particles together is destroyed, the soil turns to dust, and is blown to the four winds. Not least serious, the food grown on artificials is thought by the reformers to be less nourishing to man and beast, and the cause of disease and sub-normal health.

Manchester, Southwark and Maidenhead are among local authorities that are utilising municipal wastes for compost and the restoration of humus. Hampshire War Agricultural Committee also utilised waste from the big Army camps for the production of humus. It is a suicidal policy to allow our sewerage to pour into the rivers and seas, causing pollution, when it could be transformed into life-giving material for the soil. Humus, briefly, is a "product of the decomposition of animal and vegetable residues brought about by the agency of micro- organisms." It is the humus that holds the soil together and imparts a vital force to the land. A German chemist named Liebig discovered in 1840 that chemistry could, theoretically, be applied to agriculture. What the chemists have overlooked is that the soil is organic and teeming with life. Inorganic chemicals stimulate the soil, produce an abundance of crops (for a period) and produce an impression of scientific benevolence. The unfortunate fact, however, is that this persistent over-stimulation denudes the soil of humus (since nothing but artificial chemicals are put back) and paves the way for the ultimate erosion of the soil. The chemicals kill the life of the soil, create disease and produce crops of diminishing quality. From The Living Soil, a book written by Lady Eve Balfour (Faber & Faber, London), we take the following:—

The consequence of this process of denuding the soil of its fertility is only just beginning to be realised in Western countries. McCarrison has stated: "These [certain natural foodstuffs], when properly combined in the diet, supply all the food essentials, known and unknown, discovered and undiscovered, needed for normal nutrition, provided they are produced on soil which is not impoverished, for if they be proceeds of impoverished soil, their quality will be poor and the health of those who eat them, man and his domestic animals, will suffer accordingly." Thus it will be seen that we cannot safely separate human health from the health of farm produce whether animal or vegetable. All have their origin in a fertile soil. Under field conditions a fertile soil is a live soil, and maintenance of life in such soil depends on humus.

Natural humus formation is a slow process. It is a continuity between life, decay and life as typified in a virgin forest. Since it is imperative that humus should be applied to the soil (or maintained in it) to give it life, there must be an answer to soil fertility, soil erosion, poor-quality crops and poor health. The answer does exist, for which we are largely indebted to Sir Albert Howard and his famous Indore Process of Composting. The making of compost heaps for the production of humus is not a difficult problem. In these heaps all residual waste from vegetables, crops, weeds, leaves, animal manure, etc., are permitted to go through a natural process of decay by bacterial action. For a full description of composting, and its advantages, the reader is referred to the works of Sir Albert Howard or to Lady Eve Balfour's book The Living Soil. In these and other contemporary books the reader will find a whole fund of useful information and helpful advice, all of which has a direct bearing on health. From the Nature Cure point of view, food—the right food— is of paramount importance to health. The Nature Cure practitioner is also a dietician, and his knowledge is imparted to the thousands of patients and believers in the philosophy of Nature Cure. It is obvious, therefore, that Naturopathy is as much interested in the way food is produced (and in soil fertility) as it is in the food itself. The advantages of a correct diet are limited if the food is grown on artificial lines. Food produce must contain all the essential vitamins and mineral salts if it is to be used to advantage. Thus it will be found that there is not only an insistence upon a sound diet, but that Naturopathy equally insists that food should be produced under natural conditions. Not until one really gets down to basic facts does one discover the full deleterious impact of Commercialism upon our food resources. The ramifications of big business extend over the whole process of food cultivation and preparation. This exploitation of the soil and its produce is a vital factor in disease. There is no doubt that the drive towards artificial fertilisers was given greater impetus after the First World War, when explosives manufacturers were compelled to seek other outlets for their products. Sulphate of ammonia and other synthetic fertilisers were thus foisted on to the farmers, principally with the aid of large-scale advertising, so that factories would not become obsolete and profits could still be made. To say that Nature Cure has found an answer is an over- simplification of our whole health problem, especially where food is concerned. Nature Cure, however, points to a richer and fuller life. One of the main bugbears is the artificial processes through which our food is denuded of its natural qualities. If Commercialism could only be prevailed upon to forego 50 per cent. of its emasculation of total food resources, then we could expect a most profound improvement in human health. With that improvement would come greater productivity, decreased expenditure on drugs, an expansion of industry useful to man, increased social amenities—in fact a whole new vista of life would open up before us.

GEOGRAPHY AND DIET By studying the effects of food habits in other parts of the world we are led to the obvious conclusion that, to derive the utmost benefit from what we eat, the food must be essentially "whole." By that we mean that the food should be produced, prepared and consumed in relation to its natural state. This does not imply that we should consume all our food raw; though there is ample evidence to prove that raw food, particularly fruit and vegetables, should hold a high place in a commonsense diet. We shall refer to this subject again, when we discuss the famous Bircher-Benner raw-food system. Some arguments are put forward that for a food to be natural it should form an integral part of the native produce. In this event, an orange would be natural for California, but an unnatural fruit for Britain. Where favourable climatic and agricultural conditions coincide with industrial and agricultural usages, as in certain native districts, there is every reason to support this theory. Britain, however, is a highly industrialised nation with a limited variety of food production. What is more, it has, along with other (so-called) civilised communities, suffered dire effects from the commercialisation of food. While there is every indication that we could increase our native agriculture, and at the same time add to the diversity of indigenous crops, there is no sound reason why we should forego the many advantages of imported fruits and vegetables. Imported fruit, in particular, serves as a pleasant variety and as a most convenient source of augmenting our stock of protective foods. There should, however, be some form of inspectorate to ensure that these imported foods conform to specified standards of vitamin content. If necessary, there should be financial inducement to produce food of the highest quality from natural cultivation methods. Anything below the minimum standard should be refused an import licence. From the foregoing it will be deduced that I do not subscribe to the "natural" food theory in so far as it restricts the diet to indigenous food products. That we should make more use of the land is obvious, but there is no valid reason for restricting our diet to what we alone are able to grow. There is, however, much to be said for a simpler diet with less variety at any one meal. Those getting on in years and those who suffer from digestive troubles will find it more suitable to have less variety at any given meal. An example of the "native" theory which is entirely successful is displayed by the Hunzas, Sikhs, Pathans and other Himalayan tribes. These healthy specimens (they grow to six feet of healthy and cheery manhood) exist on a diet largely composed of sour curds, plenty of leafy vegetables, potatoes, wholewheat bread and little meat. These sections of India's population stand out in marked contrast to the Madrasis. The latter are very susceptible to gastric and internal ulcers, are of smaller stature and are as prone to disease as the Sikhs and Pathans are immune. The diet of the Madrasis consists of polished rice, red pepper, tamarind and dried fish. There is, of course, a difference in the climate, but the main essential difference is the wholeness of the Sikh and Pathan diet compared with the adulteration of the diet of the Madrasi. In this case, too, there is the natural cultivation that is a part of the life of the hill tribes. Crete provides another example of health and longevity. The diet in this island is mainly of sour milk and fruit. I have in my personal possession a photograph of a venerable old man of 116 years of age. When the photo was taken, about 1937, the old man was living almost entirely on sour milk. Up to the age of 110 he had been working as a porter, carrying a 40 lb. pack six miles per day up winding mountain paths. It is quite common for people to reach extremely ripe old ages in the island, and the diet is, obviously, on simple and natural lines. Tibetians live to an incredible old age and, here again, sour milk figures in the dietary. If we include the Balkan countries, Arabs, Himalayan tribes and others we will find ample substantiation for the fact that the correct use of milk appears to be to permit it to go sour—not the civilised way of pasteurising the milk and robbing it of its natural contents. Curiously enough, healthy natives often have an instinct for the right food. In one of the Pacific islands, for instance, a local toddy was the object of the authorities' disfavour, since over- consumption and inebriation interfered with work. The drink was banned, the result being that a sharp decline in health followed. This led to an investigation of the local toddy, and it was proved that the offending drink possessed just that vitamin content which made all the difference between health and disease. We will take another example. When the Americans took their highly refined and commercialised foodstuffs to Hawaii, the strong, sound teeth of the natives began to decay. 80 per cent. tooth decay, equal to that of America, followed the American invasion of Hawaii. In an experiment that took place some years before the Second World War, 1,000 Hawaiian children reverted to the diet of their forefathers, a feature of which was taro—a native tuber. In the first year of this experiment the tooth decay fell 40 per cent. and in later years to 8 per cent. McCollum and Simmonds, in The Newer Knowledge of Nutrition (Macmillan & Co. Ltd., London), say:

There is no better illustration of the soundness of the views regarding the types of diet which succeed in inducing good nutrition than the experience of the non-citizen Indian of the United States. All who observed the Indians in their primitive state agree that most of them were exceptional specimens of physical development. With few exceptions, however, during two generations they have deteriorated physically. The reason for this is apparently brought to light by a consideration of the kind of food to which they have restricted themselves since they have lived on reservations. There is no group of people with a higher incidence of tuberculosis than the non-citizen Indian. As wards of the Government they have been provided with money and land, but have shown little interest in agriculture. They have lived in idleness and have derived their food supplies from the agency stores. In addition to muscle cuts of meat they have, therefore, taken large amounts of milled cereal products, syrup, molasses, sugar and canned foods, such as peas, corn and tomatoes. In other words, they have come to subsist essentially upon a milled cereal, sugar, tuber and meat diet. On such a regimen their teeth have rapidly become inferior and are badly decayed. They suffer much from rheumatism and other troubles which result from local infections. Faulty dietary habits are, in great measure, to be incriminated for their susceptibility to tuberculosis.

The Indians in the Canadian reservations have also shown a degeneration in health. That the diet is principally involved in the deterioration of the health of the Indians would be hard to deny. Idleness, however, must also be a factor. An astounding experiment on a mass scale has been the subject of frequent comment. This took place in March, 1917, when Denmark began to feel the effects of the blockade. Professor Mikkel Hindhede was appointed Food Adviser to the Danish Government. Denmark, at that time, had a human population of 3,500,000 and a domestic population of 5,000,000. Grains for both human and animal consumption were imported from the United States—until the blockade stopped the import of grains when America declared war. The question facing Professor Hindhede was how the grain stocks should be distributed. He decided that four-fifths of the pigs and one-sixth of the cattle should be slaughtered, and the grain saved given to the people. The Danes were compelled to eat coarse, wholemeal bread, vegetables, fruit, milk and butter. Only very little meat was available to the Danish public. No grain or potatoes were allowed for the distillation of spirits, and the production of beer was cut by 50 per cent. The Danes, therefore, were enforced to live on a natural diet with the emphasis on "wholeness." The food regulations bringing about this forced existence on a natural diet lasted from March 1917 to October 1918. Extraordinary things happened in that time. The Danish death rate, which had been 12.3 per 1,000 in 1913, dropped to 10.4 per 1,000, the lowest mortality figure that had ever been recorded in any European country. Hindhede wrote: ". . . I have emphasised the advantages of a lacto-vegetarian diet. I am not in principle a vegetarian, but I believe I have shown that a diet containing a large amount of meat and eggs is dangerous to the health." Professor Hindhede himself lays much importance on the bread consumed at the time. It consisted of 67 per cent. rye, 21 per cent. oats and 12 per cent. bran. The impressive improvement in health, brought about in so short a time, points to a damning indictment of the commercialisation of food and faulty dietetic habits. From all over the world there come examples of what constitutes a natural diet, and of how such a diet is conducive to health. There are examples, too, of the degenerate effects of the impact of Western civilisation with its denatured food products. The actual food, in all cases where real health is found, is grown (and often consumed) in a natural state. By that we mean that cultivation follows the age-old principle, familiar to the Chinese, of maintaining the fertility of the soil and not robbing it of the essential humus. There is, it will be noticed, in all good examples of dietary, an emphasis on the "wholeness" of food. Milk, for instance, is not pasteurised and wheat is wholewheat, not the white-flour product of civilisation. The rural Chinese, incidentally, who follow their ancestral system of agriculture, demonstrate that cheerfulness of character and vigour of health which springs from the roots of unexploited soil. Geography, and the diet of many races, provide numerous pointers for the selection of a sound diet. While we welcome the information from various sources of the world as proving the value of a sound, natural dietary, we should not forego the advantages that modern dietetics have provided. There is no reason, therefore, why we should not avail ourselves of the fruits of the world provided, as previously stated, that these fruits are up to standard regarding the vitamin and mineral content. The evidence from abroad, however, points to simple meals and less variety at any one meal.

BALANCED DIET The reader will already have some idea of what constitutes a balanced diet. It must be emphasised that there is no suggestion of faddism in a balanced diet. A sound dietary takes some account of the humanitarian principles involved in vegetarianism, but it is not based solely upon those principles; its foundation lies in logic. There is no doubt that some vegetarians, in their enthusiasm, go to extremes, and have a diet that contains an excess of starch and is not conducive to health. Other vegetarians have a most intelligent dietary. But that section of vegetarians, for instance, which, apart from meat, abstains from milk, eggs and honey must find little sympathy from the general public—not that they look for it. Their contentions are based upon ethical and humanitarian grounds. There is some sound reasoning in part of their arguments. I fail to see, however, where honey (especially when the bees are not fed upon refined sugar) is not a good food. Nor, as we have learnt, is there any real objection to sour milk. To argue that eggs, milk and honey are not good foods because, by consuming them, Nature is exploited appears to be a specious argument. Diet reform, therefore, though it is not insensitive to the humanitarian element, does not base its reasoning on those lines. The real factors concerned in diet are the proper balance of food, food production, preparation and consumption in accordance with natural requirements. Proteins, starches, sugars, vitamins, mineral salts and roughage have to be considered in relation to human needs so that health can be the result. Apart from any broad lines that can be laid down as necessary, there is always the personal element to be taken into account. A sedentary worker obviously does not require so much protein or starch food as the heavy, manual worker. Then, again, there are people with a high starch tolerance and others with a low tolerance. These factors must be personally weighed up when selecting a dietary. We have seen, however, that the fundamental basis of a sound diet is "wholeness." This is demonstrated in wholegrain cereals, fruit, vegetables, dairy produce, honey and nuts. A diet that is based upon these foodstuffs, all produced on natural lines, contains the essential ingredients for proper nutrition. We have the bulk, vitamins, mineral salts, proteins, starches and sugars necessary to real health. In the correct combination of the afore- mentioned foods lies the road to health. Two important factors influence the selection of various foods. There are the relative acid and alkaline action of the various foods. Before we delve into this problem we shall recall some factors in nutrition. In Furneaux and Smart's Human Physiology (Longmans, Green & Co. Ltd., London) there is an excellent description of the need for food:—

All living matter is of the nature of a machine in that it uses up energy, converting some into work and most into heat. Moreover, the wear and tear of tissues has to be made good, and the material for growth to be provided (if the animal is young). All this is secured by the provision of food; and the more the composition of the food differs from that of the body of the consumer, the longer it takes to digest; the greater part of the lives of most animals is concerned with a continual hunt for food. Food is anything taken into the body for the purpose of growth, repair, the production of heat and work, or the supply of body regulators (hormones, vitamins and enzymes). This food has, however, to be first rendered suitable for absorption, i.e. it has to be digested. After absorption it is oxidised for the production of heat and work, or stored or used for repair and growth, as the case may be.

Food, therefore, serves the primary object of maintaining bodily functions, and is not, as some people appear to imagine, merely a way of satisfying a sensual pleasure. That food should be appetising is not denied, for enjoyment leads to good digestion, but the main purpose of food is the continuance of life. Food is divided into protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, mineral salts and water. Protein is found principally in meat, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, milk and certain vegetables. It is required for nitrogen replacement. Urea and uric acid are the forms in which nitrogen is excreted from the body as a result of wear and tear on the cells. The fact that proteins build and replace the tissues of the body, as well as supplying nitrogen, led people to over- emphasise their importance in bodily welfare. Experiments on American soldiers and students of Yale University, conducted over forty years ago by Professor Russel H. Chittenden, proved the fallacy of the high-protein theory. As a result of the experiments, Professor Chittenden showed that the great majority of people overeat, and that the consumption of protein was especially excessive. The soldiers and students improved in health on a restricted diet. Professor Chittenden outlined his work in a book Physiological Economy in Health. Chittenden himself said that "body-weight, health, strength and mental and physical vigour and endurance can be maintained with at least half of the proteid food ordinarily consumed." "Health," Professor Chittenden declared, "could be maintained much more satisfactorily on about 10 per cent. of protein in the diet than on 20 per cent." Lahmann, the famous Continental Nature Cure pioneer, had stated even before Chittenden that over-consumption of protein was a vital factor in the causation of disease. The excess of uric acid was declared to be one of the causative factors in rheumatism and allied complaints. Professor Hindhede also proved that meat (one form of protein) was not only unessential, but that health could be improved on a diet with a much reduced protein content. Though protein is necessary for health it has been vastly overrated, and an over-consumption leads to disease. Cheese, eggs, milk, nuts, fresh fish are the best sources of protein. Fats are essential to health since they provide heat and can be stored in the subcutaneous tissues of the body. Here again, however, the consumption of fats is generally excessive. Animal fat, especially, is not easily digested, and fried starch food (fried bread, chips, etc.) is never good. Fried fat creates an insoluble coat over the starch cells and prevents digestion in the upper digestive tract Ptyalin, a salivary secretion, has to act upon the starch and convert it into maltose. This part of the digestion is interfered with when there is a coating of fat around the starch. Incidentally, this type of fried food (like all starch) is one of the causative factors in catarrh and colds. Butter, olive and vegetable oil are the best types of fat. Carbohydrates are necessary for energy. That most people are over-conscious of carbohydrate food is one of the reasons why we fall ill. The excess of carbohydrate food (especially white-flour products and refined sugar) is a vital factor in disease. Starches and sugars are the principal containers of the above element. All carbohydrate foods (bread, rice macaroni, potatoes, sugar, etc.) are converted into sugars during digestion. The material is stored in the tissues and liver as glycogen so that it can be quickly converted into glucose. Most starch food is acid-forming, but wholewheat bread, potatoes and other root vegetables, fruit and honey are the best sources of carbohydrate. Vitamins, mineral salts and water will be discussed under their respective headings, as these merit full discussion. For a diet to be properly balanced it must contain all the essential foods in the correct quantities. That is to say, it must contain protein, starch, sugar, fat, vitamins, minerals, water and bulk. As each individual is a law unto himself, there can be no definite statement as to how much a given person should consume, or even what proportions of carbohydrate or protein are necessary in an individual case. This is a point where studied dietetics in relation to personal health come into force. It is generally recognised, however, in the diet reform of Naturopathy, that the orthodox consumption of proteins and carbohydrates is excessive. Nature Cure affirms also that the excessive intake of these acid-forming foods has a bearing upon disease. From this it will be deduced that Naturopathy places little reliance upon the calorie theory. We are only too painfully familiar with the calorie standards so frequently discussed in the popular Press. Diet reform (or balanced dieting) is concerned with the correct alignment of food requirements in accordance with natural laws. Man's instinct as regards food—with the exception of when he feels sick and loses his appetite—can no longer be trusted. His perversion has been brought about largely by the use of denatured and refined food. We previously mentioned a distinction between acid and alkaline foods. Broadly speaking, these fall under two categories. The proteins and carbohydrates are acid-forming, and the fruits and vegetables are alkaline. The alkaline foods neutralise the acid foods and maintain harmonious balance within the system; provided, of course, that they are consumed in sufficient quantity. The alkaline foods are the cleansing elements in diet. Below is a comparative list of alkaline and acid foods.

Acid Alkaline Meat. Root and leaf vegetables. Meat extracts. Dried and fresh fruit. Bread. Buttermilk. Macaroni. Olives. Cheese. Eggs. Fish. Refined sugar. Lentils. Peanuts. Rice.

With the above in mind, we have now to consider the bulk in diet that is essential for efficient peristaltic action and the cleansing of the bowels. When we recall the laxative foods with a bran foundation, it seems the height of folly to take this commodity out of flour and then retail it again as packet food to relieve the very distress its absence from bread creates. This is without reference to the vitamins lost. Bulk, therefore, is best found in whole-grain cereals, vegetables and fruit. It is quite evident that, with protein and starch being acid- forming, and the fruits and vegetables alkaline (as well as supplying the bulk and water), a sound dietary should comprise a minimum amount of protein and starch and a maximum of fruit and vegetables. It will be recalled, too, that fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins and mineral salts. This is a factor that should be borne in mind when weighing up the advantages of a balanced diet. We have previously emphasised "wholeness" with regard to diet. I make no apologies if I keep repeating this theme, as I believe it to be of the most profound importance. Therefore, although starch should be reduced in quantity, the wholegrain cereals are advised. With "wholeness," however, we arrive at another advantage in diet—that is the use of raw food. Vitamin C is the most easily destroyed vitamin (hence the reason for unpasteurised or sour milk), and any cooking process has a detrimental effect upon the vitamins and mineral salts. There is every reason, therefore, to include a substantial amount of raw food in the diet. In connection with this, a large raw salad and fruit meal per day has obvious advantages. Naturally, a certain amount of cooking is required. Heat preparation of food, however, should be cut to a minimum. Though raw feeding plays a large part in the naturopathic concept of an ideal diet, one cannot ignore popular prejudices and tastes; nor is it desirable to eliminate all cooked food, for it makes for variation and enjoyment. Wherever possible, however, such cooking as is carried out is best done with the aid of baking, steaming, braising or conservative cooking. The latter method means cooking with the aid of a minimum amount of water. The average housewife literally boils her vegetables to death. Having done so, she promptly pours her family's resistance to disease down the drain, in the liquid left over from the cooking. Vitamins and mineral salts are wasted, and what is served is merely the residue of what was originally a protective food. While on this subject of cooking (and "wholeness") it would seem appropriate to mention the devastating amount of waste that goes on with the peeling of potatoes, apples, etc. It is not generally realised that often a substantial quantity of the vitamins and mineral salts are contained in or near the skins of fruits and vegetables and that it is frequently a crime to cause so much avoidable waste. Though salt may be added to the cooking, it is not advised. Soda should definitely be abolished. There is no need for table salt. Unfortunately millions of people have arrived at the conclusion that salt is a requirement and that they should not deprive themselves of it. This is one of the instances where the taste has been perverted. By elimination we arrive at what balanced dieting implies. We have largely cut out protein (especially meat) and carbohydrates (especially white-flour products, refined cereals and refined sugars). What we have left is, in the main, composed of dairy produce, fruit, vegetables, whole-grain cereals and nuts. We thus arrive at what is largely a lacto-vegetarian diet with particular emphasis on raw food. What it virtually amounts to, therefore, is that a balanced diet comprises the following:—

Wholegrain cereals in low quantities. Fruit and vegetables in abundance. Dairy produce in fair quantities. Nuts and natural sugars in low quantities.

