Ancient Science of Life, Vol. IV,No.1,July1984,Pages 6-8

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY AND AN ANCIENT PROCEDURE OF KRIYA

JAN ERICK SIGDELL

Gellertstrasse 72, CH-4052 Basel, Switzerland

Received: March 19, 1984 Accepted: April 2, 1984 ABSTRACT: The ancient procedure of is compared here to Dr. Tse-kong young’s modern alternative to the artificial kidney. Both methods are basically the same and the treatment costs almost nothing.

Too little has been done to investigate possible If a hypertonic saline solution is drunk, it will alternatives to the treatment with the kidney become absorbed only in minor quantities in machine, for the following reasons: the intestines. It may even osmotic ally extract fluid, at least locally thus it is passed through 1. The patients depending on the kidney the alimentary canal and, if taken in sufficient machine for their lives are in a quantities, causes a “water diarrhea”. If the vulnerable situation, needing a intake continues, eventually a clear solution is continuous access to, and supply of, expelled through the rectum. Large quantities means of advance technology. In case can be passed this way. Just like in the of catastrophy, war, crisis etc.., such artificial kidney of the dialyzer type, this supply may be reduced, or even solution takes up waste substance from the locally cut off, for a time long enough blood, which diffuses through the intestinal to let most of them die-unless mucosa, with a very high surface area. As a alternative non-technological result, “water diarrhea” turns out to be a approaches are developed for use as practicable way to replace the kidney function. emergency treatment, It needs no special equipment, but only water, 2. The kidney machine is a privilege of salt, some additives and a certain patience a the rich countries, being much too few times a week. expensive for wider use in the so called “third world”. Alternative The solution used by Dr. young has in treatments of a non-technological mEq/litre: 48-60 sodium, 4 pottassium, nature may, however, be very much 2calcium, 40-46 chloride,14-20 bicarbonate, suitable there, due to vastly less costs. plus 180-220 mmols/litre mannitol. It is administered orally in quantities of about 200 One such alternative is developed by Dr.Tse- ml every 5 minutes, for about 3 hours, i.e., a kong young, national Defence medical center, total quantity of about 7 litres is passed. The Taipei, Taiwan, republic of china. The work is treatment is usually done at home 3 times a sponsored by NIH, USA. week. Diarrhea starts about 45 minutes after it is finished. Typical clearance values are about

Pages 6-8 27 ml/min for urea and 7 ml/min for water. Some salt must be added… just enough creatinine; considerably lower than for the so that the water tastes salty… Drink 2 artificial kidney, but obviously sufficient for glasses… as quickly as you are able. Then the patients treated. Dr.Young keeps quite a perform the following 5 8 times each: 2 number of this way, by means of the gastro- varieties of tadasana… kati cakrasana…. intestinal dialysis thus described, which offers Tiryak bhujamgasana… udara karsana .” a cheap and practicable alternative-not only This is repeated. One goes to the toilet and for the so called :development countries, but then repeats drinking and asanas-and so on. also as emergency treatment for dialysis This is continued until after some 15-30 patients, somehow cut off from the artificial glasses only clean water is expelled through kidney. Other alternative non-technological the rectum. Afterwards, one rests for about an methods can allow to discuss them here. hour and then eats some rice with ghee. I have myself performed this effectively and Now the method described will be familiar to experienced it as well practicable. most Indian listeners, a quainted with the ancient method of sankha praksalana- As a conclusion, Dr.Young’s modern alsocalled varisara Dhauti. I have made no alternative to the artificial kidney has been own work on the gastro-intestinal dialysis briefly described and compared to an ancient mentioned. My only contribution is to procedure of kriya yoga, which must have discover this hitherto unnoticed close relation been known for some 3000 years. Basically, between a method developed in mo0rden both methods are the same. The measurable medicine and a kriya yoga procedure known effects of this kriya yoga exercise. In for some 3000 years, or more. This discovery, comparison with the kidney machine, the however, throws new light on the somatic treatment costs almost nothing. effect of the latter the cleansing of the intestines, but also of the blood, and therefore The same method in principle, has also been generally of the body-apart from the effects it used successfully in cases of cholera, with the may have on the suksma sarira. purpose of continuously supplying the bowels from above with liquied to be expelled, so that In 1;17-19,written in ancient this has not to be extracted from the body India, this method was already described:”fill fluids in greater amounts, preventing your mouth with water and drink it slowly. dehydration and demineralization. Move it in the bowel and force it out through the rectum. Varisara is to be kept strictly secret. It cleanses the body and through its practice, one attains a healthy body.”

In a modern text book on yoga, “asana, , , ” by swami satyananda sarasvati, we read: “varisara Dhauti or sankha praksalana:…… a clean bucket….. should be filled with luke warm

Pages 6-8 REFERENCES

1. Sigdell, J.E. “An ancient method of Kriya yoga-a modern alternative to the artificial kidney” , the Indian review, 1979 , October, p. 38-44. 2. Phillips, R.A&al.; “a new approach to the study of gastrointestinal functions in man by an oral lavage method Chinese M.J. 1976 23;85-95. 3. Phillips, R, A Young, T.K, and lee, S.C.: in 10th annual contractors’ conference proceedings, 1977, p.144. 4. Young, T.K.Lee, S.C.and Phillips, R.A.:”Intestinal nitrogen excretion during whole-gut perfusion in chronic uremic patients” Chinese M.J., 1977, 24: 222-228. 5. Young, T.K. and Lee, S.C.:”Gastrointestinal dialysis in the therapy of uremia” Lecture at the 2. Symposium “new technologies of Blood Purification in Uremia” , Wiesbaden, Germany,1977. Oct. 8. 6. Phillips, R. A. Young, T. K. and Lee, S.C.: in 11th Annual contractors’ Conference Proceedings, 1978, p.100. 7. Tang, C. K. et al.: “Home treatment of uremia with gastrointestinal dialysis” Clinical Nephrology 1978, 10(1):21-26. 8. Young, T. K. and Lee, S. C.: “Gastrointestinal dialysis in the therapy of uremia” kidney International, 1978. 13 Suppl. 8:Suppl. 8: S-185-S-187. 9. Young, T.K Lee, S.C. and Tang, C.K: “Diarrhoea therapy of uremia “Clinical Nephrology, 1979, 11(2): 86-91.

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