The proportion of cereals, dairy produce and nuts would be increased or decreased according to the amount of work performed. Those who do heavy work would require more of the energy-giving foods, and those doing light work and taking little exercise would have a corresponding decrease. Invalids and aged people also would consume less. There is an emphasis on raw food (raw fruit and salads) and on not overeating. Breakfast should be a fruit meal, lunch either a cooked or salad meal and, when the lunch is a cooked meal, the evening meal should take a salad form or vice versa. One question that inevitably arises is: if the citrus fruits are acid, and one of the basic factors in diet is the reduction of acid foods, why advocate acid and sub-acid fruit? The answer lies in the fact that while citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, etc.) is acid in content its ultimate reaction is alkaline. The acid condition of the body, brought about by an excess of protein and starch and by worry or indulgence, is really a toxic condition which the alkaline elements—being eliminative—overcome. It is true that some people, especially those with a high toxic condition, experience unpleasant reactions from eating acid and sub-acid fruit. What really happens, however, is that the acid condition of the body is stirred up with the introduction of the acid fruit. The fruit itself is not to blame. The discomfort created by eating acid or sub-acid fruit indicates a toxic condition of the body and demonstrates the necessity for either a highly alkaline diet or a curative fast. Once the system is really cleansed there will be no discomfort on eating acid fruit. These indications of a toxic state of the body are ignored in ordinary circumstances, the fruit which is supposed to cause the disturbance is avoided, and the toxic condition is allowed to develop (with the aid of drugs) into chronic disease. We shall consider fluid under the section entitled "Water." For general purposes, however, we do not recommend drinking with meals, as this habit interferes with digestion. Fruit juices, vegetable soup, Vecon or Yeastrel, dandelion coffee and mate tea, are among recommended drinks. The reader, however, is encouraged to gain more information from the specialised works on recipes created for the advocates of balanced dieting, i.e., "Health for All" Ration-time Recipes, by Margaret Brady, M.Sc. (5/- net, or 5/4 post paid from the Publishers of this book).

COMMON ERRORS We have already mentioned many of the mistakes in diet, especially with reference to Commercialism and the high protein and starch consumption that is normal to the majority. We have mentioned also overeating and overdrinking. Wrong combinations in diet, especially with regard to excesses in the acid-forming foods, are the main errors in diet. They are also the largest factors in disease. Let us consider some of the materials concerned in normal feeding. The orthodox breakfast of cereal food, toast, bacon or egg or fish, washed down with tea or coffee, is, on examination, a meal largely devoid of any of the vitamins, minerals or alkaline elements necessary for health. Bulk there certainly is, but mostly of a denatured type. The acid-forming protein, starch and tea or coffee are unrelieved by any of the alkaline elements necessary for neutralising the acid content. We can, moreover, take it for granted that some condiment or other is used with the savoury part of the meal to give it a flavour. The idea of condiments is to bolster up the appetite and create an unnatural desire for food and drink. As stimulants condiments work very well. They are, however, not only acid-forming in themselves, but they arouse desires for food and drink that are incompatible with human requirements and lead to excesses. Since this excessive consumption is largely of the acid-forming foods, and there is a constant deficiency of the alkaline materials, can we wonder at the increase in digestive troubles, ulcers, constipation, rheumatism, etc.? There is another factor in overeating that is frequently overlooked, and which a natural diet checks. That is lack of mastication. It can be proved that thorough mastication induces a more real satisfying of hunger and diminishes the tendency to overeat. Raw feeding emphasises this point on account of the extra mastication that must take place. Not only is less food consumed, however, but more taste is extracted from the food. When we recall how digestion begins in the mouth with the action of the saliva we realise how important is this neglected function of mastication. We also have a sound reason for avoiding the dilution of the saliva with fluid at meal-times. Though British people are less affected by the gum-chewing habit common to the Americans, it is of passing interest to record the latest developments in the habit. I take the following from Zoe Farmer's "American Diary," a feature of the News Chronicle:—

. . . there are gums containing aspirin, laxative agents, and indigestion soothers. Latest is a hangover gum claiming to relieve the most shattering morning-after. Obtainable by prescription only, since it contains an opium derivative, it is also being successfully used to placate the morning nausea suffered by some pregnant women.

Chewing is a process specifically allied to digestion. Perverting this function by chewing gum, especially with its effect on the salivary flow, can do no good. Chewing exercises that stretch the jaws are a different matter. These assist the drainage and circulation in the muscles and tissues of the throat, and are helpful in many throat diseases. Apart from efficient mastication, the food should be balanced at any meal. If a meal contains protein or starch it should contain also a larger proportion of fruit or vegetables. In this way we can strike a balance and permit the alkaline elements to neutralise the acid. Since potatoes are starch (it must be remembered that potatoes have also a large potassium content and can be alkaline if baked or steamed), no bread should be consumed at the same meal if potatoes also form part of the menu. We previously mentioned that acid and sub-acid fruit is alkaline in reaction and that there is no reason why the fruit should not form part of the diet. Moreover, we also stressed its alkalinity. There is one proviso with acid fruit, however: it should not be consumed in conjunction with starch food. The two do not mix well, and the acid fruit interferes with the digestion of starch. To avoid common mistakes in balancing food we shall define balance in the way Dr. Lindlahr, the famous American Nature Cure practitioner, suggested. He recommended that 20 per cent. of the diet should contain protein, 20 per cent. starches, sugars and fats, and 60 per cent. fruit and vegetables. An amendment to this would be that the protein should consist of non-animal protein (or rather, not meat). Cheese, eggs, nuts, fish and fowl are the best sources. As regards fats and starches, it is not out of place to reiterate the dangers of fried starch food. Evening meals should be of a light character. When heavy meals are partaken late at night there is disturbance of sleep on account of fullness in the stomach. Late drinking also interferes with sleep. Apple juice is probably the safest drink at night, as it possesses soothing properties. Incidentally, parsley tea is recommended for those who suffer from bladder or kidney troubles. No meals should be consumed when feeling tired, depressed or emotional. It is a common mistake to eat a meal when worn out by a harrowing day. It is much better either to forgo the meal, have a light fruit meal or have a suitable rest interval before eating. With regard to eating when there is no desire for food it must be emphasised that this amounts to what is virtually a criminal assault upon the natural forces of the body. It is a grievous error usually made by well-meaning relatives or misguided medical practitioners. The majority of mistakes in diet are due to either ignorance, commercialisation of food, lack of interest in cooking or greed; or a combination of one or more of these factors. In any event, the deterioration in health is certainly in evidence when the dietary is unbalanced.

VITAMINS We hesitate to add to the mass of literature on vitamins. In a work of this kind, however, it is obviously necessary to have the major details at hand. What are the vitamins? When analytical chemists were dealing with fats and oils they discovered that a certain part was "unsaponifiable." That is to say, the unsaponifiable matter would not yield to a process of boiling with alkali. From the chemists' viewpoint, this matter was an impurity. Research work by Sir W. Gowland Hopkins, from 1906 onwards, proved that the impurity was the very substance that enabled fats and oils to be fully utilised in the body. First thought to be in a class of nitrogenous bodies termed "amines," the impurity came to be called "vitamins." Subsequently the terminal "e" was dropped. We know that vitamins are elusive substances and that deficiencies in them definitely cause disease. We are aware also that some are destroyed by heat. So far as we are concerned it is necessary only to know that vitamins are essential and that the different classes have different purposes. It is also a known fact that the best containers of vitamins are those foodstuffs that also contain the mineral salts, i.e. fruit and vegetables. We have, then, another factor in proving that the right diet is one based upon lacto- vegetarian lines, with an emphasis on "wholeness." There is absolutely no necessity for purchasing foods that have synthetic vitamins added. All the vitamins required for bodily needs are contained in a balanced diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables, dairy produce and whole-grain cereals. It is interesting to record that vitamin A was formerly prepared from nettles. The herbs and wild plants that abound in the countryside are prolific sources of vitamins and mineral salts. The following, written by the Science Editor of the News Chronicle, Ritchie Calder, helps to illustrate the above point, also the answer to the query why our forefathers did not worry about vitamins.

A wise old scientist once counselled me "Never despise or dismiss an old wives' tale or spurn their remedies. Remember they usually have the sanction of the centuries." Instead of rejecting time-honoured infusions as a kind of ju-ju, scientists are beginning to examine them for their properties. Vegetable tonics, for instance, have fallen out of favour in the days of man-made drugs, but an investigation has recently been made into herbs and medical plants to find how much thiamine they contain. Thiamine is one of the vitamin B family, and a deficiency of it causes loss of appetite, fatigue, stomach disorders and a lowering of blood pressure. And these, of course, are just the run-down conditions for which the "wise women" and the old- fashioned family doctor gave a vegetable pick-me-up. Guess what was found? Right, first time! Buchu, caraway, camomile, dandelion, white cinnamon, gentian and thyme were all rich sources of thiamine.

Since vitamins were never thought of forty odd years ago, why should they be necessary now? The point is, as the above partly explained, that at that time the normal diet was not short of vitamins. Milk was not pasteurised, bread and sugar were not refined, the consumption of denatured foods was infinitesimal. Even beer was not put through a chemical process Nor was the soil impoverished by artificial fertilisers, and the food was of the highest quality. And what medicines were consumed were largely of the herbalist and non-drug variety—rich in vitamins and mineral salts. There was, in effect, little need for an awareness of vitamins. Below is a list of the main items in vitamins and their respective actions.

Vitamin A. Anti-infective. For night-blindness, eye disease and poor resistance. Vitamin B1. Anti-neuritic. For disease of nervous system. Aids digestion. Vitamin B2. Anti-pellagra. For skin diseases. Vitamin C. Anti-scorbutic. For scurvy. Vitamin D. Anti-rachitic. For rickets and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus and important in bone formation. (Ultra-violet rays act upon ergosterol in the skin, enabling the body to manufacture this vitamin.) Vitamin E. Anti-sterility. Vitamin K Prevents excessive bleeding. Vitamin P. Essential for the health of capillaries.

The only addition to a normal balanced diet that could be considered necessary, as far as vitamin supply is concerned, is, in my opinion, a teaspoonful of yeast per day. This supplies that little extra of the vitamin B which assists in offsetting the drain upon the nervous system that modern life entails.

MINERAL SALTS Owing to the tremendous amount of publicity that vitamins have received, there has been a strong tendency to overlook the part mineral salts play in health. They are, however, just as important as the vitamins. For instance, if we break the body down into cells and then into what the cells are made of, we find the same elements that we find in food, etc. The average body is composed of the following:—

Oxygen 65 % Phosphorous 1.00% Carbon 18 % Potassium 0.35% Hydrogen 10 % Sulphur 0.25% Nitrogen 3 % Sodium 0.15% Calcium 1.5% Chlorine 0.15%

The body contains also iron, manganese, fluorine, copper, iodine and traces of silicon and other elements. The combination of oxygen and hydrogen accounts for 75 per cent. of body weight, of which 75 per cent. there is a 60 per cent. actual water content. Calcium is the most abundant mineral salt in the body, and its importance for growing children is emphasised. Iodine is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Iron is the element that enables the haemoglobin to absorb oxygen and thus permits the blood to carry out its vital task of transporting oxygen to the tissues. The process of digestion and assimilation is considerably influenced by mineral salts. Along the tract of the small intestine lie minute, hair-like projections called "villi." Through these villi nutriment is absorbed in two ways: either directly into the bloodstream or indirectly via the lymphatic system. The blood carries the nutriment to the cells of all parts of the body, where it is ultimately transformed into heat and energy, or used for the repair and replacement of tissue. The passage of nutritive substances into blood capillaries and lymphatics is aided by a mechanical process termed "osmosis." Osmotic pressure is a feature of all cell life, and it is responsible for the transference of liquids and dissolved substances to and from the solutions surrounding the cells of the body and their contents. Osmotic pressure can be increased by fruit or vegetable juices which contain their full complement of mineral salts. While on this subject of osmosis, it seems appropriate to refer to the statement of a famous German dietician, Ragnar Berg, concerning the use of common salt. Berg maintained that common salt has a paralysing effect upon the kidneys and ureters, that it disturbs the balance of osmosis and interferes with vascular endothelial activity. Salt causes an abnormally permeable state of the tissues on account of the increased osmosis induced by it. Note that salt causes an abnormally permeable state of the tissues. This is not caused by the natural mineral salts, which can never be taken in such massive doses. We have seen that the body itself is partly composed of a great many minerals and that we must obtain these from our food to maintain health. Any deficiency, such as calcium, for instance, has serious effects upon health. A recurring theme throughout this book has been that of a natural, whole diet. It has been emphasised for many reasons, not the least of which is the necessity for an adequate supply of mineral salts. These are best obtained from fruits and vegetables and wholegrain cereals. Mineral salts are just as easily destroyed as vitamins. Any cooking process, therefore, diminishes the value of food. The importance of raw fruit and vegetables cannot be over-emphasised. A lacto-vegetarian, "whole" diet, therefore, is the soundest basis for ensuring a plentiful supply of mineral salts. A raw salad and fruit meal per day will, in itself, be sufficient guarantee against any vitamin and mineral salt deficiency. More as a matter of interest than of any consequence, I give the following table as a guide to mineral salts. It is not intended to be complete, so far as the foodstuffs are concerned, but it does emphasise the point of a balanced diet. Whatever feature of diet we turn up, whether it be vitamins, mineral salts, roughage, wholeness, acidity or alkalinity, we come to the conclusion that a balanced diet provides the answer to all the questions. Mineral Function Sources Calcium Constructs and main- Carrot, cress, kale, tains bone, counteracts beetroot, cauliflower, acid, heals wounds, celery, cucumber, aids vitality. spinach, lettuce, tur- nip tops, milk, mushrooms, cheese, egg, figs, wheat bran, onion, tomato.

Iron Carries oxygen to the Lettuce, leek, radishes, blood. tomatoes, carrots, spinach, dandelions, beans, lentils, whole- grain cereals, dates, figs, prunes, raisins, berry fruits. Sodium Digestive chemical, Carrots, cucumber, enables body to cauliflower, milk, tur- absorb iron. Alkaline, nips, spinach, lettuce, endive, celery, beetroot, cabbage, dande- lions, gooseberries, apples, cheese, eggs, figs, prunes. Phosphorus Nourishes bone, brain, Cabbage, celery, teeth, hair. sprouts, cucumber, cauliflower, spinach, watercress, radishes, lettuce, wholewheat, barley, cheese, eggs, apples. Sulphur Purifies and tones Spinach, cauliflower system. Promotes bile cabbage, leeks, cress, secretions and enables sprouts, nettles, celery, liver to absorb onions, turnips, radishes, mineral salts. parsnips, wholewheat, oatmeal, oranges. Potassium Stimulates liver and Potatoes, parsnip, prevents constipation, cabbage, cauliflower, Relieves pain and turnips, tomatoes, heals. lettuce, beans, dande- lions, parsley, dill, oats, milk, prunes, rhubarb, strawberries, pears. Magnesium For nerves. Alkaline. Spinach, nettles, cab- Refreshing and sleep bage, celery, beetroot, promoting. Laxative, kale, lettuce, tomatoes, dried fruit, wheat bran, apples. Iodine Gland regulator and Potatoes, carrots, cab- for mental energy. bage, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, artichokes, pears, strawberries, edible seaweed. Chlorine Cleans up waste mat- Spinach, celery, nettles, ter, prevents pyrrhoea kale, cucumber, lettuce, and counteracts auto- tomatoes, milk, eggs, intoxication. cheese,whole wheat, oatmeal, blackberries, Mineral Function Sources Fluorine Anti-infection Youth Raw cabbage, spinach, preserver. beetroot, onion, sprouts, cauliflower, watercress, cheese, eggs, milk, whole-grain cereals Silicon For teeth, nails and Cabbage, celery, hair. Anti-tubercular, spinach, parsnips, radishes, dandelion, beetroot, lettuce, apples, strawberries, cherries, figs. Manganese Neutralises body Watercress, endive, acids. Improves resis- cress, dandelion, tance. parsley, barley, eggs.

One last word before departing from this subject of mineral salts. A great many of the salts are found in the skins of the fruits and vegetables, as, for instance, silicon in apple skins and potassium in potato skins. There is, therefore, a great deal of loss when the peeling process is carried to an extreme. The same is true, of course, of the outer skin of the wheat (bran). There is no necessity to make a fetish of food, but these points are worth bearing in mind, and it soon becomes a habit to do the right things, as it is equally a habit to do the wrong. Moreover, one is pleasantly surprised at the exceptional flavour of food when it is served as near as possible to its whole state.

WATER Under this section we shall discuss all fluids; the types of liquid refreshment normally consumed, and the part diet has to play in the amount of liquid necessary for health. Water, we know, is a very important factor in the human make-up. Blood, for instance, weighs about one-eleventh of the total body weight, yet it is composed of 78 per cent. water. Saliva, of which about one and three-quarter pints are secreted daily, is made up of 90 per cent. water, the rest being mineral salts and ptyalin. It is estimated that the average person passes two and a half pints of urine per day. 96 per cent. of this urine is comprised of water, the rest being solids dissolved in the urine. Added to this daily loss is the amount contained in the faxes (70 per cent. water), that lost by the skin in perspiration and by evaporation in the act of exhaling. Thus it can be seen that a great amount of fluid is, in one manner or another, expelled from the body each day. Roughly seven pints or more of fluid may be given off from the body in any one day. What of the daily intake of fluid? To assess this with any accuracy it is first necessary to realise something of the composition of food. What we eat has a distinct bearing upon the amount of fluid necessary for body requirements. An understanding of the water content presents us with a clue to the amount of drinking that should prevail. Below is a list of the common foodstuffs and their water content.

Bread 36% Cheese 34% Meat 70% Fish 80% Cabbage 93% String Beans 89% Potato 78% Onion 86% Cauliflower 90% Spinach 88% Lettuce 93% Carrot 86% Celery 84% Tomato 93% Prunes 84% Apples 84% Sprouts 85% Berry Fruit 80-90%

The orthodox diet will contain at least 70 per cent. water. A balanced diet, however, with its more pronounced emphasis on the fruits and vegetables (with their larger water content) will contain a minimum of 80-85 per cent. water. It must be remembered, too, that this is the purest water obtainable. There is another distinction between orthodox and balanced diet that has a bearing upon the amount of fluid consumed (and also upon bladder and kidney troubles). This lies in the use of condiments, which have no place in a balanced diet. Salt, pepper, mustard and sauces are all thirst-creaters. The natural seasonings—thyme, parsley, chives, mint and balm, etc—are more pleasing and satisfying than any of the ordinary artificial condiments, without arousing an unnatural thirst. A natural thirst is an instinctive way of informing us that the body requires more fluid to offset losses. Few thirsts, however, are the result of a natural instinct. Habit and the commercialisation of food and drink have almost banished natural instincts, and we suffer for this perversion. On a balanced, food-reform diet, however, there is a real lessening of the desire for liquid, owing to the increased water content of the diet. This is a physiological economy which promotes good health. It does, to a very large extent, completely eliminate the kidney and bladder troubles common to those who exist on the more orthodox diet. The tannin in tea and the caffein in coffee do not recommend themselves as healthful drinks and have no food value whatsoever. Both are stimulants which ultimately have a depressant effect upon the body. The liquid refreshments recommended in a balanced diet are: fruit and vegetable juices, vegetable soup, dandelion coffee, mate tea, milk, limeblossom, camomile and other herb teas. Additions to these drinks could be good cider and the better-class light wine. Real thirsts are rarely experienced by the majority. In certain trades, however, there is a more natural desire for liquid to replace losses caused by the effects of labour. In the north-east of England, for example, there is a large demand for the better- quality beer. The heavy-steel workers of that district find more satisfaction from the consumption of their particular beer than from any other. It must be remembered, however, that their calling makes heavy demands upon endurance and that they excrete a fair amount of fluid in perspiration. Though we do not condone the consumption of beer—especially the adulterated type—it does seem that the liquid meets a physiological requirement. The fact that beer contains Riboflavin (a chemical factor in vitamin B complex) is probably not unconnected with the local taste, though the majority of drinkers must be unaware of this. Ebbard and Vogt, in their book, The New Bedrock of Health (L. N. Fowler & Co., London), extol the virtues of cider-whey, which, as they maintain, is a very old simple. The following are the authors' words on the subject:—

Cider-whey contains the nutritive salts in the exact proportions demanded by Nature for perfect nutrition. The whey is, therefore, the most natural complement of our alimentation, and we can expect more certain and correct effects from it than from Lahmann's artificially prepared nutritive salts, even though they may be extracted from plants and foodstuffs and thus administered in organic form. . . . The numerous and wonderful curative effects that we have had occasion to observe are directly attributable to the natural composition of the nutritive salts in the cider-whey, thus bearing out Lahmann's admirable theories. In our previous effort, viz. Life-Giving Energy, we have had cause to dwell upon the great value of cider-whey for the nutrition of the nerves, recommending it strongly to all suffering from nervous exhaustion, and we hereby once more desire to lay stress on this fact. In anaemia, particularly, it would be difficult to find a better tonic; it is a blood-builder par excellence, and will assure really reliable relief quicker than all the iron preparations extant. Another point is that the cider contains salts and nutritive ingredients, whereas its excessive acidity (particularly in inferior qualities) is neutralised by the coagulating process used in preparing the whey.

The cider-whey is prepared from equal quantities of fresh milk, cider and water, which is brought up to 194 degrees Fahr. (not up to boiling point) and then strained through a piece of butter muslin or a linen filter. The cheesy residue is thrown away and the liquid is used. After standing for a while, a deposit will settle at the bottom of the whey; this should not be taken. Only the liquid is given as a drink. Cider-whey should be slightly warmed before drinking. Dr. R. Weil says that no one should take more than a whole cupful in any one day and also advises that:—

Scrofula, rickets, cough in consequence of catarrhous irritation of the larynx, windpipes and lungs, digestive troubles, affections of the stomach, bowels and liver, anaemia, febrile diseases, particularly typhus: very useful also in the stage of reconvalescence.

Whatever fluid is taken, however, we must recognise that there are physiological limits to the quantity consumed, and anything above that quantity is harmful to the system, since it must involve an excess of work. For a certain period, varying with different individuals, the body will adjust itself to the demands thrown upon it by the kidneys taking an extra strain and by compensatory action on the part of the other organs of elimination. Such an unbalanced condition, however, cannot last for long and an ultimate breakdown is inevitable. Fluid should be taken only when a natural thirst exists. With a balanced diet there is a decreased demand for liquid nourishment and no impairment of function. Flushing the system is an erroneous idea. As a method of cleansing the system, it is, unless accompanied by a fast or a special restrictive diet (the milk fast), not in harmony with natural processes. Our last thoughts on fluid are: never gulp it down, never take any drink too hot and never with meals.

CHAPTER VI

SPECIAL DIETS

THE average reader must be amazed at the number of special diets which are frequently advocated. He should not allow this point to worry him unduly. We have previously stated that naturopaths may have wide variations in their therapeutic approach, but that the basic principles remain the same. This rule applies to the varying diet methods applied. The Schroth Dry Diet Cure, for instance, shocks our concepts of true dietetics. It is not to be denied, however, that it obtains excellent results, just the same as does the Bircher-Benner raw-food system or the Hauser Eliminative Diet. The main point to bear in mind, when considering the various special diets, is that their main purpose is practically always the same—that of the elimination of poisons clogging the body. Such is not wholly true of all the specific diets, however, since some are specially designed for the alleviation and cure of certain diseases (digestive cases and ulcerations—the Mono Diet). Special diets are not to be confused with fasting, which we shall discuss further on in the book. The essential thing to remember, when faced with the prospect of alternative diet systems of the restricted type—which are, for the most part, really intended for cure-purposes—is their limitations. They are, almost without exception, purely curative. It is important also to visualise the effects of any one diet. An old person with stomach trouble will obviously do better on a Mono Diet than on a strict Eliminative Diet or a Dry Diet. There is little need to emphasise that serious feeding is not faddism. Where the application of dietetic principles is carried to an extreme, as by those who weigh up everything they eat or drink, then the true sense of diet is lost. Food is meant for enjoyment as well as for health, and those who overlook this point miss much in life. We repeat, therefore, that specialised diets are intended for specific cases of disease. Once the ailment is cured then the time arrives to live on a generous balanced diet, avoiding previous mistakes. There is one further point to bear in mind when considering these special diets. We have mentioned that the real aim of all restrictive diet methods is the elimination of poisons from the body. The practical interpretation of this is that alkalinity has to overcome acidity. With this in mind, it would be a real benefit—even to those in normal good health— to have either a fast or a restricted diet once per year. The restricted diet should last for at least seven days. As the most appropriate time of the year for this self-denial we suggest the spring. At this season the psychological and physiological demands converge, and no other period seems so eminently suitable as the early spring.

THE ELIMINATIVE DIET This diet system has many advantages, not the least of which is the way any acidity is corrected with the very minimum of discomfort, if any at all. On this diet no starch, fat, protein or sugar is consumed. The entire dietary consists of raw and cooked fruit and vegetables of an essentially alkaline character. One possible source of discomfort, that arising from the consumption of acid fruits, can be eradicated by limiting the acid-fruit content in the early stages of the diet. When the acid level of the body has been lowered by two or three days of the alkaline diet, it will be found that eating acid fruit produces no unwelcome reaction. Here is the basis of the diet:—

Breakfast Apples or apple juice. Citrus fruit. Watercress, lettuce or tomato. Mid-morning Potassium broth. Lunch Large raw salad. Fresh fruit. Supper Cooked vegetables. Fresh fruit. Potassium broth.

The above should be carried out for at least seven days, longer in a case of illness and where there is greater necessity for more prolonged dieting. Potassium broth is made from spinach, carrot, onion, tomato, celery, watercress and parsley. To one quart of water add three medium-sized carrots, two tomatoes, a few sprigs of watercress, one large onion, three or four stalks of celery, a few spinach leaves and a bunch of parsley. Although the above are the general ingredients, the best idea it to make one predominate (the one most favoured) so as to impart a definite taste to the broth. No table salt may be used. Allow the broth to simmer for thirty minutes, and do not spoil it by over-heating. Drink as much as is desired, but do not gulp it down and do not take if too hot. The raw salads should be formed of the following ingredients: raw grated carrot, raw grated beetroot, chopped raw cabbage, lettuce, watercress, cress, celery, tomato, chopped spinach, raw grated swede and chopped onion. Any four or five of the above vegetables may be used in one salad. Different combinations can be devised, and the herbs parsley, thyme, mint, chives, etc., can be liberally used. These are best applied as flavourings with a little lemon juice. Raw carrot, watercress, chopped raw spinach, raw grated beetroot with chives, tomato or cucumber and lemon dressing makes an attractive salad. With regard to cooked vegetables, the emphasis should be upon spinach, red or green cabbage (red cabbage cooked with apple and a little lemon juice is very nice), carrots, cauliflower, seakale, onions, broccoli, celery, leeks, asparagus and tomatoes. Needless to say, steaming or conservative cooking should be the method adopted to cook the vegetables. Although it is permitted to eat as much as is desired while on the diet, the same rules as regards mastication and not over- eating apply. Any feeling of distension that may arise can be counteracted by the hot and cold sitz bath or by hot fomentations to the abdomen. The Eliminative Diet is one of the most useful methods for all-round cases of an acid system and for the regeneration of a body clogged with toxic matter.

THE BIRCHER-BENNER DIET As the name implies, this diet system was devised by Dr. M. Bircher-Benner. He named his diet sunlight feeding and maintained that 50 per cent. of all our daily food should consist of raw, unfired fruits and vegetables. In one of his books he says:—

If anything can save civilised mankind from the menace of cancer, it is a vegetable raw-food diet. It is the diet which arrests dental caries, which, thanks to its full iodine content, its vitamins and mineral salts, improves goitre, abolishes constipation, restores the chemico- physical equilibrium in blood and tissues, and gives new life energy to cells of the body. Restore the natural predominance of uncooked vegetable food in mankind's diet and with its help we will master the whole complex of errors which ultimately leads to cancer.

The Bircher-Benner diet is similar to the whole diet described in the previous chapter. The juices system, however, which owes its conception to this celebrated dietician, is a more restricted diet of great therapeutic value. The idea behind it, of course, is to flood the body with vitamins and mineral salts, produce a physiological economy in digestion and ensure easy assimilation of the food. Metabolism is stimulated by the juices and the alkaline elements overcome the acidity of the body. The effect, in so far as the cleansing of the body is concerned, is similar to that of a fast. The disintoxicating effects of the diet are marvellous, and it should be prescribed in those cases where actual fasting is either not necessary or inadvisable. For the treatment of anaemia, blood pressure and nervous debility the juices system is invaluable. All the food in the diet is, of course, in liquid form and consists of three meals per day, each meal being as follows: 1 glassful raw fruit juice. 1 glassful raw vegetable juices. 1 glassful almond milk. 1 glassful of fruit muesli. The fruit juice can be diluted and made from any fresh fruit. Apple, orange, grape, grapefruit, peaches and berry fruit are the best providers of fruit juices. Dried fruit juice may be used, and prune, fig or raisin juice is recommended. Vegetable juices can be made from carrot, tomato, beetroot, spinach, watercress, lettuce, celery, swede, onion, potato and cucumber. Popular taste is for a mixture of carrot and tomato or carrot, tomato, lettuce, beetroot and a dash of onion. Almond milk is produced by gradually adding lukewarm water to almond cream. A teaspoonful of almond cream to a glass of water is the usual rule. A little honey may be added. The muesli is a delightful breakfast or lunch dish which is easily prepared. Sufficient quantity for one person for one meal is made by soaking one tablespoonful of rolled oats in two tablespoonfuls of milk or water. Allow the oats to soak for at least six hours. To the oats and milk (or water) add one tablespoonful of almond milk, two tablespoonfuls of chopped or grated fruit, a dash of lemon juice and a little honey. The fruit recommended is raw grated apple, raw grated pear, chopped peaches or apricots, berry fruit or chopped (cooked) prunes or figs. The muesli can be a very attractive dish and its use is by no means confined to the juices diet system alone. In normal food reform it is, as previously stated, often served for breakfast or lunch. It will be seen that the juices system consists of all raw food, with the exception of the cooked dried fruit. There is no wastage of vitamins or mineral salts, and there is real economy of the digestion which assists recovery. It is, however, purely a therapeutic diet, though the very old and invalids will thrive on it.

THE POTATO DIET For those who seek simplicity in diet, this is the complete answer. It is, at the same time, advised for all rheumatic subjects. The potato is too often attacked for its starch content, and popular opinion is apt to overlook the other virtues of the potato. It has a valuable potassium content and, if cooked in its skin, is alkaline. To make the potato diet even more valuable, it is an advantage to add onions to it. The potato diet, especially with the added advantage of onions, is useful for rheumatism, bronchitis, colds and a whole series of minor ailments which are manifest when there is a toxic condition of the body. Below we supply a typical day on this diet.

Breakfast Potato and onion broth. Mid-morning Potato and onion broth. Lunch Baked or steamed potatoes. Supper Baked or steamed potatoes and potato and onion broth.

It is essential that the potatoes be cooked in their skins so as not to lose any of the vital elements. The potatoes in the broth should only be scrubbed and sliced. Equal quantities of potatoes and onions are required for the broth, which should be quite thick when sieved. No salt may be used.

APPLE DIET Equally simple and perhaps more cleansing is the apple diet. Here again the one article of diet is adhered to. There is an advantage in this simplicity of partaking of only one food, and not merely in its ease of preparation. There is an enforced economy of digestion which is always beneficial, and the avoidance of mixtures, for a short spell at least, is frequently a real asset, especially to those with weak digestions. The apples may be consumed raw or cooked, according to the need to avoid roughage. One of the best examples is given below.

Breakfast Raw or cooked apples. Mid-morning Apple tea or apple juice. Lunch Fresh raw apples or baked apples or stewed (sieved) apples. Supper Raw or cooked apples.

It is advisable to have one meal of cooked apples and one entirely of raw apples. Apple tea is produced from the peel and core of the cooked apple. The apple juice can be bought in tins or bottles or extracted from fresh apples by grating and squeezing with the aid of a piece of strong muslin. Nervous cases will benefit from the apple diet, though it should not be continued for the long periods for which some of the other restrictive diets may be applied. After one week of the apple diet it is advisable to embark upon one of the more generous diet systems for the final cleansing.

THE MONO DIET This is a regime that is particularly suitable for invalids, old people and those suffering from colitis and weak digestion. It gives a little more variety, but the same rule of only one food at a meal applies.

Breakfast Apple puree. Mid-morning Prune purée. Lunch Carrot purée. Tea Apple purée. Supper Cooked spinach. or Breakfast Water gruel or slippery elm. Mid-morning Apple purée. Lunch Carrots or spinach. Tea Apple or prune purée. Supper Water gruel or slippery elm.

It will be noted that all the vegetables and fruit are cooked, but only with very little water (no salt), and, in the case of the fruit, the liquid is served with the fruit. Water gruel is produced by making thin porridge and then straining and serving. A little honey may be used for sweetening the fruit or the gruel. There is an absence of roughage in the Mono Diet which renders the diet particularly suitable for the treatment of colitis. Prunes, apples and spinach are laxative foods, however, which will assist bowel movements. It is advisable to enlarge upon the diet and add roughage and variety as soon as it is possible to do so without harm. While the weak state persists, however, especially with elderly invalids, the Mono Diet is most applicable.

THE DRY DIET The Dry Diet really appertains to the Schroth Dry Diet Cure, which will be discussed under "Fasting." Any toxic condition can be treated with the Dry Diet Cure, but as a short measure for dealing with colds, attacks of rheumatism, common disturbances of the system and depression, the Dry Diet will be found useful and simple in application. It is not entirely, as the name suggests, a dry cure, though there are long dry periods. There are modifications, too, but any modification lessens the efficacy of the method. The only drink permitted is light wine or cider, and that only after a suitable dry period.

Breakfast Dry toast or rolls. Lunch Same as breakfast or modified with baked potatoes. Supper Dry toast or rolls with a glass of light wine or cider.

The above menu can be repeated for two or three days, or even only one day can be undertaken. During the dry spells a flow of toxins from the tissues into the bloodstream is induced. The mucous membranes of the various organs act as energetic outlets for waste products attracted from the tissues. The light wine or cider stimulates the excretion of the toxic matter, though it also has the effect of driving some of the effete matter back into the tissues, temporarily relieving discomfort. The intense stirring-up and elimination of poisons, however, which the dry diet achieves, has a remarkable effect. When undertaken over long periods (in the actual Schroth Cure the dry intervals are of greater duration), nightly full-body packs are added to the cure. The full, wet-sheet pack stimulates the eliminatory activities of the skin and assists the cure by the extra elimination created by the pack. It must be emphasised that while the dry diet is advocated as a curative measure, the normal dietary should never contain the masses of starch food consumed in the dry diet. The efficiency of the dry diet does not suggest that starch is harmless, in fact the bulk of evidence is against the tremendous part starch plays in normal feeding. On the other hand, when the dry diet is modified or attempted with other foods, the result is not nearly so good. The secret appears to lie in the dry periods, the preponderance of potassium content and in the as yet unexplained action of the wine. Incidentally, sweet wine and cider are good eliminative oxygen drinks. We shall return to this subject of the Dry Diet when we discuss the Schroth Cure. All the diets outlined are intended for therapeutic use and are not, as has been mentioned, to be taken as examples of a day-to- day régime.

CHAPTER VII

THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

METABOLISM is the term covering all the physical and chemical processes by which life is maintained. The constructive element of metabolism—the processes by which food materials are adapted for the use of the body, repair and renewal of tissues, etc.—is known as anabolism. The destructive processes, by which energy is produced and the breaking down of tissues takes place, is termed catabolism. Physiological income is derived from food and oxygen, and physiological expenditure is heat and work, repair of tissue, growth in the young and elimination of waste matter. Curiously enough, disease is almost always the result of a physical situation diametrically opposite to that of the despaired-of financial one; in that the physiological income exceeds that of expenditure, and a satiated condition is brought about, in the majority of people, which gives rise to all the common ills. When, as we said before, these common symptoms of disease are treated with drugs, an even worse condition arises. Not only have we a system poisoned with retained toxic matter, but the drugs are added to it. That these drugs temporarily suppress the ailment is the most unsatisfying part of the treatment, because such temporary relief gives an illusion of success and entirely misleads, at the same time becoming a causative factor in disease. The naturopathic concept of health visualises a true balance between physiological income and expenditure. In other words, when a correct diet exists, when there is no overeating, when exercise is taken, habits are moderated, drugs avoided and elimination perfected, there is no disease. There is a constant reiteration of the need for elimination. This reiteration is quite understandable, for elimination provides the means of creating harmony within the body. Without good elimination there can be no true health, and without it an ever-increasing vicious circle depresses the system and causes disease. What is elimination? It is the series of processes by which waste matter from food debris, destroyed cells, bacteria and all the catabolic processes are removed from the body. Four organs take charge of elimination: the bowels, lungs, skin and kidneys. When these function efficiently and in harmony, and providing that no undue stress is placed upon them by overeating, eating wrong foods, lack of exercise and other errors, health is maintained. Any neglect of natural laws, however, that leads to a breakdown in elimination and the retention of poisons within the system, must inevitably lead to disease. One of the first things the naturopath attends to in any case of disease is elimination. So do medical practitioners. While the latter, however, usually limit their attention to a purging of the bowels, the naturopath delves further into the question. That is not to say that the naturopath does not himself take advantage of some aperient. The naturopathic practitioner applies aperients himself, if he deems it necessary, but only in conjunction with fasting and not as a commonplace remedy. The purges so frequently applied act simply because they are irritants which the body seeks to expel. The material provides an artificial stimulus at the expense of natural function and is destructive to the tissues. There is a sound maxim with regard to health: over-stimulation or lack of function leads to weakness. In constipation treated on orthodox lines we have both factors contributing to bowel weakness: first, the lack of function due to costiveness, and then the over-stimulation when pills and potions are taken to correct the trouble. When this state exists for any length of time, chronic constipation with all its toxaemia arises. Large doses of purgative materials have to be taken to produce a defecation, and the natural muscular activity is lost. Only complete natural treatment will cure this vicious circle. The causes of a breakdown in elimination are the causes of disease. They are the thousand and one errors that characterise the breaking of natural laws. Among these constipation takes a high place. The Bowels. Wrong diet, commercialised food and excessive eating and drinking do; as previously stated, create constipation. In normal life, purges or laxative pills are taken to counteract this condition. What is not realised, however, is that constipation is caused by the common errors. Apart from the aforementioned causes, lack of exercise, inattention to the need for a bowel movement, bad posture (with all its cramping of the abdominal organs), purgative medicines and laxatives all contribute to constipation. Constipation is the bugbear of the Western civilisation. It is the common cause of colic and haemorrhoids; appendicitis would be unknown if constipation did not exist, and the retention of poisons within the system is the foundation of most ailments. The Skin. Now let us consider the skin. It must be remembered that the function of the skin is not only that of providing protection for the underlying tissues; it serves for the heat regulation of the body, respiration and the excretion of poisons. Though elimination is, for the most part, a visible process, much of the eliminatory activity of the skin is invisible. It is in perspiration that the skin displays its real eliminatory function. Perspiration is a continuous process, though it is not always in evidence. On an average the skin excretes 25 ounces of water per day, in which are dissolved urea and salts. Sweating, of course, is largely controlled by the heat mechanism of the body. Any rise in external temperature or muscular activity creates heat, and the increased activity of the sweat glands is a natural process which balances body temperature. We must understand more of the processes that play a part in heat regulation. Ignorance of these often leads to a destruction or impairment of the natural functioning of the skin. When the surface of the body is exposed to heat (sun, water, fire, electricity) the blood-vessels of the surface dilate, the skin reddens with the blood brought to the surface and there is a copious secretion of sweat (drier atmosphere produces a quicker cooling on account of evaporation). The effect of cold, however, is to contract superficial blood-vessels, little blood is circulated through the skin and cooling is prevented. Heat regulation, therefore, is a protective measure designed to maintain balance in body heat. Application of heat to the skin is, for most people, a pleasurable sensation. It can be carried to excess, however, and continuous hot baths (without the balancing effect of a cool or cold shower) have an enervating effect upon the system and destroy the natural function of the skin. Constant immersion in hot baths or drying the skin by a blazing fire ultimately impairs the secretions of the skin and limits the activity of the sweat glands. The heat regulation and protective function of the skin are less efficient, and there is an increased tendency to feel draughts and cold. There is a certain amount of respiration performed by the skin. The effect of tight clothing or over-clothing (excluding the air from the skin) is to enclose it in a curtain of stale air. This misguided habit vitiates the skin, reduces elimination and weakens the constitution. It also reduces circulation and gives an increased sensitivity to cold. As an organ of elimination, the skin is rarely permitted to function to capacity. Indeed, civilisation seems intent upon destroying the very organs designed to maintain life. That women's clothes are much healthier than of yore is more an accident of fashion than the result of any real desire for health. No matter how much we may endeavour to restrict skin activity, the healing force of nature always attempts to win the day. Boils, pimples, acne and other common skin eruptions are invariably the result of an attempt by the life forces of the body to expel poisons. Where boils and acne arise one will find constipation or some other breakdown of normal elimination. In this conception we differ from orthodox medicine. While the naturopath treats the case as a breakdown of normal elimination, recognises that the eruption is an outlet for toxins and treats the case by withholding food and cleansing the system, the orthodox practitioner directs his attention to a purging of the bowels and the application of suppressive ointments. In the latter is often found mercury. Mercury is highly poisonous, is destructive to the teeth and gums and, ironically enough, since the kidneys are organs of elimination, damages the kidneys. The way to attain skin perfection is to permit it frequent exposure to the three elements that cost nothing: sun, air and water. Providing that these elements are used with intelligence, and the natural laws of living are followed more closely, the skin will function as intended. The Lungs. Despite the great advance in knowledge and education (perhaps because of it), we seem bent upon inhibiting the supply of oxygen so necessary for life and health. It is estimated that the average person utilises only 50 per cent. of his lung capacity. The great feats of Yogis, Tibetans and other allied people are due largely to their mastery over the art of breathing. As an industrialised and highly concentrated community we are unfortunately placed as regards the purity of the atmosphere. Conversion to electricity can be an immense advantage in dealing with smoke abatement, but the highly poisonous fumes that pour from the exhausts of motor vehicles will still vitiate the air. The impact of civilisation upon the air we breathe is a sufficient handicap in itself without that of under-developing the lungs. The importance of elimination via the lungs is common knowledge. The response to this knowledge, however, is depressingly small. Respiration is the process by which air passes into the lungs so that the blood can absorb oxygen, and stale air (carrying off carbonic acid gas and more complex poisonous substances) is breathed out. The process is vital to life. When, however, it is limited by the air we breathe and the shallowness of the act, an accumulation of carbonic acid is retained in the system and the oxygen supply is deficient. This hampers the work of elimination and leads to a retention of poisons or the overwork of the other organs of elimination. Postural defects (bad walking and sitting in wrong positions with the lungs and abdominal organs suffering compression effects) and shallow breathing lead to a poisoned system and a breakdown of elimination and, of course, disease. The answer to this defect is deep-breathing, better ventilation, purification of the atmosphere and more frequent excursions to the sea and country for the town-dweller. When the effects of deoxidised and vitiated air are so well known, it is difficult to understand the lack of attention given to the art of breathing. Deep-breathing and the full development of the lungs are as essential to elimination as good bowel movements. The pressure of life and the pursuit of artificial pleasures, plus ill-designed workrooms and benches, are often to blame for deficient respiration. The Kidneys. The kidneys are a pair of glands lying close to the spine in the upper part of the abdomen. Their chief function is that of separating urine from the blood. As the urine contains solids, from the waste matter of the body, a large amount of water also is excreted to keep the solids in solution. Urine is elimination of the end-products of metabolism in a liquid form. When the other organs of elimination (bowels, skin and lungs) fail to work to capacity, the kidneys endeavour to maintain balance by increasing their activities. This condition, however, can last only for a certain period, and the ultimate efficiency of the organs is impaired. The way in which the balance of the system is maintained can be illustrated by a natural phenomena that all have experienced. That is, in cold weather, when the skin activity is decreased, more urine is excreted. The kidneys do their best to cope with any extra tasks thrown upon them when elimination is unbalanced or when an excess of poisons is consumed (as in drug-taking, excessive starch and protein consumption or rabid tea, coffee and alcohol drinking). When the kidneys fail to act, solid waste substances accumulate in the blood, creating a condition called uraemia. The name arises from the fact that urea is the chief waste substance excreted by the kidneys. The disease, of course, is highly dangerous and leads to coma and death. Disturbances in the body are reflected in the urine. Uric acid from a high protein diet is eliminated with the urine, sugar in diabetes and so forth. Dr. W. H. Anderschou, in a statement in his book Iris Science, says:—

It is a common mistake to gauge the extent of the presence of uric acid in the system by the quantity of urates excreted by the kidneys. If there is no excess of uric acid in the water of a patient, the doctor will possibly discard the idea of its being the cause of the disease he is treating. He will be on the look-out for bacteria, forgetting that a want of alkalinity in the blood will hinder the normal excretion and that uric acid in such a case will accumulate in the system.

That uric acid can be excreted in large quantities with the urine is demonstrated by the dry diet. The three commonest crystalline deposits in the urine are urates and uric acid, oxalates and phosphates. During any regeneration process on Nature Cure lines (fasting, strict dieting, etc.) elimination via the urine is increased. If the body is starved of mineral salts or there is a high protein content in the diet, then uric acid (a factor in rheumatism) will probably be demonstrated in the urine. That it is not present, however, as Dr. Anderschou states, is not evidence of the absence of uric acid. Treatment on naturopathic lines will soon reveal that there is an accumulation of uric acid. Since it is the task of the kidneys to sort out and eliminate a large part of the waste products of the body, it is obvious at once that any inefficiency of the bowels, skin and lungs will demand a corresponding increase of work from the kidneys. For a time the kidneys will respond to the call. If, however, drugs are added to the normal waste products, then the position is more serious. Bicarbonate of soda, that apparently harmless household remedy, leaves deposits in the stomach which are ultimately carried to the kidneys. Irritating effects of the chemical end-products of bicarbonate of soda impair the efficiency of the kidneys. Tea and coffee increase the amount of work the kidneys have to perform to eliminate the toxins contained in these drinks. Strong tea is particularly bad. Excessive drinking of any sort throws more work upon the kidneys; one should drink only when thirsty. An organ collapses because of either over-stimulation (overwork) or from lack of use. It most frequently happens that the kidneys fail because of the amount of work thrust upon them. If the other organs of elimination take their share of the task of eliminating poisons from the body, and all excesses are avoided, especially if a natural way of living is practised, the kidneys will function automatically with no trouble and health will be good. Sound elimination is the secret of health. Providing that the correct diet is adhered to, exercise, fresh air and sun are obtained in amounts adequate to the needs of the body, and moderation rules the habits, then elimination will not cause any worry and health will be a normality. The naturopath encourages elimination. In disease it is his first consideration. By fasting, dieting, manipulation, water treatments and all the branches of the naturopathic art he fosters elimination so that the healing power of the body can overcome disease. That no drugs whatsoever are used in Naturopathy is one of the measures of its success, for by not applying drugs the naturopath avoids adding to the toxins already present in the system and does not depress the eliminatory efforts so vital to health.

CHAPTER VIII

WHY FAST?

THERE is, throughout all Nature Cure works, an emphasis upon the fast as a curative measure which is in full accord with natural laws. At first glance it appears the height of folly to withhold food at a time of disease, or to prescribe the fast as frequently as is the practice in Naturopathy. It may even seem that the fast is applied indiscriminately, but such is not the case. Without a doubt much of the scorn of orthodox opinion is directed against the fast as a natural procedure. That ignorance lies behind this scorn in no way mitigates the harm caused by unthinking attacks made upon a profession and a way of life that materially contributes to the welfare of the community and adds to the efficiency of its people. To people who have regained their health by fasting, the folly of popular opinion appears just as ludicrous as, no doubt, fasting is to strict medical-minded people. Unfortunately, the good work achieved by natural therapeutics— using the fast as an instrument of cure—is never reported. But let one case of fasting end in fatal results, and it is nationally reported. It is news—it is sensation—and the most is made of it. More often than not, in these rare cases, there are extraneous influences beyond the control of either the victim or the adviser involved. The truth of the matter is that the ordinary expert on health (the medical man) has no conception of natural therapeutics; is unable to read anything into the case but lack of food, and is not in a position to determine the facts. Is it to be surprised at, therefore, when an opportunity to discredit Naturopathy is, so to speak, offered up on a platter, that much is made of it? The ingenious misinterpretation and distortion are due firstly to a lack of knowledge and secondly to a desire to discredit. While the successes of fasting go unrecorded, the few failures are widely publicised. That the successes of Naturopathy are the failures of medicine is unobserved by the large majority. The vindication of Nature Cure and the methods employed— including fasting—is found in the enormous strides the movement has made in recent years. That this success is made under every handicap of official frustration and misguided intolerance proves that Naturopathy is worthy of the confidence it has gained. More than that, however, it demonstrates that there is something seriously wrong with the official health system. Acute disease, we believe, is an expression of the life-force of the body. All the main efforts of the body are concentrated upon reaching a healthy state by throwing off the poisons accumulated within the system. In acute disease there is an increase of symptoms: the pulse rate rises, pain and other symptoms are increased. The digestive function is temporarily suspended, hence the loss of appetite. Even the common state of heightened emotion produces a condition of anorexia. Such a condition is purely protective; because the body, having no need for food, and with little power to act upon it, seeks to protect the suspended digestion by abstention. It is necessary to limit the digestive functions because the energies of the body are required for the elimination of waste matter. Any energy that is used to digest food has to be diverted from the primary task of elimination. But very little energy is diverted, the consequence being that undigested food material decomposes, forms a mass of toxins poisoning the system and adds fresh fuel to the fire. As a result of feeding the cure is protracted, the strength is sapped and unnecessary complications arise. Lack of appetite—one of the first symptoms to appear in acute disease—is a protective instinct which is woefully ignored under modern medical treatment. All sorts of devices are resorted to so that the unwilling patient shall eat. Not that the patient is always unwilling. In minor cases of acute disease, when the appetite is lost, he is only too keen to stimulate the jaded appetite with drugs or medicines or to succumb to the blandishments of anxious but misguided relatives. Fear and tradition play a large part in this spurning of a natural instinct. Though there is, it must be admitted, less nonsense talked about food and fasting these days, outworn fears die hard and ignorance is still rife. The saying that "one must build up" is an evil that has yet to be correctly understood. Among the animal world, the instinct to avoid food when sick or wounded is very strong, and animals possess none of the human inhibitions over this matter. Wounded elephants will avoid food. Cats not only keep away from food, they seek their own cures in the fields and hedges. Practically all wild animals have this power of knowing when to fast and what to eat when they are ill. When American black bears emerge from hibernation they will select laxative berries and herbs to counteract the unbalanced condition arising from the long hibernation. Buck deer travel miles to find drinking water rich in lime to provide proper growth for their new horns. Pregnant mule deer carefully select the right food for their condition. Throughout the animal and bird world there are natural instincts governing the avoidance of food and the selection of herbs and bulbs for the treatment of disease. Mice are not men, as we are not slow to remind the medical profession when they publish the results of experiments on defenceless animals. Animal instincts provide a pointer to the human instinct to avoid food in cases of sickness, but there it ends. We do not rely upon such evidence, even though it is a form of corroboration. Our interpretation of acute disease clearly demonstrates the utility of the fast and, without recourse to examples in the animal world, proves the basic need for fasting. What is more, it is in accord with the natural, protective and healing instinct of Nature. That thousands upon thousands of cases have shown the therapeutic value of the fast is sufficient evidence in itself. We have shown how fasting is reconciled with acute disease. How is it applied in the case of chronic disease? We have reiterated that most chronic disease is the result of the suppression of the simple acute diseases. The same rules, therefore, operate in such cases. Cleanse the system, with due regard to the special features of the disease, and improvement in the condition and a cure will be found. All the factors having a part in the etiology of the disease, of course, must be considered and corrected. But this the Nature Cure way of life shows. A simple cold provides an illustration of the need for fasting. A cold, we believe, is an effort on the part of the body to supplement the normal channels of elimination by an extra outlet of poisons via the respiratory passages. (Skin diseases are the same, witness acne or boils.) That a cold may be occasioned by damp, infection or cold we do not deny. What we do suggest is that the toxic materials must be in the system ready for removal and that, when the right variety of conditions arises, the cold develops. It could not develop, however, within a healthy system. The question one should ask is: "Where does all this stream of mucus spring from?" Where, indeed, but from what is consumed, from the poisons retained in the system and those manufactured by worry, bad habits and lack of attention to natural laws. If the cold develops into a feverish state, food is obnoxious. What is the best way to overcome the cold? First and foremost is the fast. At one stroke we stop the intake of acid- forming material, stimulate the elimination of effete matter and reduce the cold. Other measures have to be taken in conjunction with the fast: remedial baths, fresh air, massage and rest, etc., but the fast remains the surest way of tackling the problem. Since Nature Cure claims that disease is the result of an impure system; that acute disease is an effort by the life-forces of the body to expel accumulated toxic products; that the suppression of acute disease results in chronic disease, then it follows that the fast is frequently indicated as a therapeutic measure. It may even seem that the fast is indiscriminately applied. With due regard to the basic causes of most diseases, however, and the need for the cleansing of the system, the repeated use of the fast should occasion little surprise. By it disease is tackled at its very source. All the other factors in the causation of disease are studied independently, and correct measures are taken to rectify possible errors. Such errors are largely covered by the Nature Cure theory of living. A fast achieves four main objects:—

(1) It stops the intake of food which would inevitably produce toxins. (2) It rests the digestive tract. (3) It enables the body to concentrate its energies upon elimination. (4) It stimulates the life-force and expels effete matter.

It is because the fast has a deep-reaching, disencumbering effect upon the system that it is so widely used. It is for the same reason that it is applied with due caution. Indiscriminate fasting would indeed be a menace, but such is not the case. It is, perhaps, at this point, advisable to warn those who consider that fasting is the beginning and end of Nature Cure of their misconception. Uncontrolled fasting can be dangerous. To link it up with drugs is even more dangerous. It must be remembered that fasting is a drastic procedure and can be carried to an extreme . When applied with ordinary common sense, however, and under some skilled supervision, it is an efficient means of healing. Fasting may produce all kinds of disagreeable symptoms (one does not disturb a still, village pond without producing some unwelcome reactions). It must be understood that fasting so stimulates elimination—attracting toxic matter from the tissues into the blood-stream, there to be carried to the eliminating organs—that it is almost bound to cause abnormal symptoms. Fasting is almost the equivalent of opening up a dam. Some of the poisons rush out of the system and others circulate in the bloodstream, making their presence felt, until an outlet is found for them. Such a condition must naturally produce some uneasiness until a stabilisation is reached. From that it should not be imagined that a fast is uncontrollable—nothing is further from the truth. What should be appreciated is that the controlling of a fast requires a specialised technique which can only be acquired through practical experience. Such experience is rare among medical practitioners, hence they are in no position to judge the merits or demerits of fasting. There is another item in the application of the fast as a therapeutic measure requiring attention. Of the many factors in disease, two are important. One of these is the reaction to disease and the other the capacity for overcoming it. It is the latter factor that is important in fasting. Elimination does not follow the same rule in every case: some are slow to eliminate in the first place; in others the response is almost immediate. In all cases, however, there is an acceleration of the eliminatory processes during fasting, and the degree of elimination is conditioned by the individual response. Fasting is physiologically correct. It is not the complete answer to disease, but it is as near to being perfect in the treatment of disease, whether acute or chronic, as any therapy can aspire to be. Fasting supplies the answer to many of the ills of the body, and there is no valid reason for not applying it. Even in health, one can make a good case for an annual fast of a short duration, purely for its protective influence in periodically cleansing the system. It is astonishing that Man, with his superior intellect, is afraid of going without food for a few days, while animals and birds, with none of the inhibitions of civilisation, have more definite ideas.

CHAPTER IX

SPECIAL FASTS

THE GUELPA FAST

THE three-day Guelpa Fast is mentioned first, not because of any rigid preference, but on account of its practical considerations. Though it must be stressed that, in healing with Nature, there are no short cuts to health, there are certain practical items that have to be considered. Busy people, for instance, cannot always afford either the time or the money to go away for institutional treatment. Such people have to be content with curing themselves (which is one of the aims of Nature Cure) in as short a possible time as can be obtained, and with a minimum of risk and discomfort. Not that fasting always signifies discomfort. Such is far from the case. To meet such circumstances, and yet obtain a good result, is one of the reasons for applying the Guelpa Fast. It can be repeated if necessary. For many minor ailments, however, it is a most practical fasting method. The Guelpa Fast is one where aperients are used. We have previously mentioned that aperients are adopted in Naturopathy, but not in the same sense as when applied in orthodox treatment. During fasting, the stomach and intestines, instead of performing their normal processes of digestion and assimilation, exude and dispatch a flow of toxins coming from all parts of the body. The aperient has the effect of washing these away and cleansing the bowels. The saline aperient may be Esvach or Apenta water or Epsom salts. Below we give a specimen of the Guelpa Fast:—

First day On an empty stomach at breakfast-time have half an ounce of Epsom salts dissolved in a little warm water, together with half a pint of warm water. Suck a small piece of orange if something is required to take away the flavour of the salts. Repeat above dose thirty minutes later. At 2-3 hourly intervals drink orange juice, apple juice, prune or raisin juice or clear vegetable soup. Second day Same as first day except that thick vegetable soup (no fat) may be taken at 7 or 9 p.m. Third day Dry-diet day. No drinks whatsoever until 7-8 p.m., when a glass of light wine or cider is consumed. Eat only dry toast, dry rolls or dry bread.

From the above it will be realised that the Guelpa Fast consists of two liquid days and a dry day. In the chapter on special diets we gave an account of the eliminatory action of the dry diet. It will be recalled that we stated that the dry diet induced a flow of toxins from the tissues into the bloodstream, which, under the stimulus of the drink, were expelled. As the two liquid days are taken before the dry day, it follows that there must be a certain amount of elimination already taking place. The dry day accelerates the process and aids the elimination of any poisons that have escaped the flushing that has already taken place. If necessary, a more efficient result can be obtained by the application of the enema on the first two evenings of the fast.

STRAIGHT FASTING Straight fasting usually lasts over a period of days or weeks. It is not recommended for home application. If it is applied under home conditions there must be the strictest supervision by a qualified practitioner. The length of the fast is always determined by the practitioner with relation to the facts he possesses. Among factors taken into consideration are: condition of patient, the patient's reaction, the disease being treated and, if there is a time- limit, that factor. The fast, however, may go on until all the signs of an impure system have abated and hunger returns. The application of straight fasting obviously calls for a skilled technique and the correct interpretation of all the physical signs that may arise. Its very duration renders specialised supervision necessary. Up to the present moment, it appears that the longest fast ever recorded is one of 100 days. It must be remembered, however, that the breaking of records is no part of the strictly serious aspect of fasting. The fast goes on only so long as is considered necessary and advisable for the particular case in hand. Any person who undertakes a fast for the sole purpose of establishing a record is either a fool or a moron. Straight fasting is usually conducted on water, fruit juices or clear vegetable soup or on a combination of these drinks. On the first and second mornings of the fast a saline aperient may be given. Enemas or colonic irrigations are frequently applied so as to ensure bowel cleansing and elimination of toxic products. It will be found that, even in straight fasting, there are differences of procedure in the varying Nature Cure establishments. The same principles, however, are adopted in every case. The stress is always upon elimination. Undoubtedly, straight fasting is a very drastic measure. As such it calls for the maximum of care and attention. It has its detractors. What these detractors usually fail to appreciate, however, is the enormous success that can be attributed to the fasting method. Fasting on the above lines is not necessarily weakening. Many people are able to perform as much work while fasting as when consuming normal meals. The only danger is that either the fast may be over-lengthened or the patient may develop a negative attitude towards food. Such complications are rare.

MILK FAST This is really not so much a fasting system as a dietetic regime. (We have mentioned cases of people living on milk alone—whole milk or sour milk—not the pasteurised milk we see on the milk vans. Chaganail Parekh, an Indian, has lived on milk since 1944. He takes six pints per day and recently declared that he would never touch solid food again.) Since the milk diet is a frequent sequel to the long fast, we have included it under this heading. A full glass of unpasteurised milk is taken every two hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., on the first day of the fast. On the second day the two-hourly interval is reduced to ninety minutes, and from then on the quantity of milk is gradually increased on each successive day until as much milk is taken as can be comfortably tolerated. The milk should not be too creamy and is best taken slightly warm or cool. It is important that, as with all drinks, the milk should be sipped. Constipation is a development that may arise with the milk diet, and often does, hence laxative dried fruits (prunes, dates, figs) are given to assist a bowel motion. Enemas or colonic irrigations are also applied for this trouble. Unmalted Slippery Elm Food can be substituted for milk, providing some milk is taken with it. Although we have stated that whole milk is a good food and have mentioned that people live exclusively on milk, it is not by any means suggested that existing entirely on milk is advisable. For cure-purposes the full milk diet is often useful. The average person, however, needs much more than milk in his diet; though for people well advanced in years, a type of Mono Diet, in which milk plays a large part, would probably be found most applicable. It can be said that, for ordinary purposes, the Milk Diet is essentially curative only.

THE SCHROTH CURE To be strictly accurate, the Schroth Dry Diet Cure is in no sense a fast. At the same time, however, it is so drastic a measure that it is considered necessary to include it under this section. We have previously mentioned this cure method, and it has already been explained that it consists of long, dry spells on starch food punctuated with drink intervals, when light wine is given. It is a most radical eliminative regime and is not without its opponents. The important thing to bear in mind is that the Schroth Cure is in harmony with natural healing and that, even if the diet is contrary to all our ideas of scientific dietetics, it achieves its results by elimination. What is more, we have already discussed some of the implications of the diet and recognised that one of the secrets lies in the preponderance of potassium content and in the action of the wine or cider. That it does work is proved. There are so many unexplained processes going on in the body that we must recognise our limitations of knowledge and strive to perfect them. What is important is that where Nature has the power to achieve what we arc unable to understand, we should regard the effect and endeavour to understand why and not belittle success because of our lack of understanding. The Schroth Dry Diet Cure is essentially eliminative, and once we recognise this and do not attempt to find in it an argument for adding an accumulation of starch to our normal diet we shall best serve the cause of Nature Cure. As to alcohol, there is no doubt that there is little harm in having light wine or cider in moderate quantities providing, of course, that these drinks are not adulterated with chemicals. The cure may occupy up to six weeks, and the system is as follows:—

First day Dry day (dry rolls, dry bread or toast). No drink whatsoever. Second day Small-drink day 1 p.m. Rice, sago, potato or porridge. (NO milk.) 3 p.m. Half bottle of wine to last till evening. Third day Dry day. Fourth day Big-drink day. 1 p.m. Potatoes and onions. 3 p.m. Large bottle of wine to last till evening. Fifth day Dry day. Sixth day Small-drink day. Seventh day Big-drink day.

Rolls and bread can be eaten at any time, but no fluid other than the wine is permitted. It will be observed that there are four drink days in a week and three dry days, and that the dry periods last for thirty-six hours or more. Although the diet tends to be constipating (sometimes diarrhoea results) the wine, onions and prunes (the latter are sometimes given) tend to minimise this. Every evening the full- body or three-quarter pack is applied and forms an essential part of the treatment. The moist warmth induced by the pack stimulates the breaking down and elimination of waste products. A. Pitcairn-Knowles, in his book The Schroth Regeneration Cure, says:—

The effect of the cure is, first and foremost, eliminative. No other cure can achieve as much in this respect. Enormous quantities of impurities are visibly eliminated in the urine, the specific gravity of which may rise to as much as 1048. If the cure is persevered with (one course is not always sufficient), both the sediment and the specific gravity tend to diminish, regardless of the fact that the same quantity of liquid is being consumed. Uric acid is eliminated copiously, also oxalic acid, salt, drug poisons, mucus and whatever else may be the disease-producing encumbrance. Toxic matter is ejected from the body through every one of its channels of elimination. Even the packs may show visible signs of this cleansing process, in the shape of discoloration and offensive odour.

The Schroth Diet Cure was devised by Johann Schroth, a little over a century ago. It was originated in the small Czecho- Slovakian (once Austrian) village of Lindewiese. Schroth's observations and experiments were at first limited to animals, especially his pack system. Curiously enough, only three to four miles from Lindewiese is Gräfenberg, the village where Priessnitz ,the famous Continental Nature Cure pioneer, founded his marvellous hydropathic system. The Schroth Cure may be modified, but any modification lessens the intensity of the elimination, though a modified cure is indicated in certain cases. Richard J. Ebbard and F. W. Vogt, authors of The New Bedrock of Health, say the following:—

Adverse critics of Schroth's mode of treatment affirm that the dark colouring and highly concentrated condition of the urine is simply a result of the exclusion of moisture from the system: the enhanced concentration of the urine is, in their opinion, the necessary outcome of the fact that all liquid is withheld from the body, and there is nothing to show that it has anything to do with elimination of health-destroying matter. This view is contradicted, however, by the circumstance that, providing the cure is rigidly adhered to, and the work of disembarrassing the body from unhealthy concretions duly proceeded with, the urine gradually assumes a lighter colour, and, indeed, eventually becomes quite clear and of a pale yellow or "straw" colour; and this invariably is an unmistakable sign that the process of recovery is sufficiently advanced to enable the further application of the treatment to be discontinued. If, as our opponents assert, the original high concentration of the urine were merely the effect of the non- admission of water into the system, the urine could never become lighter, no matter how long the treatment might be continued: on the contrary its colour would deepen more and more as time went on. Besides, it has been observed that, after each "drinking" day, there forms a considerably thicker sediment in the chamber utensil than on the "thirst" days, whereas, surely, the reverse ought to be the case if the views of our critics were correct. The fact is that Schroth, after testing a variety of beverages, found out that white wine was the most effective medium for "stirring up" the accumulated waste matter and expediting its elimination.

It is obvious that the fasting methods outlined are drastic. The entire object is elimination of toxins from the body, so that the life-force, which is inherent in every one of us, may be given an opportunity to assert itself. The natural inclination of the body is towards health. Only Nature Heals. Fasting, dieting, manipulation, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and all the other range of therapies are subject to the basic principle of assisting the natural powers of recovery.

AFTER-CARE At the conclusion of any period of fasting there must be an interval of after-care. A digestive system that has almost reversed its ordinary function, and subordinated itself to the demands of elimination, cannot suddenly be expected to cope with normal food. If the diet has been very restricted, as in the dry diet, or there has been a complete abstention from solid food, it would be unwise to begin consuming normal foods at the ordinary level of consumption. On breaking the Guelpa Fast the position is much easier on account of the short duration of the fast. A two-day menu is appended below:—

First day off fast Breakfast Fruit. Lunch Grilled tomatoes. Spinach and potatoes. Prunes or Potatoes and onions. Figs. Tea Maté tea or fruit juice. Supper Salad of lettuce, tomato, cooked beet- root, chopped parsley, grated raw carrot, watercress or cress. Biscuits (NO butter). Fruit. Second day Breakfast Fruit Lunch Poached or scrambled egg or mushrooms. Potatoes and leafy vegetable. Prunes, figs or raisins. Tea Maté tea or fruit juice. Supper Salad. Cold nutmeat or nut mince. Fruit.

The lunches or suppers can be interchanged, but no meal from the second day should be transferred to the first day. On the following days the meals may be enlarged and diversified and more fat, protein and starch added. The latter foods, of course, should always be restricted in accordance with the whole diet system. The object of restricting the diet after the fast is not merely that of protection against complications. There is the added quality of supporting and continuing the cleansing process commenced with the fast, even if the elimination is on a reduced scale, as feeding will inevitably make it. When terminating the long, straight fast or the milk fast, it is a good rule to have a fruit meal in the evening and continue the fast till lunch-time of the next day and then have another fruit meal. On the evening of the second day have a salad and fruit meal. On the third day adopt the meals as given for the first day off the Guelpa Fast, and on the fourth day have the menu as outlined for the second day off the Guelpa Fast. The meals for another three days (making a week all told) should be largely fruit, salad and cooked vegetable meals. Small additions of starch, protein and fat could be added, but it is advisable to restrict the consumption of these foods for the first week and then gradually increase up to normal standards. After the Schroth Cure the diet should follow that of the long fast. Breakfasts, as far as possible, should consist of the dried fruits, apples and light salad food. If the fruit position is difficult, the breakfast meal can consist of the following:—

Grilled tomatoes on toast. Two half slices toast and honey. Limeblossom or mate tea (no milk). Prunes, raisins or figs; or lettuce, tomato or cress.

It is not essential to have breakfast. A glass of fruit juice or a cup of clear vegetable broth or even water is quite sufficient for a great number of people. In any case, since very little work or energy is used before the normal breakfast-time, there is little need for solid food. In my own experience, I have found that, after fasting, it is advisable to give some bran with the laxative dried fruits. Bran and prunes or figs with a few dates and a little of the dried fruit juice are all that is required for breakfast. After one or two days I add dandelion coffee (little milk), two halves of toast and tomato or watercress or celery. By adopting this type of breakfast, I have found that any loss of bowel movement is soon restored. Should no breakfast be taken, then fruit juice is given and a similar meal to the breakfast given at lunch time. Before departing from this subject of fasting we must emphasise that the deliberate abstention from food for curative purposes is a skilled art. It is dangerous to embark upon a fast of any duration without adequate supervision. What is more, NO drugs must ever be consumed while on a fast. This rule applies at all times, but never with more seriousness than when fasting.

CHAPTER X

THE HEALING CRISIS

ALL diseases manifest themselves by certain variations from the normal which are called symptoms. Such symptoms may be an exaggeration or a lessening of normal reactions. The supernormal reaction is one that is, on the whole, favourable to recovery, while the sub-normal is unfavourable. It is the supernormal reaction that is evident in acute diseases, and the same reaction is displayed in the healing crisis. Lindlahr defines a healing crisis in the following terms:— "A healing crisis is an acute reaction, resulting from the ascendancy of Nature's healing forces over disease conditions, and it is, therefore, in conformity with Nature's constructive principle." A healing crisis is the approximation of an acute disease. We shall again emphasise the curative aspect of acute diseases, for too often are these suppressed in fear and ignorance. Such suppression invariably leads to chronic disease, and it is with this facet 'of medical treatment that we so deeply quarrel. Lindlahr, in his book Nature Cure, says:—

What is commonly called "acute" disease is in reality the result of Nature's efforts to eliminate from the organism waste matter, foreign matter, and poisons, and to repair injury to living tissues. In other words, every so-called acute disease is the result of a cleansing and healing effort of Nature. The real disease is lowered vitality, abnormal composition of the vital fluids (blood and lymph), and the resulting accumulation of waste materials and poisons. . . . Chronic disease is a condition of the organism in which lowered vibration (lowered vitality), due to the accumulation of waste matter and poisons, with the consequent destruction of vital parts and organs, has progressed to such an extent that Nature's constructive and healing forces are no longer able to react against the disease conditions by acute corrective efforts (healing crises). Chronic disease is a condition of the organism in which the morbid encumbrances have gained the ascendancy and prevent acute reaction (healing crises) on the part of the constructive forces of Nature. Chronic disease is the inability of the organism to react by acute efforts or "healing crises" against constitutional disease conditions.

Acute diseases manifest themselves in conditions such as colds, fevers, diarrhoea, skin eruptions (boils, abscesses, rashes, etc.), catarrhal and other discharges. When these acute diseases, which are Nature's attempts to increase normal elimination or to supplement the failure of normal elimination—as, for instance, acne in constipation—are treated in accordance with Nature Cure principles, then no chronic disease can arise. We must remember, however, that the vast majority of new converts to Nature Cure spring from the ranks of disappointed medical failures, i.e. the victims of chronic disease. The aim of Nature Cure is to help the natural forces inherent in the organism. It is quite evident, therefore, that when a position is reached, as it must be, where the natural healing forces are strong enough to take the offensive—as a result of fasting or other cleansing treatment—that a healing crisis is liable to arise. We say liable, because there are exceptions to the rule. The patient, however, need suffer no alarm when, as it so appears, he suddenly relapses into a condition of acute disease. Remembering that all acute diseases are favourable reactions, and that the healing crisis would not arise if conditions were not, on the whole, conducive to recovery, we can safely go ahead and rely upon the impulse for health to gain complete control. One extremely important point to keep in mind during a healing crisis is not to permit alarm to drive one back into the old stage of looking for a speedy suppressant drug. Medical or drug interference at such a stage can lead only to harm and the undoing of a vast amount of cleansing work. When should a healing crisis be averted? Strictly speaking, it cannot be avoided. Osteopathic inhibition of nerve impulses, it is true, can check diarrhoea. On the whole, however, it is impossible, and unnecessary, to avoid temporary flare-ups which are indicative of a healing crisis. There are certain cases, especially with older people who have suffered for years from chronic disease, where it may be inadvisable to bring about a healing crisis, largely because of the lack of reserve powers. Graduated treatment over a longer period is permissible. Working by stages, we can minimise the cure- effects and bring about partial healing-crises, which ultimately, if all conditions necessary for recovery exist, will lead to a cure. It is not essential to have a healing-crisis, nor does it always arise. In such cases the cure is achieved by a steady cleansing of the system. Any healing crises arising during that period are minor disturbances which are of small consequence, but the sum total of which materially assist the healing efforts as a whole. It is the possibility of the healing crisis, and its correct interpretation, that demands either a full application of the principles of Nature Cure and / or the supervision of a skilled naturopath. The healing crisis is too often the bogey that frightens people away from Naturopathy. This can be due only to misguided fears and ignorance and can be safely set at rest by the acquisition of the true facts. Confidence and knowledge go hand in hand.

CHAPTER XI

HYDROTHERAPY

IT is frequently said that there is nothing new in the world. To a large extent this is true, and hydrotherapy subscribes to this view, for it is not new. Even colonic irrigation, a more recent addition to the branch of therapeutics with which we are now dealing, was applied by the early Egyptian civilisation. Hydrotherapy simply means the use of water as a curative agent. For our present knowledge of hydrotherapy we are indebted to the Continental pioneers of Nature Cure. In particular we must pay homage to Father Kneipp, the remarkable parish priest of Worishofen, in Bavaria; the German peasant Vincent Priessnitz, also a great water-healer; Johann Schroth, originator of the dry diet and pack system, Bilz and others. These men all had their time in the early Victorian era. Father Kneipp, like a great many true healers, took up his work because he had to cure himself. He came across a little book describing cold-water therapy and immediately began his own regeneration. Kneipp, however, soon abandoned the more drastic of the cold water treatments and improved his methods through constant observation. As he himself said:—

The applications it enjoined were often too rough, too violent, for the human constitution. Such exaggerated treatment only serves to bring the cold-water cure into discredit, and to reinforce the ranks of those who blindly condemn whatever they do not, or but imperfectly, understand.

Though the pioneers of hydrotherapy and Nature Cure— Kneipp, Priessnitz, Schroth, Bilz, Rikli, Gossman, Just, Lahmann, Bircher-Benner, etc.—were centred in Germany. Austria, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia from 1850 onwards, their work was, in a certain sense, not new. The early Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and others had long appreciated the value of water as a healing medium. The Redskins of North America had their own hydropathic and clay treatments long before Columbus or Cabot discovered that Continent. Most assuredly, the early water-cure methods were crude, but the elements of natural healing, even though perhaps imperfectly understood, were recognised and applied by laymen in a true spirit of healing. From Priessnitz, Schroth, Kneipp and others we progressed via Lindlahr and others to our present-day standard. Speaking of the progress of Nature Cure in general, we must emphasise the way in which laymen have dominated the scene. True, there have been enlightened medical practitioners, but even these have encountered bitter opposition from their orthodox sect. The medical claim to all healing is built upon a tissue of lies and wishful thinking. Mr. Edgar J. Saxon expresses himself well when dealing with this subject, and we can do no better than repeat his words:—

Dr. Samuel Hahnemann was met with the same contumely and misrepresentation at the end of the eighteenth century as that strange genius Paracelsus suffered in the sixteenth. The highly intelligent German peasant Vincent Priessnitz, at the beginning of what in this country we call the Victorian era, drew patients to his Water Cure from all over Europe, but hydropathy, i.e. water treatment, did not become medically respectable until the end of the nineteenth century, as Dr. Bircher-Benner points out. It was Arnold Rikli, a Swiss layman, who established the curative effects of sunlight when combined with water in the 1860's; but the medical profession took no notice of anything so cranky until Dr. Rollier applied the method to tubercular disorders some forty years later; even he, when he gave his first lecture on his findings to a medical congress in Paris in 1905, spoke to rapidly emptying benches. Dr. Lahmann, of Dresden, was one of the first to perceive the basic importance of the mineral elements in food at a time when British doctors knew no more about nutrition than they did about the other side of the moon. The frequent suggestion in recent times that medical science has led the way in nutrition \ is shockingly false. Dr. Still developed the theory and practice of spinal manipulation a whole life-time before the medical profession, after deriding the whole thing as spurious and unscientific, began to adopt something of the technique under the name of "orthopedic surgery."

Hydrotherapy is no longer used solely by naturopaths, but the medical profession has only an incomplete knowledge of its application. It still ridicules many of the methods that have been proven after years of experience under naturopathic treatment. For an explanation of how water cures, we can do no better than have recourse to Kneipp. This is what he says:—

To dissolve, remove and strengthen: these, then, are the three principal attributes of water; and we maintain water to be capable of curing every curable disease, as its various applications, properly applied, directly attack the root of the evil and have the result— (a) Of dissolving the germs of diseased matter contained in the blood. (b) Of withdrawing the diseased matter from the system. (c) Of restoring the purified blood to its proper state of circulation. (d) Of bracing the weakened constitution, and rendering it fit for renewed exertion.

Dissolve, Remove and Strengthen are the three cardinal factors in hydrotherapy. No matter how crude the appliances used for the purpose of water treatments are, so long as these three attributes are kept in mind, the result will be the same. The aim, therefore, of all water treatments is to dissolve and eliminate toxic matter, to stimulate the circulation and strengthen the constitution. We accomplish this in many varied ways, each differing method being applied for a specific purpose, and in conformity with the patient's illness and individual powers of reaction. Not that the sole purpose of hydrotherapy is the treatment of disease—used correctly it is one of the greatest prophylactic therapies. As a general rule, cold or cool water is applied after any treatment where hot water has been used. This is not always the case, and there are occasions when cold water alone is used, or when hot applications are advised. There are dangers in the over- enthusiastic utilisation of either hot-or cold-water treatments. The cold bath, for instance, should always be of short duration, and discontinued if no warm reaction is obtained. One of the basic laws in water treatments, as Lindlahr points out, is that of action and reaction. The application of any form of heat to the skin draws the blood to the surface. That is the first, immediate effect. But it is not a lasting effect, and the blood must inevitably return to the deeper blood-vessels from which it was derived. The application of cold water, on the other hand, has the first effect of driving the blood away from the surface. The secondary and lasting effect is that of warmth, since, by the law of action and reaction, the blood must circulate back to the blood-vessels and tissues from which it was expelled. In this manner an actual increase of circulation is brought about by the stimulating effect of cold water. It is upon this basis of action and reaction that most water treatments are founded, the ultimate result of which is the dissolving, removing and strengthening previously mentioned. Having assimilated this fact, we can appreciate the frequent insistence upon short, cold ablutions, the many alternate hot and cold baths and the advocation of cold packs and compresses. If we were to limit our activities in hydrotherapy to what the pioneers in this work advised, we would almost certainly rule out the excessive hot or cold applications. To a large extent this is so even now, but hot applications and ice still have their uses. For everyday purposes we restrict our activities to using cold water, hot water and hot and cold water combined. With simple methods and simple apparatus we can obtain the most marvellous results. The following description of the various types of baths and treatments will offer much guidance in the application of hydrotherapy. The Sitz Bath The old-fashioned sitz or hip bath provides one of the best means of combating congestion and stagnation of the circulating fluids (blood and lymph). It is one of the tragedies of our times that the advent of modern plumbing has resulted in the discarding of the hip bath. This bath is so useful that it should form a standard part of every bathroom. Abdominal congestion is the cause of many disorders. In all cases in which a patient complains of cold extremities one can be sure that he or she suffers from abdominal congestion, and the sitz bath is ideal for the purpose of relieving this condition. Depression, headaches, many throat troubles and catarrhal conditions are a concomitant of abdominal congestion. The nervous system is adversely affected by the same physical state, and symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, nervous exhaustion, fears, worry, bad temper, etc., are dispelled or decreased by the continued use of the sitz bath. In the treatment of constipation, flatulence, colitis, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids and inflammatory conditions of the bowels, the sitz bath is supreme. These baths can be taken cold or hot or alternately hot and cold. Cold sitz baths of short duration are excellent for piles, constipation and sexual troubles. At the same time, the long hot sitz bath followed by a cool sponging is equally advised. For cases of heart trouble, the sitz bath can be applied when no other hot-water treatment is applicable. There is no strain upon the heart, and its function is aided by the sitz bath lessening the pressure upon the heart and reducing abdominal congestion. Where indigestion is present, the sitz bath draws the blood to the stomach and stimulates the functioning of the digestive glands. For lumbago and sciatica, the alternate hot and cold sitz bath is an ideal treatment. Female troubles—inflammation of uterus, ovaries, leucorrhoea and any irregularity or painfulness of periods—show a remarkable response when the sitz bath is applied. For some conditions it is applied hot, and for others, cold. Bladder troubles, enlarged prostate gland and hernias should be treated with a daily cold sitz bath lasting from thirty seconds to three minutes, and also with the hot sitz bath followed by a cool sponging. The sitz bath is always advised in conjunction with fasting. The alternate hot and cold sitz bath promotes the dissolving and elimination of the effete matter accumulated in the bowels during the cleansing process of the fasting. Even if an enema or colonic irrigation is applied during the fast, the daily alternate hot and cold sitz bath or the long hot sitz bath followed by a cool sponging is advised. As previously stated, the old-fashioned sitz bath and a foot bath is all that is necessary for the purpose. The depth of the water is varied according to the displacement arising from the size of the person being treated, but the water must reach up to the patient's waistline. The foot bath is necessary because it helps to reduce the abdominal congestion and attracts the blood from the head, lungs and liver, etc. Ebbard, co-author of The New Bedrock of Health, describes the application of the hot sitz bath in these terms:—

The sitz bath is two parts filled with hot water, as hot as the patient can bear it, up to 108 to 110 degrees Fahr. The bath should last 10-14 minutes, during which time the temperature must be kept up and, should the water cool down, boiling water must be ready at hand to bring the temperature up again. By this means, all the abdominal blood-vessels and tissues become expanded, and for the moment even more blood is attracted to the abdomen. After the given time, the patient gets out of the bath and part of the body, which has been in the water, and only this part, is sponged with cold water for about two minutes. By this sudden cold spraying, the abdominal blood-vessels and tissues contract, and the blood is forced away, at once establishing, especially by its larger quantity, an increased circulation, not only in the abdomen, but all over the body. Warm feet and the relaxing of any pressure in the body are the immediate effects of the sitz bath.

We have already stated that there are different methods of applying the sitz bath, and these are classified as follows:—

(1) The hot sitz bath, lasting from ten to thirty minutes and terminated with a cold or cool sponging. (2) The alternate hot and cold sitz bath (hot for five minutes, followed by a short cold sitz bath for thirty seconds) repeated twice or three times and always concluded with the cold sitz bath. (3) The cold sitz bath (deeper in summer than in winter) lasting from thirty seconds to three minutes according to the case, vitality of patient and time of year. This can be a cool sitz bath in winter, or for people with nervous temperament or heart cases. (4) The blanket sitz bath, a mild and safe sweating treatment for those with weak hearts.

The hot sitz bath is commenced with the water at a temperature of 104 degrees Fahr. and is then raised (quickly or gradually, as the patient prefers) to 110 to 114 or even 116 degrees Fahr. After ten to thirty minutes in the hot water the patient is transferred to a cool sitz bath or sponges down those parts that have been immersed in the hot water. The hot foot bath (temperature 105-107 degrees Fahr.) is taken in conjunction with the sitz bath, and the feet must also be cooled. The water of the sitz bath should be heated by having a can of hot water handy. The hot sitz bath is indicated in all cases of abdominal congestion, constipation, bladder troubles, amenorrhoea, piles, prostate gland, etc. The alternate hot and cold sitz bath, as the name implies, means using a hot and then a cold sitz bath. The temperature of the hot bath must be kept constant at 110-112 degrees Fahr., and the cold sitz bath means either cold water from the tap or just slightly warmed to take off the chill (the latter especially in winter). Sit in the hot bath for five minutes and then in the cold for thirty seconds, repeating the process two or three times and concluding with the cold sitz bath. Here, again, the feet are included in the treatment by using foot baths. The alternate hot and cold sitz bath is invaluable for constipation, all abdominal congestion, piles, bladder troubles, sexual weakness and inflammation of the uterus and ovaries, etc. The cold sitz bath is used in addition to the other treatments. Ruptures, piles, constipation, menhorragia, etc., are best treated with a short cold sitz bath in addition to the other types. The water must not be icy cold and, in winter, the addition of a little warm water is advised. The essential part of any cold treatment is the subsequent warm reaction. It is not advisable in the cases of weak heart, nervous exhaustion or anaemia in the early stages, though these will profit by such applications after a certain stage in the cure has been reached. The temperature of the cold sitz bath, and its depth, vary according to the time of the year and the patient. The more vigorous can take lower temperatures and greater depth of water, the less vigorous correspondingly higher temperature and lower depth. In winter, 70 degrees Fahr. is quite cold enough for most cases. The blanket sitz bath is one of the most efficacious forms of sweating and can be applied in all cases. It also acts in the same way as the hot sitz bath, but, as a form of sweating, there is no gentler means of inducing elimination via the skin. The only difference between the hot sitz bath and the sweating bath is that boards are arranged over the foot bath and sitz bath, so that a blanket can be placed from the feet to the neck without falling into the water. Sit in the bath for fifteen to thirty minutes, according to the case, the shorter period being more applicable for the weaker person. Conclude the treatment with a cool sponge-down. A cold towel should be placed over the heart for bad cases, and one on the head is advised. This is a simple form of sweating which lends itself to use in the sickroom, thereby creating a minimum of disturbance for the weakened patient. It is quite safe to apply. Frequently the hot sitz bath and the sweating sitz bath will produce a sleepy state in the patient; provided there is no overheating and the patient is attended, this is not to be discouraged, though special precaution attaches to the heart cases. The Rising and Falling Bath The rising and falling bath is almost self-descriptive. It can be carried out in the ordinary bath with little or no trouble and is a most effective water treatment. The result of the changing temperatures of the bath is to dissolve, eliminate and strengthen. As a general treatment it is excellent, though it should not be applied to heart cases. The ordinary long bath is filled with sufficient water to cover the patient, the temperature of the water being between 96 and 100 degrees Fahr. The patient lies in this water, and then the hot tap is turned on and the temperature of the bath raised to between 108 and 110 degrees Fahr. The patient should be made to sweat (this is seen on the forehead), and if 107 degrees Fahr. is sufficient for this purpose, there is no need to raise the temperature higher. The sweating should not be of more than three to four minutes' duration, after which the temperature of the bath is lowered to 80-85 degrees Fahr. It is essential to rest in bed for at least thirty minutes after this bath. The rising and falling bath is indicated in all cases where auto-toxasmia is present, for rheumatism, sciatica, arthritis, constipation, and practically all those diseases where there is no weakness of the heart and where high blood pressure is not present. The Epsom Salt Bath This, like the previous baths, is a very simple matter and lends itself to home use. In all disease there is an accumulation of acids in the system. This is especially true of those complaints with a rheumatic character, where there exists an excess of uric acid. In such conditions the Epsom salt bath is advised because the salts neutralise the acid waste products and assist their elimination. In an ordinary bath of hot water dissolve two large handfuls of the commercial salts, and lie in the hot water for not more than ten minutes. Over this period there is a danger of enervation. Cool down after the hot bath and rest. People with weak hearts should not take the Epsom salt bath, and in no case should it be applied more than twice per week. Provided that the above instructions are observed, it will be found that the salt bath gives much relief and is efficacious in such cases as arthritis, rheumatism, sciatica, neuritis, lumbago, colds and catarrh. The Relaxing Bath This treatment is of longer duration than the normal. The temperature of the bath should be kept at about 90-93 degrees Fahr., and one can lie in the bath for as long as forty to sixty minutes. With this temperature there is a pleasant feeling of relaxation and, if the bath is continued for the longer period, there is complete relaxation of muscular and nervous tension. This treatment is particularly suited for nervous cases, for insomnia, heart trouble, general debility and depression. The Cold Splash All that is required for this is a few inches of cold water in the bath. In the summer this water can come straight from the running cold-water tap, but in the winter it is advisable to warm the water slightly. It is advisable also to have the bathroom warm. As few bathrooms are supplied with a heating arrangement, the next best method is to dry the main part of the water from the skin after the bath and then return to the warm bed for a few moments to ensure the revival of body-warmth. From this it will be concluded that the bath is taken first thing in the morning, which is so. The treatment is of only very short duration and should never last for more than two minutes. The simplest method is to lie in the water and splash it all over the body, and in the winter the process should not take more than thirty seconds. As a tonic to start the day with, the cold splash is supreme. It tones up the nervous system, releases muscular tension, hardens the skin and reduces the proclivity to colds. The Salt Rub This is applied while lying in the warm bath. A second person sprinkles common salt into the wet hands and thoroughly rubs the patient's skin with the salt. As the salt quickly dissolves, the hands have to be constantly dipped into the salt until the skin has been quite covered with the salt rub. This treatment is indicated in all conditions where the skin activity has been lowered, when a dry scale appears on the skin and as a general tonic. It should not be applied to open sores and hyper-sensitive skins. The latter skin should be gradually hardened by frequent exposure to the sun and air, to baths of a gradually decreasing temperature, and to friction with a wet towel. Sprays and Showers Apart from the complete simplicity of these methods, there is their undoubted effectiveness. A cold spray played upon a varicose leg will rapidly allay inflammation and irritation. This spray can be that which comes straight from the cold tap or from an ordinary watering can. Tepid sprays played upon the spine are useful in neurasthenia and nervous cases, colder sprays are useful in high blood pressure, haemorrhoids, constipation and bladder troubles. The spray, in the three latter conditions, is directed towards the lumbar region. Cold showers or sprays should always be taken after hot full baths, sun baths or any heat treatment. In the cold bath or cold spray we have the classic example of the action and reaction effect of hydro-therapy, for the lasting effect after the cold application should be that of warmth. With this in view we shall again emphasise that the best effects are obtained from short-lasting cold-water applications. Water Paddling Run two to three inches of cold water in the bath, and paddle with the bare feet for so long as it is comfortable. This is very useful in the case of tired feet, varicose veins, nervous conditions, insomnia and bad circulation. When varicose veins are present it is advisable to combine water paddling with the cold spray by allowing the cold water to run over the legs while, at the same time, it is filling the bath to the required depth. Water paddling is useful also in enuresis, and this measure alone, carried out every night, is often successful in preventing bed- wetting. For all foot troubles, however, water paddling is especially advised. Walking on wet grass or wet stones in the bare feet is often advised as a tonic. It must be remembered, however, that the feet must be thoroughly warm after the walking. The Alternate Hot and Cold Foot Bath For this treatment two bowls are required. One is three parts filled with water at a temperature of 104 to 110 degrees Fahr. and the other with water from the cold supply. Sit on a stool and place the feet first into the hot water for from three to five minutes and then into the cold water for about thirty seconds. Repeat the process three to four times, and conclude with the cold dip. This type of treatment is excellent for headaches, poor circulation, tired feet, chilblains, sleeplessness, etc. Wounds, bites and stings on the lower limbs can also be allayed with this treatment. The Hot Foot Bath is applied in the same way as the above with the exception that there is no changing over from one bath to the other, the feet remaining in the hot water for from ten to fifteen minutes and then in the cold water for about one to two minutes. This is the most useful in the case of headaches. The Alternate Hot and Cold Arm Baths The directions for this are the same as those for the alternate hot and cold foot bath. It is used for the same purposes, i.e. bites, stings, wounds, chilblains and poor circulation. It is a local treatment for Raynaud's disease. The Dripping Mantle This treatment is one of the oldest hydropathic methods. It is neither a bath nor a pack, yet it is a most useful remedy, being applicable in feverish conditions, colds, poor circulation, general debility, autotoxaemia, lowered skin vitality and as a general tonic. The treatment should be applied in a warm room, and the patient should be able to go straight to a warm bed when the treatment is concluded. All that is required for the dripping mantle is a large sheet that has been dipped into cold water and lightly wrung out. The sheet is wrapped round the patient and is slapped against his body with light strokes and is gently rubbed and stroked against the skin. The essential part of this treatment is the speed with which the wet sheet is made to come into contact with the skin and the stroking of the sheet against the skin. The treatment lasts not more than three minutes, when the patient is released from the sheet and returns to the warm bed. Before embarking upon an explanation of the various types of packs and compresses, it is in order to learn something of how these work and the reason for their application. The secret of the wet-sheet pack lies in the moist warmth it promotes. The heat of the body supplies the warmth, and this comes from drawing the blood to the surface of the body. By attracting the blood to the superficial areas we decrease internal congestion, relax the tissues of the skin and permit toxins (drawn by the larger amount of blood attracted to the surface) to escape via the relaxed pores. Since the pack is applied for at least two hours, it will be realised that there must be a considerable amount of elimination taking place. This is best illustrated in very toxic conditions, where, when the sheet is removed, visible staining can be seen. In the Schroth Cure, for instance, wet-sheet packs are applied each evening and the drastic eliminative dry diet is supplemented by the packs, resulting in a very potent elimination effect. Staining of the wet sheets is often demonstrated in the Schroth Cure, proving the powerful elimination that the packs promote. Lindlahr, in his book, Nature Cure, says:—

Many people are under the impression that the packs reduce the fever temperature so quickly because they are put on cold. But this is not so, because, unless the reaction be bad, the packs become warm after a few minutes' contact with the body. The prompt reduction of temperature takes place because of increased heat radiation. The coldness of the pack may lower the surface temperature slightly; but it is the moist warmth forming under the pack on the surface of the body that draws the blood from the congested interior into the skin, relaxes and opens its minute blood-vessels and pores, and in that way facilitates the escape of heat from the body. In febrile conditions the pores and capillary blood-vessels of the skin are tense and contracted. Therefore the heat cannot escape, the skin is hot and dry, and the interior of the body remains overheated. When the skin relaxes and the patient begins to perspire freely, we say the fever "is broken." The moist warmth under the wet pack produces this relaxation of the skin in a perfectly natural manner. . . .

The essential value of the pack lies in the way that it utilises the natural forces of the body for healing. As previously stated, the wet sheet draws a larger amount of blood to the surface of the body, relieves internal congestion and promotes elimination. Body-warmth, it is observed, is used to create a gentle stewing, and it is this moist warmth that is most effective in treating disease. The moist warmth, then, acting over a period of time (varying from two to six hours), provides the means by which elimination is stimulated and decongestion takes place. While the full-body or three-quarter pack is the most useful to apply, local packs are often advantageous and, in some ways, easier of application. It must be remembered, however, that the pack draws blood to the surface, attracting more blood than is normal, and with this in mind we have to advise against the practice of applying packs to the neck and throat alone, since more blood is attracted to that area than is safe in so small a compass. It is necessary, therefore, when applying a throat pack for sore throats, tonsilitis, colds, etc., to apply a chest or abdominal pack to draw away congestion from the restricted area. Indeed, for many local conditions, especially where there is evidence of intense toxicity, it is advisable to apply either the three-quarter pack or a pack that comes well above and below the affected part. Packs for the chronic complaints—rheumatism, gout, catarrh, arthritis, asthma, etc.—are best applied to the full body. There is practically no illness for which the pack is not useful. It is soothing in insomnia and neurasthenia, it is decongesting in all the acute and chronic diseases, it is an excellent eliminative measure for auto-toxaemia, for sprains and bruises it is soothing and decongesting and for even the sickest person it offers a valuable home treatment. Apart from the rule of avoiding congestion by applying a secondary pack in local, restricted areas, the other rules are always to apply the pack in a warm room, to ensure a warm reaction from the pack (putting extra hot-water bottles into the bed if necessary) and to remove the pack when dry. No person should be allowed to remain in a pack if a warm reaction is not obtained. Packs are inadvisable when fasting on account of the fact that some degree of body-heat is lost during that process. On emerging from the pack it is essential to wash the skin thoroughly to remove any waste debris from the skin that has been eliminated while in the pack. For the same reason the pack sheeting must itself be thoroughly washed and aired before it is again applied. The outer covering, obviously, also needs airing and frequently washing. The Full-body Pack This pack is termed thus because it covers the whole body with the exception of the head. It is more drastic than the three- quarter pack and, since nervous people feel disinclined to be so fully enwrapped, it is not advisable in their cases. To prepare the pack it is necessary to turn back the top bedclothes and lay a thick blanket from the end of the pillow to the foot of the bed. The sheet (twill cotton or raw silk sheeting is the best) is dipped into cold water and well wrung out and then laid on the blanket. The patient lies on the wet sheet, which is quickly pulled over, covering from the top of the shoulders down to the feet. It is folded over the feet and legs, and the arms are enclosed. The blanket is then drawn over and secured with rustless safety pins, after which the top bedclothes are pulled over. It is advisable to have warmth without weight, so that a featherbed or two eiderdowns make an ideal top covering. In colder weather it is advisable to have two hot-water bottles in the bed, and the whole treatment can be converted into a sweating treatment by placing four to six hot-water bottles in the bed. In this case the pack must not last longer than two hours, though in any event, the full pack is only advised for from two to four hours. This pack is advocated for any decongesting purpose. It is useful for gout, arthritis, rheumatism, auto-intoxication, lumbago. The Three-quarter Pack This is applied in the same manner as the full pack, except for one distinction. It envelops the whole of the body except the arms and is applied from the armpits downwards. It is the most useful form of pack for general purposes, and is particularly suitable for insomnia and neurasthenia, as the patient is less nervous when the arms are free. For the treatment of fevers, arthritis, rheumatism and, indeed, any ailment where congestion is present, the three-quarter pack is advisable. The T Pack The name of this pack is derived from its shape. The material is usually made up from two lengths, from ten to fifteen inches wide, stitched together to form the letter T. It is made in this form so that the vertical part of the T can be drawn through the legs and the horizontal section carried around the abdomen. This pack is indicated in the treatment of haemorrhoids, constipation, indigestion, ovarian troubles, bladder and kidney diseases and practically all abdominal complaints. The outer covering, of course, has to be adapted to cover the T pack. Local Packs Arms, legs, chest, throat, etc., can all be treated by local packs. While it is more advisable to use the three-quarter pack wherever possible, the local packs are useful for minor ailments or injuries. Remember, however, that throat packs should never be applied singly—a chest or waist pack should always accompany it to avoid congestion in the constricted throat area. Packs are often used in conjunction with clay or mud. This subject will be discussed under the heading of clay. It may be of interest to record, however, that the raw-potato pack is very useful in connection with the treatment of injuries, bruises or stings. The materials required for the purpose are sufficient grated raw potato to cover the area well, a piece of gauze and a strip of sheeting. Place the grated potato on the gauze and apply this, gauze first, to the skin. Cover with the sheeting and leave on for two to three hours. Renew at intervals until the irritation, bruise or swelling has subsided. Honey, incidentally, can sometimes be used instead of the raw potato, especially in ulcerations. It must be genuine (not sub-standard) honey, and the pack must be removed when prickling or intense irritation arises. Compresses The cold compress supplies the answer to many a household problem. Even a child can apply it. Sprains, bruises, swellings and any inflammatory condition can be treated with a cold compress. In any inflamed state there is an excess of blood within the affected area. To apply heat, bringing more blood to an already hyperaemic part, would be a mistake. The cold compress, by driving the blood away, relieves the pain and reduces the inflammation and congestion. Immediate application of a cold compress to an injured part will usually reduce the time-factor involved in healing. The size of the compress varies according to the locality being treated. A large handkerchief will suffice in some cases as an emergency measure, but a small towel folded over is the most useful article to use. All one has to do is to rinse the towel in cold water and apply to the part. Cold compresses to the back of the neck will often relieve a stubborn headache, pressure in the head, etc. Apply cold compresses to the spine and neck in feverish conditions, high blood-pressure, sunburns and minor heat-stroke effects. Urine Compresses These compresses are advised in quite a number of obscure and common skin conditions. Chilblains, rashes, all manner of skin eruptions including acne, shingles, etc., will respond to the application of urine compresses, especially where diet and fasting are employed. The person's own urine is employed and it must be fresh. The compresses can be kept on for two hours at a time, and then the skin and the towel or sheeting must be thoroughly washed. Hot Fomentations In all cases where the application of heat is found to be soothing and of curative value, hot fomentations are advised on account of their simplicity. They are useful in most neuralgic conditions, toothache, indigestion, flatulence, anaemia and low blood pressure, kidney diseases, colitis, acute rheumatism, etc. The hot fomentation is prepared by placing a small towel (folded over four times) on a larger open towel. In this position the towels are laid in a large bowl so that the ends of the large towel are free of the bowl. Hot water is poured into the bowl, and the fomentation is wrung out by using the free ends of the large towel. Before applying the fomentation to the affected part rub it with olive oil to diminish any possibility of burning the skin. In cases of colitis and weak digestion it is a good plan to apply the fomentation to the abdomen immediately after a meal. Steaming Where it is difficult for ordinary forms of heat to penetrate, as in the nose, ear and throat, steaming performs a very useful task. Haemorrhoids, for instance, can be treated by steaming. In this case it is done by sitting over a bowl of hot water and allowing the steam to penetrate the anus and dilate the blood- vessels, assisting the decongestion required for healing. Steaming of the ear, nose and throat is indicated in all painful conditions of the areas. Catarrh, colds, asthma, bronchitis and influenza can all be subjected to steam treatment. The chest and throat are steamed in affectations such as tonsilitis, mumps, sore throat and loss of voice. Steaming is very soothing and decongesting in earache, neuralgic symptoms in the face and also for styes and boils. It is totally unnecessary to go to a lot of expense to apply steam heat; there is a distinct difference between direct steam heat as indicated above and the steam cabinet bath or pyretic bath which are used in institutions as a general treatment. For local treatments, as in the throat, ear, nose and chest, it is necessary to have a kettle two-thirds full of water. Bring this to the boil, and, when a steady head of steam is issuing from the spout, sit in such a manner that the steam is directed on to the part to be treated. After two to three minutes of steaming always cool down with cold water and reapply the steam, concluding with the cold-water application. Medical steaming kettles, incidentally can be procured from almost any chemist. Ice Ice packs and the use of ice in baths has largely fallen into disfavour on account of the extreme coldness. There are occasions, however, when ice is a very useful medium. Freezing treatment by the external application of ice has proved very beneficial. It must be stressed that great care should be taken in its application, and it is not advised unless the operator has either some experience in its application or is accustomed to giving manual and professional treatment. I am indebted to Mr. Leslie 0. Korth, D.O., for the following remarks on freezing treatment.

This method can well come under the heading of hydropathy, as water in a solidified state may be used as an excellent freezing agent. It is little known in this country and still less practised, but its efficacy is striking not only in the relief of pain but in removing its cause. Nothing better has been found than cold applications as a remedial measure in the treatment, for example, of localised areas of spinal tenderness and all inflammatory conditions. The skin over the region of tenderness must be distinctly frozen so that the tissues under treatment present a whitened or parchment-like appearance, and this condition must be maintained for one to two minutes. Very often but one application is sufficient for the cure of neuralgia. However, the process must be repeated for a few days in some cases. There are many freezing agents obtainable, but the safest and easiest for home use is ice out of the domestic refrigerator. Sprinkle some fine salt on to one or two of the small blocks of ice and hold firmly against the skin over the affected part. In the case of facial neuralgia, for instance, freeze the parts just above the eyebrow, below the eyeball and between the chin and lower lip alternately. Freezing is a specific for all forms of uncomplicated neuralgia provided it can be done near the point of origin of the nerve involved, i.e. close to the site of most pain. If the neuralgic pain is situated at the lower part of the back of the head freezing over a particular sensitive point in that region will cause the pain to cease. Should the neuralgia be present in the leg or arm freezing along the painful path will relieve it. Freezing is also most effective in some cases of herpes zoster or shingles. To relieve pain in the back freeze each side of the spine in the painful area and other painful muscles that may be involved. Neuritis either in the arms or in the thigh and leg (sciatica) reacts most favourably to freezing, and so does fibrositis or any other inflammatory condition. Freezing is also very useful in stubborn, persistent coughs. Freeze each side of the upper spine including the neck. Migraine headaches respond well to this form of treatment, and no better treatment is available for strains or sprains. If the ankle or any other joint is sprained move it immediately after freezing and keep on moving it; little or no pain will be experienced.

It must be stressed that there exists some danger of burning with ice treatment. These burns may arise if the treatment is too prolonged, but with due precaution such unhappy contingencies should not arise. If, however, a burn is caused, cover it with lint immediately. Enemas and Colonic Irrigations This subject is always a bone of contention, and there are various schools of thought with differing opinions upon the advisability or otherwise of the above means of cleansing the bowels. It must be appreciated, however, that any artificial means of inducing bowel cleanliness are to be deplored and that the sole aim of the above methods must be to ensure future natural functioning or to circumvent a temporary loss of function. Even the most enthusiastic exponent of enemas and colonic irrigations will not deny that natural defaecation is the real method of expelling the contents of the bowel. Under natural conditions, i.e. where natural laws are used to the best advantage, the enema and colonic irrigation would be superfluous. Unfortunately, owing to our high-pressure mode of life—the intense refinement of foodstuffs, which are not even grown under natural conditions and lack true food value, the equanimity with which we ill-treat our minds and bodies, etc.— there are an enormous number of people to whom the power of natural bowel movements is denied. Even so, the moment the complaint has been cleared up and full, natural defecation is restored, colonies and enemas should be dropped. It is argued that, during fasting particularly, the enema or colonic irrigation is absolutely essential to reap the full benefit of the fast. This is because it cleanses the bowel of the highly toxic effete matter released from the cells by the fasting process. It is quite true to say that there is an excess of morbid matter present when fasting. The case is much more complicated, too, when putrefaction has previously existed (especially when the person has been living on a rich meat and fish diet) from overeating, etc. On the whole, however, there has been too much stress laid upon the necessity for semi-drastic bowel cleansing while fasting, and the protagonists for these processes are sometimes inclined to overlook the other organs of depuration, which, while they do not take such a burden of elimination, do play their part. I have known patients, even those suffering from chronic constipation over a period of years, who have successfully reacted to natural methods—including fasting—and who, for various reasons, were never given either a colonic irrigation or an enema. Nor could it be said that these patients ever suffered from the reabsorption of toxins into the bloodstream, as is often stated. Obviously there is a danger of reabsorption if the eliminatory processes are seriously retarded, or if there is a vast accumulation of morbid material within the bowels for over a certain variable period. Such dangers, however, it seems, are quite likely to be overemphasised. The most important point to bear in mind is that a natural action, even if somewhat delayed (say, two to three days), is much better than any enema or colonic irrigation. The establishment of natural movements, then, should be the real purpose of enemas and colonic irrigations. In this respect, of course, diet, hip baths, massage, manipulation and exercises are also advised. Fasting is not a normal procedure—in fact it may interrupt the normal course of bowel movements in the non-constipated individual. By not normal, we mean that fasting, though excellent for cleansing purposes, is obviously a method limited to therapeutics only and as a safeguard to health. There are many factors involved in fasting, not the least of which is the time- factor. If it can be proved that a cure can be accelerated or accentuated by the adoption of some means of bowel cleansing, such as enemas or colonies, then we are justified in using such means. In most cases this theory is accurate, but it does not imply that enemas, etc., should be casually resorted to. It must be remembered, in connection with this form of bowel cleansing, that intestinal intoxication, which is what we are presumed to be careful about, can arise only if the faeces are retained over an abnormally long period. Speaking of intestinal intoxication, Sir Arbuthnot Lane said: "Inflammation of the bile ducts, and of the gall bladder, gall stones, inflammation of the pancreas, duodenal spasm of the pylorus, cirrhosis of the liver and Bright's disease may be caused by intestinal toxaemia." The foregoing, of course, does not include headaches, lassitude, depression, rheumatism, and many other common ailments that arise from intestinal toxaemia. Colonic irrigations, of course, are a matter for the expert. Various types of apparatus are in vogue, all performing the same operation. The Vattenborg, Studa Chair, and Plombières are the most widely known systems. The operation is, in itself, fairly simple, and, in skilled hands, quite free from danger. As the patient lies in the correct position or adopts the attitude called for, a proctoscope is gently inserted into the anus (the sphincter can be felt to relax as it is inserted). This instrument has an attachment containing an inlet tube and wider waste tube and is clipped on to the proctoscope after insertion. A valve is then released and the fluid allowed to enter the rectum. While the solution is running in the oesophageal tube is gradually inserted a few inches towards the sigmoid colon. The waste matter is run off through the wider waste tube, though this can be periodically checked, if necessary. The operator can watch the waste as it runs through a glass tube. Different methods are used, but the main essential, so far as the patient is concerned, is that there is a continuous inflow of fluid and return of fluid plus waste matter. Up to ten gallons of fluid may be used in a single irrigation. The enema is a very different matter from the above system, in that it can be self-applied. The gravity douche is the most popular method, the syringe type having fallen out of favour. About one to two pints of water can by this method be allowed to flow into the rectum. The patient lies upon the left side with the hips raised on a thick pillow. The nozzle is introduced into the anus and the fluid allowed to flow. Before applying the enema make sure that the water is at a temperature of 98° Fahr., the nozzle well lubricated with vaseline or oil and the anal orifice itself oiled. The nozzle should be passed forwards and upwards about three to four inches before turning on the water. The best results are obtained from the enema if the fluid is retained for as long as possible. The water should be allowed to enter the rectum only slowly. It is almost impossible to be too emphatic on the issue of natural defalcation. Never should colonic irrigations or enemas be substituted for natural bowel movements. There are four main organs of depuration, the skin, lungs, kidneys and bowels. If these are maintained in correct balance and natural laws are followed as far as possible, then the above means of bowel cleansing should be unnecessary. One final word before leaving the subject: always have the feet well raised on a box or adopt the squatting position by some other means when attempting a bowel movement.

CHAPTER XII

SUN AND AIR BATHING

THERE is no doubt that psychologically there is an asset in being well dressed. There is a sense of satisfaction and an uplift in morale from the knowledge that one is wearing good clothes and looking one's best. Conversely, there is an equally strong uplift arising from the freedom from clothes. It is not the intention of this book to debate the merits or demerits of nudism in public. Suffice it to say that there would be less sexual abnormalities and a healthier outlook on sex if we were not so inclined towards prudish habits inculcated from early childhood. Moreover, we are slowly overcoming much mock modesty, and it is to be regretted that the average film possesses such a baneful influence regarding sex and clothes. It has long been recognised that sun and air bathing are conducive to health. Hippocrates was an early pioneer of sun bathing. We are indebted to Arnold Rikli, a Swiss naturopath, for the first revival of sun bathing in recent history. Rikli had an establishment at Veldes, Austria, which he opened in 1855. Apart from instituting sun bathing, Rikli pioneered the air bath as distinct from the sun bath. Like all pioneers, he suffered from the contempt and misrepresentation of an unreasoning public. Medical opposition contumeliously dismissed Rikli's claims. Among his pupils, however, was a medical man, Heinrich Lahmann. Lahmann opened his own establishment at Dresden and, at this Nature Cure Home which achieved world-wide fame, made a feature of sun and air baths. The famous Bilz Sanatorium, also at Dresden, promoted sun and air bathing. In 1900 sun and air bathing was getting into its stride. By 1903 Dr. Rollier had opened the first heliotherapeutic clinic for the treatment of tuberculosis at Leysin, in Switzerland. This, again, was at first disregarded and ridiculed by orthodox medicine. A well-known advocate of sun and air bathing was Lt. J. P. Muller, the famous physical culture expert, whose books My System and Fresh Air Book (Link House Publications, London), had immense popularity. "Sunlight," said Muller, "kills all manner of bacteria and disease; as soon as we permit the sun's rays to penetrate our skin, our digestive powers are invigorated, our blood becomes healthier and darker, our disposition enlivened." Normal out-door sun bathing can be a very dangerous pastime. While the burning effects from sun bathing are not usually dangerous, such burns are exceedingly painful. Olive oil applied to the skin before sun bathing will help to prevent any such occurrence. Sunstroke, however, can be very detrimental and cause serious harm. Only the extremely unwary should ever suffer evil effects from sun bathing in this temperate climate of ours. Even so, it is much wiser to be knowledgeable before than after the event. Whether a person is dark or fair will give some clue as to the relevant period it is safe to sun bathe for the first time, but it must not be overlooked that such pigmentation is not an accurate guide. In every case the head should be covered and the first sun bath should not last for more than five to ten minutes. After that period it is advisable to seek the shade and stay there for thirty to forty minutes before repeating the sun bath. Moving successively from sun to shade will avoid complications; even so, it is as well to limit the first total exposure to twenty to thirty minutes, according to individual reaction. With children the total exposure should be substantially reduced. The movement from sun to shade serves a secondary purpose in that it constitutes a form of skin gymnastics which stimulates the circulation. This is induced by the expansion and contraction of the pores of the skin. A cold shower after sun bathing is advised so as to harden the skin and avoid any enervating results from the heat. A sun bath produces hyperaemia, dilation of the blood-vessels and a rise in temperature, and the cold application will correct this and restore and stimulate normal circulation. A radiant-heat lamp produces the same effect as the above and is used for therapeutic purposes. Natural sunlight also contains infra-red and ultra-violet rays. Infra-red rays are emitted from every substance with a temperature above zero. However, since body-heat is 98.6 degrees Fahr., to receive any benefit the substance supplying the infra-red rays must have a higher temperature than body-heat. Infra-red rays act by induction of increased elimination and tissue growth, diffusion of heat through the bloodstream, tissue relaxation, etc. It is very useful in the relief of pain and inflammation. Ultra-violet rays, of course, promote vitamin D by their action on the cholesterol. In a book, Actinotherapy Technique (Sollux Publishing Co., Slough, Bucks), the following effects arising from ultraviolet irradiation are given:—

(a) Direct effects Direct bactericidal action on skin infections. Stimulus of skin cells and increase in their oxygen- metabolism. Formation of vitamins or pro-vitamins. Release from the skin into the lymph duct of amino-acids and elaboration of hormones by the endocrine glands. Release into the circulation of vitamins, "anti-bodies" and histamine-like substances from the irradiated skin. Erythema, some hours after irradiation, with dilation of superficial blood-vessels, increase in skin temperature and vasomotor activity. (Erythema is not usually observed in infants.) Improvement of skin tone and increased firmness and development of underlying musculature. Increased "esophylaxis" (anti-body formation by the skin). Stimulation of the skin functions (transpiration, heat regulation, resistance to infection).

(b) Effects on the blood through the skin Increased content of calcium, phosphorus, iron and iodine. Increase in the bactericidal power (originating locally in irradiated area). Increase in haemoglobin and red corpuscles. Lymphocytosis and leucocytosis. Normalisation of blood pressure. Increased alkali reserve: hence decreased tendency to thrombosis.

(c) General Effects on the Body Increased oxidation: hence increased metabolism, shown in improved appetite and sleep, increased assimilation and diuresis. Improved endocrine function. Marked mental stimulation, through action on the central nervous system. Reduction of pain through analgesic effect on the peripheral nervous system. Deepening and slowing of respiration, with increased expiration of carbon dioxide. Higher resistance to certain infections.

The startling effect of sun-ray treatment upon rickets, which was discovered by two doctors working independently thousands of miles apart, focused increased attention upon sun-ray treatment and ultra-violet irradiation in particular. Previous to that, however, and despite the work of Rikli, Lahmann, Bilz and Rollier, orthodox medicine despised or dismissed sun-ray therapy as of little consequence. The work of Drs. Hess and Muldschinsky took place in 1919 (Rikli 1855) when they proved the value of ultra-violet treatment in rickets, but it was not till 1927 that vitamin D was indemnified and an explanation of ultraviolet treatment given. Even such a partial explanation of the value of the sun bath, as given above, should convince readers of the immense health value of the sun. Under the circumstances, therefore, few objections can be made to decent exposure to vital sun rays. Any rigid adherence to prudish ideas of indecency in exposing the body as much as possible to the sun and air is outmoded. It must be remembered that ultra-violet, infra-red or radiant- heat lamps reproduce these rays with a sharper intensity than the sun and must be used with caution. They are, of course, capable of being applied with greater accuracy than the variable exposure to natural sun. Much depends upon the make and quality of the lamp, but all manufacturers supply instructions which should be followed. In any case, they are not substitutes for natural sunlight, but are added conveniences which are most useful and beneficial and, of course, properly used, of immense therapeutic value. With so much attention paid to the value of sun-ray treatment and sun bathing, it is little wonder (especially since it has no marketable value) that air bathing has been overlooked except in naturopathic circles. Of course, anyone sun bathing in the nude or semi-nude is also air bathing at the same time. The value of the air bath, however, lies in the fact that it is not reliant upon a fickle sun. It can be practised in the privacy of one's own room, providing that a free flow of air is entering the room. With air bathing, it is essential not to lose body-heat, therefore it is a wise plan to combine exercises and air bathing at the same time. The daily air bath, even of five minutes' duration, will tone and harden the skin, increase circulation, raise the heat- regulation powers of the skin (thus increasing the resistance to colds, draughts and changes in temperature), stimulate the nervous system, provide a certain amount of protective pigmentation (ensuring longer exposure to sun without burning) and act as a general tonic to the body. The skin is an organ of elimination: it is via the millions of pores that a vast amount of poisonous waste matter is exuded, and every encouragement should be given to this natural function. A skin that is always covered by thick and tight garments restricting a free flow of air is a sickly skin, inefficient, sensitive to draughts and thermal changes, hypersensitive—in fact, displaying only a crude imitation of its real capabilities. The daily air bath quickly alters this state of affairs and transforms a weak skin into a healthy organ playing a vital role in maintaining good health. Moderate vanity is not a questionable impulse, nor is it correct to reduce dress to a mere sex instinct (as some fashion designers and psychologists would apparently like us to believe), but clothing that limits or inhibits the natural function of the skin to an intolerable degree has a marked effect on health. Clothing that hampers free movement of limbs, circulation or any organ of the body is probably even more of a menace. It is unnecessary to be either conspicuously unconventional or extreme to wear sensible, light clothing offering unrestricted movement or free air flow to the skin, but it is necessary to good health to allow the skin free and unencumbered access to the elements for some period of the day.

CHAPTER XIII

MASSAGE AND EXERCISES

MOVEMENT is Life. This much has been recognised from the earliest times of Man's existence. Massage is really nothing more than producing the end-results of movement in a patient who has, actually, made little or no movement while the massage was in progress. That is to say, the beneficial results of massage are similar to those of exercise, and the art has more than once been called the "lazy man's exercise." Massage is a form of manipulation that has existed in Eastern countries for countless centuries. In the Textbook of Massage, by L. L. Despard (Hodder & Stoughton Ltd., London), we read:—

. . . at the commencement of the Christian era, as well as antecedent to that time, celebrated Greek and Roman physicians prescribed the treatment for their patients, and that Plato classified the movements as being active or passive. Massage is known to have been employed on the Continent for some centuries, but its practice in England dates only from the beginning of 1800. The present system owes much to Professors Ling, Mezger of Amsterdam, Von Mosengeil, Klein and others. Professor Ling was a native of Sweden. He lived 1776-1839 and it was he who elaborated the "Swedish Medical Gymnastic" system and introduced it in Stockholm in the year 1813.

Massage can be simplified by saying that it is a skilful form of rubbing. To call massage rubbing, however, would shock the susceptibilities of the masseur or masseuse. Massage is divided into: Effleurage, Stroking, Friction, Kneading, Petrissage, Tapotement and Vibration. Each different movement is performed for a specific purpose. Effleurage, for instance, acts upon the cutaneous nerves and superficial vessels, while Stroking is more calculated to influence the nervous system and is used for sedative effects. Friction is used for breaking up adhesions, promoting the absorption of effusion after breaking up inflammatory products. In massage, too, are active and passive movements which aim at introducing greater mobility and strength to the limbs. Massage is extremely useful for improving the circulation, removing waste products and stimulating chemical interchanges, and the digestion benefits from increased secretion of digestive juices. The respiratory system benefits by the increased oxidation brought about by massage, thus forcing the lungs to work harder to eliminate the poisonous gases, again creating deeper inspiration as a result. The nervous and lymphatic systems also derive great benefit from massage; and not only is muscular nutrition improved but fatigue and nervous irritability can be removed by massage treatment. In the field of restoring muscular activity and strength after a long illness massage is supreme. Gentle massage should be given to most invalids (excepting such contradictions as tumours, aneurysms, thrombosis, tubercular joints, etc.), to maintain muscular strength and to mitigate weakness, elasticity and poor circulation, etc., which arise from enforced idleness. Massage is, of course, a universal remedy. It is a natural means of aiding Nature to overcome disease and strengthen the organism. As a means of inducing relaxation—so essential in these days of nervous tension—it is highly recommended. As the entire Nature Cure theory is one of using natural methods to prevent and overcome disease, it goes without saying that Naturopathy employs massage to the fullest extent. Neither massage nor manipulation of any kind can take the place of exercise in normal life. Even those actively employed in physical labour should remember that they use only certain sets of muscles. The sedentary worker, of course, is the one most likely to be affected by lack of exercise. All exercises should aim at freeing and strengthening muscles not normally used or muscles that suffer from fatigue. Gardeners, for instance, who presumably do a lot of forward bending in their daily toil, would be well advised to incorporate exercises involving a backward stretching; also, since side- bending is not common in any work, side-bending exercises are encouraged. With so much close repetition work, mental strain, eye-strain and bad posture, the vast majority of people suffer from stiffness in the neck. Simple head exercises such as side- bending and rotation of the head will free the neck and banish many a headache and eye-strain. Exercises need not be vigorous all the time. Rhythm counts for a great deal in producing relaxation of tensed muscles. Even heart-sufferers can improve their condition by graduated exercises aimed at reducing congestion. Posture, too, counts for a great deal. A simple method of inducing relaxation is to lie on the floor with the buttocks close to the wall and the legs at right angles up the wall. Stay in that position for a few minutes, now and again bending the legs, and much ease will be gained. The application of exercises and the correction of postural defects are highly regarded in Nature Cure practice. Correct posture is defined as—"Head up, chin, chest up and out (not puffed out), shoulders high, abdomen in, legs straight and feet forward so that the body inclines lightly forward." Such a posture ensures even weight-distribution with an economy of effort. Eye-strain and headaches and indigestion, etc., can be avoided by sitting in the chair with the spine erect instead of slumping over. In the position one usually observes in offices and factories the worker is bent over, the spine is arched and there is evident tension in the neck muscles and the abdominal organs are cramped. Such a posture creates maladjustments, congestion and neuro-muscular tension and is the forerunner of much avoidable gastric and head pains. Stretching, yawning and laughing are not regarded as exercises, yet all exert a beneficial influence on the organism. These are instinctive exercises. Laughter increases the action of the lungs and exercises the abdominal muscles and organs. Yawning has a similar effect. In stretching we ease cramped muscles, stimulate circulation and reduce tension. Any audience will produce typical natural reactions which convention endeavours to suppress. So long as the gathering is interested and concentrating on what is going on, it is settled. Let the interest subside or boredom ensue, and there are immediate natural reactions (no matter how politely such reactions are stifled) of yawning and stretching. This arises because, concentration being no longer required, the body becomes aware of its discomfort and takes steps to relieve it. In these times, when sport is so largely confined to huge attendances at various types of professional games, it is imperative to find a corrective. To keep fit it is not essential to have expensive paraphernalia nor to spend a lot of precious time on exercises. Providing a certain amount of physical exercise is taken in the form of work, walking, swimming, gardening, golf, etc., fifteen minutes per day is quite sufficient to devote to exercises. Exercise in the nude five minutes in the morning, ten minutes at night (include deep-breathing in the exercises), and the time spent will more than repay itself.

CHAPTER XIV

THE PROBLEM OF REST

GREAT importance has always been attached to the question of rest in disease and health. In the last few years, however, there has been a reversal of previous policy as regards rest, not so much in normal, healthy life, as in the after-treatment of surgical cases and other afflictions. The period of immobility in bed has, in some cases, been drastically reduced. This applies particularly to patients who have had operational treatment The reduction of the lying-in period after the removal of some abdominal organ or a section of the abdominal mechanism, etc., has produced some startlingly successful results. Statistics from a large American hospital encourage the belief that previous conceptions of rest periods were on the generous side, and were even detrimental to health. Patients who had undergone abdominal surgery, for instance, responded quicker when the resting period was shortened. In this country, during the Second World War, the necessity for keeping beds available for serious cases and potential air raid victims drove many patients home long before the usual time. Was this an evil arrangement dictated by circumstances? In the light of subsequent events it would hardly appear to be as harsh as was imagined. Even now, of course, when the position as regards hospital staff is still a little critical, some reduction in the lying-in period is a boon. But we must not be cynical enough to assume that cutting down the number of days a patient occupies a bed is one method of helping to solve the staff shortage problem. Not long ago, a medical specialist, R. A. J. Asher, wrote in the British Medical Journal of the dangers of prolonged lying in bed. Dr. Asher argued that the maintenance of one position causes the collection of secretions in the lung; that the blood stagnates in the veins and may cause clotting and even embolism; that muscles waste and bones become drained of their calcium; that the appetite fails and the patient may sink into a vegetative condition which creates an antipathy to movement. The above, of course, is rather an alarming picture of what might and could happen if prolonged rest was indulged in. Up to 1939 people spent from ten to fourteen days in bed after an operation. Yet in 1899 an American surgeon, Emil Ries, was advocating a reduction in the resting period after operation or illness. A minimum of mobility retards the recovery of post- operation cases. Figures have proved that complications have been halved by the act of making patients get up one or two days after injury. It has also been found that fractures heal better when holding the weight of the body rather than when suspended in the air. For a long time, of course, naturopaths have bitterly commented upon the avoidable distortion and fixation of limbs arising from ill-advised complete rest in many cases of arthritis. Though complete rest is not so generally insisted upon nowadays, in the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis, it has caused much misery that even gentle passive movement or massage could have mitigated. In these days, however, much more attention is paid to the value of manipulation, massage, remedial exercises and baths, etc. Forced rest in many cases produced adhesions which, in time, resulted in complete fixation of a joint. In a lecture, "Cases that Bone-Setters Cure," published in the British Medical Journal of January 5, 1867, Sir James Paget said "Too long rest is, I believe, by far the most frequent cause of delayed recovery after injuries of joints, and not only to injured joints, but to those parts that are kept at rest because parts near them have been injured." Although Sir James Paget had an international name as a surgeon of high skill, little or no attention was given to his words. Now, of course, with earlier recognition of the onset of arthritis, special attention should be given to passive and active movements to prevent or mitigate adhesion formation. The qualified naturopath is probably more on the alert for such signs than his medical counterpart One good reason for this lies in the fact that manipulation plays such a large part in the naturopath's work, and so he depends much more on actual physical work upon the patient than the normal allopathic practitioner. The mere fact of this difference contributes, to a large extent, to the earlier recognition of adhesion formation, and to its correction. Acute conditions call for rest Whether such a condition goes under the name of arthritis, rheumatism, febrile attacks or the results of injury, rest is essential. When, however, the acute stage has given way to the sub-acute, some movement can be instituted. Arthritis, rheumatism, sprains, etc., will all benefit by manipulations which aim at breaking down and removing adhesions. Manipulation will also prevent or reduce adhesion formation. Commenced at the right moment, such manipulation will reduce the time factor involved in the return to normality, it will reduce pain and prevent unnecessary stiffening of joints and tissues. Even a simple sprain can be seriously incommoding, yet manipulation instituted at the earliest possible period will accelerate recovery and stimulate mobility. Prolonged rest, on the other hand, will increase stiffness, permit a favourable background for the formation of adhesions, and delay the final cure. It is, naturally, of great importance to avoid straining an already strained ligament or muscle. Any movement or weight- bearing that causes intense pain should be avoided. Passive or active movement, however, will assist the healing of a strained joint and improve mobility if intelligent caution is practised. Many thousands of stiff joints owe their lack of mobility to a too ready acceptance of the theory of rest. It has long been recognised that muscle, ligament or vital mechanism of the body can suffer from extremes. As continued extremes of heat and cold are harmful to the body. so are persistent extremes of over-work and lack of use. Over- stimulation of a nerve fibre, for instance, will result in a loss of nerve stimuli. Muscles and ligaments that are not called into play because of excessive rest soon lose their tone and degenerate. Any patient who has been compelled to stay in bed for a few days will recall the weakness of the legs when first getting up. Bowels, too, become sluggish, and natural defaection may be affected by prolonged rest. Few people can stay in bed for any length of time without becoming constipated. It is not unknown for old people to go to bed for some trifling complaint and never get up again. This is explained partly by the fact that undue resting weakens the system, causes the collection of secretions, the retention of poisons and saps the initiative. Ultimately the decline becomes serious and death ensues. There is no intention, of course, to imply that rest is neither essential nor desirable—it is both. There is, too, a necessity for older people to rest at more frequent intervals than the majority of people. What must be guarded against, however, is the excessive use of rest. The habit of staying in bed a few days for any minor complaint is to be guarded against. Normal people leading busy lives are not likely to require such a caution; it is more than likely that they do not obtain sufficient rest. But the neurotic "invalid" type and the phlegmatic (and, perhaps, slightly indolent) individual should be warned against the dangers of overindulgence of lying in bed. It is obvious that there are times when resting in bed is essential. Influenza, bronchitis and any febrile condition demands rest in the prone position. There are numerous conditions when rest in bed is the only sensible plan, but beware of overdoing the inactive state of lying in bed.

CHAPTER XV

OSTEOPATHY AND NATURE CURE

DOCTOR Andrew Taylor Still, who, in 1874, founded osteopathy, would most certainly be gratified by the enormous spread of his teachings, and no less flattered and encouraged by the tremendous amount of human suffering that has been banished by the aid of osteopathy. It is, however, unfortunate that there still exists such a great mass of ignorance concerning the meaning of osteopathy. Even now, despite the rapid growth of the profession and the respect that osteopathy has acquired, the average person has only a vague idea of its nature. Describing how the term "osteopathy" arose, Still said:

I had worked hard and tried to reason that a body that was properly normal in structure could keep a man in the full enjoyment of health just as long as the body was perfectly normal. On that conclusion I worked first to know what was normal in form and what was not normal: then I compared the two in health and disease. I found by hard study and by experimenting that no body was normal in bone whilst harbouring any disease, either acute or chronic. I got good results in adjusting those bodies to such a degree that people began to ask what I was going to call my new science. . . . I concluded that I would start with the word "os" (bone) and the word "pathology" (disease) and press them into one word—"osteopathy."

It is, of course, a misleading term, since osteopathy deals mainly with the correction of structural (bone) lesions and not with bone disease. In fact, one of the conditions osteopathy does not treat is tubercular disease in the spine and joints. Dr. Still based his theory on two beliefs: first, that the body is an entity, containing all that is required to maintain health and overcome disease; and second, that normal structure and normal functioning go hand in hand. Still found that many diseases were accompanied by faulty structure in the spine. Working on this premise, he argued that, by correcting any structural unbalance, he could correct the body as a whole. Deviations from normal structure were called "lesions," and by the adjustment of these lesions, which interfered with nerve and blood and lymph supply, a cure could be effected. Out of these beginnings osteopathy has grown into a skilled science, though it must be remembered that, even before Still noted the relation between the spine and disease, the phenomena of spinal tenderness in disease had been observed. While Andrew Taylor Still is often fondly regarded as the crude pioneer of a remarkably successful therapeutic system, it must not be overlooked that many of his teachings and sayings still hold good. Still's "Find it, fix it and leave it alone" has stood the test of time. Since osteopathy is concerned with the correction or removal of lesions, we must first appreciate what constitutes a lesion. Dain L. Tasker, D.O., in his book Principles of Osteopathy (Birdey & Elson Printing Co., Los Angeles, U.S.A.), describes a lesion as follows: "Any structural change which affects the functional activity of any tissue is called a lesion." However, as Tasker himself points out, the lesion must have a detrimental influence on functional activity. Flat feet, for instance, are a structural defect, but if a person who had flat feet from birth had this structural abnormality corrected, he would find pain where no pain previously existed. There are other similar instances of structural defects to which the body has accommodated itself and where any attempt at correction would be harmful. Tasker says:—

Lesions which might have been active at a former time are sometimes non-active on account of laws of accommodation which are always active in the body. If the body has succeeded in recuperating from the effect of these lesions, it is unwise to disturb them.

A lesion is usually characterised by subluxation, thickened ligaments and contracted muscles. It is usually felt by palpation, tenderness is displayed at the area of the lesion and the functional disturbance is related to the lesioned area. By the latter, we mean that the functional disturbance must have a connection via the nervous system with the lesion, i.e. a lesion of the eleventh or twelfth dorsal vertebra would probably be connected with the kidneys. It must be remembered that the spinal column is peculiar in that the nerves of the body radiate from it and that any structural defect may cause pressure or chemical changes which influence nerves innervating an organ or tissue some distance from the site of the spinal lesion, because the nerves of that organ or tissue arise from the area of the lesion. Lesions are of two classes: primary and secondary. Lesions arising from injury or violence all fall into the primary class. In this case, if the lesion is not corrected at an early stage, it may further be complicated by an increase in size. Such lesions are more difficult to correct. Some indeed are never corrected, nor should they be, because of the law of accommodation which ensues. As a protective element, we often find thickening and increase of size in bone and ligaments. In any case, unless the lesion is definitely the source of functional disturbance which is detrimental to the body, it is not a true lesion. Tasker remarks:—

There can be no doubt but that the removal of a primary lesion due to violence is absolutely essential, but when we maintain that all lesions must be removed before function can right itself, we become absurd. Furthermore, if we contend that a structural lesion antedates all functional disturbances, we make of life a series of accidents, instead of a force governed by fixed laws.

Secondary lesions usually arise from the failure of the organism to adapt itself to external conditions arising in everyday life, and to functional derangements in the body. Cold, poor diet, strain, overwork, etc., are in themselves sufficient to cause a secondary lesion. The connection between a continued draught of cold air striking on the skin and a spinal lesion may not seem apparent. Yet if we consider the average person's susceptibility to draughts on account of loss of tone in the skin and circulation, and the contraction of muscles as a response to cold, we can visualise how a lesion can be caused by cold. It must be remembered, too, that lesions are osseous, muscular and ligamentous. Recalling that spinal tenderness has been observed in disease and that definite spinal areas are associated with different organs via the nervous system, it is possible to realise the fact that overeating can be reflected in that area of the spine appertaining to the digestive tract. A stomach disorder arising from overeating would probably assert itself in a lesion between the fifth and seventh dorsal. While the correction of such a lesion would be helpful, if the same dietetic mistakes were made the lesion would recur. Of course, many lesions of a similar character occur in life and either they are corrected naturally or the law of adaptation assumes control and brings about a recovery. Few spines are normal, and adaptation after long- continued postural defects alone often creates an abnormal spine. Even osteopathically, the unity of the body is demonstrated, as Tasker shows in the following words:—

The point we desire to emphasise is that the unity of the body is exemplified by the spinal lesion phenomena. No organ or tissue can or does suffer injury without other tissues being drafted to compensate for its condition so as to maintain not only existence but the most satisfactory life of which the organism is capable. If the spinal lesion is viewed not only as a possible cause but, also, as a quite probable effect of tissue disturbance elsewhere, we will appreciate more fully the manner in which the body strives to live up to its best.

It is commonly assumed, even by the most ardent devotees of osteopathy, that, in acute cases, it is of little use calling in the services of an osteopath. To help correct this erroneous belief, we shall again resort to Tasker, who states:—

As soon as we have an autotoxaemia to deal with our lesion picture is enlarged. This is well illustrated in the various manifestations of indigestion. In such cases, not only lesions in the areas segmentally associated, but also above and below, will be found. Some cases will complain of the whole length of the spine while the auto-intoxication is at its height. As the intensity of the auto-intoxication decreases the lesion areas become restricted to the physiologically associated spinal areas. This is true in the infections as well. The backache in tonsilitis, la griffe, smallpox, etc., are well known and evidently not located in physiologically associated areas. The phenomena of spinal hypertension and hyperaesthesia are very important in these cases. Nothing seems to palliate this spinal condition due to toxaemia to the same extent as manipulation. We say palliate because the toxaemia which causes the tension is not overcome by relieving the spinal tension.

Osteopathy would be of less account if it did not take cognizance of the causative factor at work. If, for instance, a case of sciatica were cured by osteopathic treatment, the same trouble would arise if dietetic indiscretions, detrimental environment, drugging, etc., which originally helped to produce the sciatica, were not guarded against. It is not sufficient merely to correct an osseous lesion. The soft tissues ranging the troubled area must all be brought back to normality and the nerve, blood and lymph now restored. In fact, all the stresses and strains causing or arising from any lesion must be eradicated before a permanent cure can be effected. It follows, therefore, that osteopathy is not just a matter of producing impressive "clicks" and "pops," but of ascertaining the true causes producing detrimental results within the organism and, as far as possible, the removal of these causes. The spectacular results achieved by osteopathy in the treatment of primary lesions receiving early attention are far outweighed by the patient but solid successes gained by persistent treatment concerned with introducing normality to a disordered system. Too frequently people expect immediate results from osteopathy when, in point of fact, they have probably spent years in reaching their state of ill-health by persistent abuse of the body. Nonetheless, osteopathy does frequently achieve results in a remarkably short time where all else has failed, and it is a system of healing that should be encouraged. What is the place of osteopathy in Nature Cure? It would be a brave man indeed who entered into such a controversy. While many regard osteopathy as the dominant factor—and quite a lot of osteopaths are scornful of Nature Cure—it cannot but be said that osteopathy is only one, though admittedly an impressively useful one, addition to the arts of healing. The osteopath is not automatically a Nature Cure practitioner, and the Nature Cure practitioner is not always sympathetic to osteopathy—or chiropractic, its near relation. There is no doubt that the osteopathic profession is very jealous of its code and standing, and rightly so. They do not make extravagant claims any more than the naturopath. It seems, however, that while the osteopathic teaching does emphasise the way to health, its subjects are more limited than those of the more-embracing Nature Cure system. Osteopathy does, of course, fall into that group of drug-less, natural means of achieving and maintaining health which Nature Cure must enfold. Osteopathy embraces diet, hygiene, exercise, etc., but not to the same extent as Nature Cure. The difference between the two can be summed up by saying that osteopathy is a way to health and that Nature Cure is a way to life. In effect the two are complementary, and the value of osteopathy as a natural means of overcoming disease and maintaining health should not be overlooked. At the same time, however, it must be remembered that one of the essential differences between osteopathy and Nature Cure is that the latter can be practised all the time and the former only when taking that treatment. As a prophylactic, Nature Cure must be supreme. Albeit, it is a very healthy sign that there exists a fine body of osteopaths distinct from the Nature Cure profession, even though the large majority of the latter embrace osteopathy in their curriculum.

CHAPTER XVI

HERBALISM

BOTANIC therapy is as old as civilisation itself. It is a skilled art which has, to a certain extent, been commercialised and brought up to date. Whether this commercialism is a good or bad thing is no concern of ours at the moment. Certainly, however, larger groupings are probably better able to procure, prepare and market the herbal remedies. They will, on the whole, most likely do so under more hygienic conditions than previously existed in the small herbalist shops of yore. It is essential, however, to bear in mind the antiquity of herbalism. No healing art is more steeped in tradition. The fact that botanic therapy has stood the test of time should be sufficient proof of its value. An investigating commission recently conducting scientific research into old-time recipes and so-called "old wives' tales" was surprised to find that many such recipes and habits had been based on sound lines and supplied the missing ingredients in many a familiar complaint. More than that, they were superior to more modern treatment, because the preparations used were found in natural surroundings and produced by natural growth. An Act of Henry VIII decreed:—

. . . by Authority of this present Parliament, That at all time from henceforth it shall be lawful to every person being the King's subject, having Knowledge and Experience of the Nature of Herbs, Roots and Waters, or of the Operation of the same, by Speculation or Practice, within any part of the Realm of England, or within any other the King's Dominions, to practise, use and minister in and to any outward Sore, Uncane Wound, Apostemations . . . any Herb or Herbs, etc., or drinks for the Stone, Strangles or Agues, without Suit, Vexation, Trouble, Penalty or Loss of their Goods. . .

The above Act was made necessary in the early years of the sixteenth century by the victimisation of herbalists and others at the hands of the orthodox medical school, who have never ceased to be contemptuous of herbalism. All the way through English history there are repeated attempts to connive for the destruction of anything unorthodox in the healing world. Herbalism has ever been the target for recrimination and sarcasm, yet it has always maintained a high standard of popularity, chiefly in country districts and urban areas. The first great English name in herbalism, of course, is Culpeper. Nicholas Culpeper (1616-54) was not an uneducated man and gained great distinction in his work. The next great name in botanic therapy is that of Samuel Thomson, who was born in America. Thomson was entirely against the use of poisonous herbs and, despite imprisonment, succeeded in gaining State recognition for his methods in America. In the meantime, herbalism had still flourished in England and was given further assistance by the arrival in this country of Dr. Coffin. Dr. Coffin was a very energetic American who did excellent work despite medical opposition. The amalgamation of Coffin's methods with those of current English herbalism laid the foundation of modern botanic therapy. One of Coffin's distinguished pupils was John Skelton, who left a wealth of literature on herbalism behind him. Coffin's Botanical Journal makes interesting reading. The issue of July 6, 1850, contains a paragraph which is as true today as it was then:—

. . . In early ages, when Man was in a rude state, diseases were uncommon, and, owing to the general physical exercise of the body in the open fields, in the chase, or in the healthful occupation of tilling the earth, those diseases which might by accident be engendered, were soon removed, owing to the pure state of the blood and the strong general tone of the body. In the course of the progress of civilisation, Man gradually sank the physical—the animal man—so as to allow more life to the mental; and acquiring fresh power from improved intellect, indulged gradually in luxuries and unnatural conditions which induced disease. Remedies were sought, and, instead of regulating directly the cause, they blindly overlooked that, and selfishly wished for enjoyment and remedy. In some cases intelligent men endeavoured to cure by prevention, if possible, and where not so, by selecting some of the myriads of vegetable life according to their several qualities. . . .

One of the greatest objections to herbalism has been the use of poisonous plants. Harold Ward in his Herbal Manual (The C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd., Rochford, Essex) says:—

Nevertheless, it is often necessary, in what is called acute disease, to allay symptoms when these extraordinary efforts of the body to expel poisons reach a point which brings too great a strain to bear on the organism. This, herbalism contends, should be done through harmless medicines and other means which co-operate with Nature's normal efforts, and not by the administration of further poisons. It may be asking too much of the organs of elimination to get rid of this additional harmful matter, which would then find lodgment in various parts of the system, so laying the basis for chronic disease.

To a large extent, herbal medicines are used to assist Nature restore the balance of the body. Herbal preventatives, however, are freely available in the lanes and countryside. They play an invaluable part in the natural treatment and prevention of disease; yet it must be admitted that certain botanical remedies are suspect. Officially, lobelia is classed as a poison, but Coffin—who extensively used it—said:—

Lobelia is decidedly the most certain and efficient emetic known, and it is at the same time safe in its operations. Unlike most emetics from the mineral kingdom, it produces its specific effect without corroding the stomach or producing morbid irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane of this organ, which are so common in the use of antimony, zinc, and the sulphate of copper. Lobelia may emphatically be said to "operate in unison with the laws of life."

It can be stated that herbalists arraigned before the courts on charges of causing death by the administration of lobelia have never been convicted. It must be emphasised that, by and large, we ignore the vast collection of natural plants and herbs that can be used to cure and prevent disease. Among the factors allied to the growth of modern patent medicines is the industrialisation of the country, the increase in reading matter containing advertisements of patent medicines, the respect for "science," medical opposition and official discouragement of herbalists. Nonetheless, despite all disadvantages, an inherent respect for botanical remedies exists, and herbalism still flourishes. That it does so is a tribute to its time-honoured efficacy. It would, naturally, be out of the question for every naturopath to be an expert herbalist, as well as everything else. The average naturopath, however, usually enlists the aid of as many natural remedies as possible in the treatment of any single case. For instance, a case of insomnia might be considerably helped by correction of diet and habits, but it would be still further assisted by osteopathic manipulation and remedial baths, etc. Herbal remedies (hops, scullcap, etc.) could, however, be usefully employed as adjuncts to the cure. It goes without saying, too, that every effort would be made to remove fears, doubts and worries that beset the patient's mind and inhibit sleep. From this simple illustration we see that, of necessity—or indeed, it is a virtue—a naturopath is a man of many studies—not the least of which is herbalism. It is impossible for the naturopath entirely to neglect this useful field of natural therapeutics.

CHAPTER XVII

BIOCHEMISTRY

IT will already have been appreciated, from earlier chapters in this book, that many Nature Cure pioneers were born in Germany and adjacent Continental countries. How much one was influenced by the other is difficult to estimate. The biochemic system of medication, which is used as an adjunct by numerous naturopaths, was founded by Dr. W. H. Schuessler. The word "biochemistry" is derived from the Greek bios, meaning "life," and "chemistry." The appellation, however, now covers the following: "that branch of science which treats of the composition of animal and vegetable matter; the process by which the various fluids and tissues are formed; the nature, cause and correction of the abnormal condition called disease." Biochemistry is based upon the fact that all tissue of the body contains, in varying degrees, twelve main mineral salts. Actually, the human body is composed of two kinds of matter— organic and inorganic. The organic substances are sugar, fats and albuminous materials. The inorganic constituents are water and cell-salts, the latter comprising about one-twentieth of the body. The unity of the human organism is such that, without the relatively much smaller inorganic material, the organic would be unable to perform its function. The twelve inorganic mineral salts (previously mentioned in the diet section) are, in the biochemic world, classed as follows:—

Calcarea Fluor. Ferrum Phos. Calcarea Phos. Kali Mur. Calcarea Sulph. Kali Phos. Kali Sulph. Natrum. Phos. Magnesia Phos. Natrum. Sulph. Natrum. Mur. Silicea.

The above should all be present in the diet in sufficient quantities for the maintenance of health. Dr. J. B. Chapman, author of Dr. Schuessler's Biochemistry (New Era Treatment Co., London), writes:

. . . Every disease which afflicts humanity reveals a lack of one or more of these inorganic cell-salts. Health and strength can be maintained only so long as the system is properly supplied with these cell-workers or tissue-builders. . . . Being so small in quantity, the cell-salts have, until lately, been thought to be of little importance. But now it is known that they are the vital portion of the body, the workers, the builders; that water and organic substances are simply inert matter used by these salts in building the cells of the body.

Dr. Schuessler maintained that the inorganic substances in the blood and tissues are sufficient to heal all diseases capable of a cure, and insisted that it was in accord with natural laws. Dr. Chapman writes:—

Any disturbance in the motion of these cell-salts in living tissues, constituting disease, can be rectified and the equilibrium re-established by administering the same salts in small quantities.

From the above it would appear that the biochemist considers that most ailments are deficiency diseases—the deficiencies being manifested in one or more of the cell-salts. This is, of course, an attractive theory; yet deficiency diseases in vitamins and mineral salts are always being recognised, and biochemistry has, without doubt, value in the treatment of disease. The twelve cell-salts included in the biochemic system are, of course, present in the food we eat. It is not without significance that natural, whole wheat grown on natural lines (i.e. without the aid of chemical fertilisers) contains the very same elements that, together, constitute the chemical make-up of the body. The cell-salts present in all food that is produced and consumed in as natural a state as possible are found in microscopic quantities. Nature provides these elements in a form most easily assimilated, that is, in minute quantities readily used by the body. It was, therefore, of little use to put the theory of biochemistry to the test without being able to reproduce the conditions present under natural laws. A method of producing the cell-salts by fine trituration was discovered by Dr. Schuessler, and there is no doubt that the enactment of biochemistry has been beneficial to suffering mankind. It must be emphasised that the biochemic system should be considered only in conjunction with other methods: diet, exercises, correct habits and a general Nature Cure outlook. We must remember that pain is only an indication of disease, whether this disease is due to a deficiency of cell-salts, vitamins or injury. To rectify the deficiency by medication with the appropriate salt or salts would be merely to palliate the symptom, unless adequate measures were taken to see that such deficiencies did not recur. It would, for instance, be helpful in most cases, to take the suitable biochemic preparations for rheumatism or chilblains, but unless other causative factors were removed (bad diet, lack of exercise, excesses, etc.) no permanent or complete cure could be expected. Biochemistry, like all other branches of healing, is but a part of the general scheme of seeking health the natural way.

CHAPTER XVIII

DIAGNOSIS

IT will have been noted from time to time during the reading of this book that reference is more than once made to the debt Nature Cure owes various pioneers who are, or were, medical practitioners. Usually, however, such pioneers were scorned by their own fraternity for stepping out of convention. Insofar as diagnosis goes, however, Nature Cure frankly pays its respects to the medical system. The basic sciences—i.e. anatomy, physiology, pathology, embryology, etc.—are identical. There is no point in denying that the best medical textbooks on these subjects are used for training and guidance. The patient who comes into contact with a Nature Cure practitioner for the first time will find, on a superficial estimate, very little difference between medical and unorthodox diagnosis. There is a difference, however, despite the use of X-rays, urine tests and all other modern devices that may be called upon. One particular difference, perhaps even not apparent, would be the formation of certain questions relating to diet, habits, posture, previous medical treatment, etc. Of more fundamental importance, however, is the interpretation of signs and symptoms of physical disorder. True healing efforts such as diarrhoea, skin eruptions, colds, fevers, etc., would be regarded as indicative of a deeper-seated unbalance of the system and a sign that Nature's reparative efforts are at work. There would be no danger of symptoms pointing to a toxaemia being treated as primary disorders and suppressed. On the contrary, these signs of supra- normal activity of the body would be regarded for what they are—natural healing efforts—and correspondingly dealt with. The family history, so often useful and so frequently misleading, would be considered in a manner not accepted in allopathic practice. For instance, the same environment and similar habits as one's forbears would not necessarily mean that the same family complaint is inevitable. Correction of mistakes common to the parents and the rest of the family, which may quite possibly have been the active cause of the common complaint, is more likely to be detected by the naturopath than the medical practitioner because, in the main, he is more interested in natural factors governing health. Since the majority of naturopaths include osteopathy in their work osteopathic diagnosis would also be employed Particular attention would be given to the spine in the search for lesions that might be the cause of trouble. Such lesions may be the result of violence or injury and, when the spinal lesion is situated in such a manner as to have a bearing upon some internal organ through its innervation from the same spinal area, such association would probably confirm the diagnosis. Secondary lesions arising from some functional derangement which coincide physiologically would again tend to diagnostic confirmation. That is to say, a liver disorder coinciding with a lesion around the eighth, ninth and tenth dorsal vertebrae would be of considerable help in diagnosis. Such measures universally employed in diagnosis—i.e. questions, symptoms, inspection, palpation, percussion, etc.—are sharpened and reinforced by osteopathic diagnosis. This is, of course, still not including all the modern aids in disease detection which science has made available to the naturopath and which are frequently brought into play. What is important to the patient, however, is not so much the naming of a disease as its removal. While it may be of some consolation to know one is only suffering from fibrositis, the patient would undoubtedly feel a great deal happier if this branch of rheumatism were cured. In this respect, the treatment on natural lines would follow closely on that of a second person who had had his ailment confirmed as rheumatism. The result, however, would be the same, since Nature Cure recognises the unity of the body and the comparative unity of disease. The supremacy of Nature Cure methods is due almost entirely to the recognition of the body as a whole and the determination not to waste too much time on the palliation of local symptoms, which, though they may be important in themselves, are only indicative of the general diseased state of the body. The first and last aim in the diagnosis and treatment of disease by natural methods is to find and remove the cause.

CHAPTER XIX

CONCLUSION

IN a narrative of this type, it is of course impossible to embrace every feature of Nature Cure. Much has to be left unsaid; indeed, a proper work on the theory and practice of Naturopathy would occupy several volumes. It does, however, aim at giving the man-in-the-street some idea of the meaning and usefulness of a way of life that offers advancement not merely in health, but also in the understanding that life can be fuller and more interesting. The health we normally enjoy and the health we should enjoy are poles apart. There is one aspect of Nature Cure that we have not touched upon. This concerns the extremes to which it is sometimes subject by people who do accept it. These extremists do the cause small service. Yet we must make some allowance for the extremity of their views because, in most cases, Nature Cure has been the means by which (a) they have either recovered their health through the application of natural methods after years of pain and misery; or (b) their health and prospects have been permanently damaged by allopathy, but have regained a degree of health by natural methods which permits them to lead a tolerable existence only by strict adherence to Nature Cure principles. We must not, of course, overlook that section of born extremists who, if they did not take up Nature Cure, would be attracted to some other unorthodoxy. These, however, are a small minority, and, basically, Nature Cure adherents are a clear- headed section of the public who are able to think for themselves, not ready to accept stereotyped ideas and are attracted by the logic of Nature Cure. There was, undoubtedly, a period when Nature Cure had to be pioneered by extremists and by leaders fired with the enthusiasm of the cause and by the necessity to overcome ridicule, contempt and opposition by sheer force of character. Such hectic days are practically over. Insensate opposition is rapidly declining and Nature Cure is an accepted force. Tacit State recognition has arrived, because public opinion has put sufficient weight behind natural methods to compel the State to give some consideration to unorthodox healing of this type. Nonetheless, despite the fact that Naturopathy will one day have to be fully recognised by both State and Medicine, a lot of the old militant forces ranged against Nature Cure remain. Such opposition as exists must be countered by cold logic. Indisputable facts, however, must be properly presented to carry any weight. In this age of publicity Nature Cure suffers its one failing of lack of public appeal. Certain personalities do get Nature Cure over—we could do with many more of these. Indeed, many famous people who subscribe to Nature Cure views would never consider making these views known publicly. The reluctance on the part of many people, famous and humble, to impart their enthusiasm for Nature Cure to others is, perhaps, understandable. It is curious what diffidence is displayed by many who are attracted by natural methods, yet are most mindful of normal conventions and orthodoxy. Nonetheless, such diffidence has detrimental results on Nature Cure as a whole, for it does not permit a true picture of the effective supporters of Naturopathy. It is very surprising—and gratifying—to discover how Nature Cure has strode ahead in the last few years. One of the questions invariably hurled at the naturopath is: "Look at So-and-So. He's eighty years old and never suffered a day's illness, yet he lives on anything and everything. What do you say about that?" The answer is that old So-and-So must have a tremendous constitution, probably has never worried about a thing in his life and would, in proper natural circumstances, probably live to be one hundred and forty! After all, Old Parr (1483-1635) only died quickly when he was moved from his rough-and-ready, simple existence into the pampered, luxurious life of King Charles's court. It is quite obvious that many old people now existing not only laid the foundation of their good constitutions in the pre- artificial era, but would also live well over the eighty years if natural methods were followed, as has been proved. Crete, for instance, contains a high average of centenarians, and the diet is plain and simple—principally sour milk and fruit. We must not overlook, of course, the effects of improved hygienic and working conditions, which do, to some extent, ameliorate the effects of bad diet and other artificialities. We must once again stress the fact that Nature Cure is not merely a negative approach to disease. To look upon it, as one looks upon allopathy, as a system to be called upon when disease is present or imminent, is entirely misleading. One of the essential differences is that Nature Cure teaches people how to live and how to avoid disease. In conclusion we have to emphasise the individual entity of every person. In doing so we realise that while, within defined limits, we can visualise the reactions that will arise from any given dietetic regime, fast or therapeutic technique, we do not anticipate all reactions to be the same. As proof of this, after having conducted countless numbers of fasts where the tongue has furred (the usual sign), in isolated cases no furring arises and yet elimination still progressed as in normal patients. The same individuality is frequently shown in diet, and we often find that patients will recover or otherwise, despite all our teachings and knowledge. As Kurt Kretschmann said: "He who takes his own body as a guidance in matters of feeding, experiences the collapse of a thousand prejudices and scientific dogma." In so far as idiosyncracies arise, however, we must not overlook the obvious effects of allergic conditions which were mentioned in an earlier chapter. We must not forget, too, that our knowledge of the human organism and how it functions is still very incomplete. Nature Cure, like all other sciences, has much to learn. In this, however, we have to avoid the pitfalls of becoming too scientific and overlooking the simple, elementary details that are part and parcel of the commonsense methods of adopting natural laws for the betterment of health. In a large measure, the failure of allopathy has been due to a condition of developing scientific methods to supplant the natural laws which took thousands upon thousands of years to perfect. Evolution produced the necessary changes through countless generations. Nature always hits back; it is constantly rejecting the attempts by Man to supplant it in every sphere of life—in the fields no less than in human frames. The neurotics, the duodenal ulcers, the arthritics and cancers that pervade all civilised countries are made by Man. We affirm that only by following natural methods to an increasing degree in the production of food, the rearing of children and in our own lives, can health be restored to the community. Nor does this mean foregoing the benefits produced by our higher intelligence, but it does mean the restoration of common sense and the keener awareness of what is "natural" and what, as the popular Press is fond of saying "is a scientific approach." There still lingers an immense instinct for doing the "natural" thing. Pride, fear, superstition and prejudice should not blind our eyes to the real fundamental laws governing existence. Only by obeying these laws can humanity prosper.