Historical Research Of Dr. Fred Klenner M.D.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Klenner used Vitamin C extensively in the 1940s to the 1970s.

 

He regularly cured polio and other very serious diseases of the day.

 

Of course his findings were NOT put to use by the medical establishment.

 

Check out the dates on individual papers in the bibliography at the end of

article.

 

This is a 1971 paper on Vitamin C by Dr. Fred Klenner M.D.

 

http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerpaper.html

Journal of Applied Nutrition Vol. 23, No's 3 & 4, Winter 1971Observations On the

Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When Employed Beyond the Range Of A

Vitamin In Human PathologyFrederick R. Klenner, M.D., F.C.C.P.

 

Comment by Robert F. Cathcart, M.D.: This paper repeatedly refers to

intravenous ascorbic acid. My personal experience, my talking with Klenner, and

with his wife, Annie Klenner, who served as his nurse, would indicate that he

means sodium ascorbate. See my article on how to make intravenous C solutions.

I am especially indebted to Annie Klenner for her descriptions of how Fred made

the intravenous solutions of sodium ascorbate.

 

Editor's Note:

Because of the unusually high amounts of ascorbic acid used in Dr. Klenner's

treatment as reported in his paper, we asked him to verify amounts mentioned.

Following is his answer: " To the Editor of the ICAN Journal: This will confirm

that all 'quantity' factors given in my paper are correct and can be confirmed

from hospital and medical office records. The notation relative to 150 grams

represents the amount used for reversing pathology in a given case and was the

amount given over a period of 24 hours. (The I.V. was continuous.) This was

given in three bottles of 5D water, decanting only enough from 1000 c.c. to be

replaced by the 'C' ampoules.

" Recently the FDA has published a 'warning' that too much soda-ascorbate might

be harmful, referring to the sodium ion. In reply to this I can state that for

many years I have taken 10 to 20 grams of sodium ascorbate by mouth daily, and

my blood sodium remains normal. These levels are checked by an approved

laboratory. 20 grams each day and my urine remains at or just above pH 6. "

Signed:

Fred R. Klenner, M.D.

 

 

Body of paper

Summary

Appendix - more case histories

Bibliography

Klenner Biography

 

 

Ancient History and Homespun Vitamin C Therapies

Folklore of past civilizations report that for every disease afflicting man

there is an herb or its equivalent that will effect a cure. In Puerto Rico the

story has long been told " that to have the health tree Acerola in one's back

yard would keep colds out of the front door. " [1] The ascorbic acid content of

this cherry-like fruit is thirty times that found in oranges. In Pennsylvania,

U.S.A., it was, and for many still is, Boneset, scientifically called Eupatorium

perfoliatum[2]. Although it is now rarely prescribed by physicians, Boneset was

the most commonly used medicinal plant of eastern United States. Most farmsteads

had a bundle of dried Boneset in the attic or woodshed from which a most bitter

tea would be meted out to the unfortunate victim of a cold or fever. Having

lived in that section of the country we qualified many times for this particular

drink. The Flu of 1918 stands out very forcefully in that the Klenners survived

when scores about us were dying. Although bitter it was curative and most of the

time the cure was overnight. Several years ago my curiosity led me to assay this

" herbal medicine " and to my surprise and delight I found that we had been taking

from ten to thirty grams of natural vitamin C at one time. Even then it was

given by body weight. Children one cupful; adults two to three cupfuls. Cups

those days held eight ounces. Twentieth century man seemingly forgets that his

ancestors made crude. drugs from various plants and roots, and that these

decoctions, infusions, juices, powders, pills and ointments served his purpose.

Elegant pharmacy has only made the forms and shapes more acceptable.

Early specifications, action and dosages for administrations.

To understand the chemical behavior of ascorbic acid in human pathology, one

must go beyond its present academic status either as a factor essential for life

or as a substance necessary to prevent scurvy. This knowledge is elementary.

Listen to what appeared in Food and Life Yearbook 1939, U.S. Department of

Agriculture[3]: " In fact even when there is not a single outward symptom of

trouble, a person may be in a state of vitamin C deficiency more dangerous than

scurvy itself. When such a condition is not detected, and continues uncorrected,

the teeth and bones will be damaged, and what may be even more serious, the

blood stream is weakened to the point where it can no longer resist or fight

infections not so easily cured as scurvy. " It is true that without these

infinitesimal amounts myriads of body processes would deteriorate and even come

to a fatal halt.

 

Ascorbic acid has many important functions. It is a powerful oxidizer and when

given in massive amounts; that is, 50 grams to 150 grams, intravenously, for

certain pathological conditions, and " run in " as fast as 20 Gauge needle will

allow, it acts as a " Flash Oxidizer, " [4] often correcting the pathology within

minutes. Ascorbic acid is also a powerful reducing agent. Its neutralizing

action on certain toxins, exotoxins, virus infections, endotoxins and histamine

is in direct proportion to the amount of the lethal factor involved and the

amount of ascorbic acid given. At times it is necessary to use ascorbic acid

intramuscularly. It should always be used orally, when possible, along with the

needle. Scurvy historically the target; today's goal of high blood levels to

cope with self-induced abuses and physiological traumas.

If one is to employ ascorbic acid intelligently, some index for requirements

must be realized. Unfortunately there exists today a sort of " brand " called

" minimum daily requirements. " This illegitimate " child " has been co-fathered by

the National Academy of Science and The National Research Council and represents

a tragic error in judgment. There are many factors which increase the demand by

the body for ascorbic acid, and unless these are appreciated, at least by

physicians, there can be no real progress. It is vitally important that

cognizance be taken of the demand by the body for ascorbic acid far beyond

so-called scorbutic levels. Briefly these demands can be summarized:

 

The age of the individual;

Habits -- such as smoking, the use of alcohol, playing habits;

Sleep, especially when induced artificially;

Trauma.-- trauma caused by a pathogen, the trauma of work, the trauma of

surgery, the trauma to the body produced accidentally or intentionally;

Kidney threshold;

Environment;

Physiological stress;

Season of the year;

Loss in the stool;

Variations in individual absorption;

Variations in " binders " in commercial tablets;

Body chemistry;

Drugs;

Pesticides;

Body weight;

Inadequate storage.

Flexible dosage standards explained as minimal standards.

With such knowledge it is no longer possible to accept a set numerical unit in

terms of minimal daily requirements. This is true because of the simple fact

that people are different and these same people experience different situations

at various times. With ascorbic acid, today's adequate supply means little or

nothing in terms of the needs for tomorrow. Let us start thinking in terms of

maximum requirements. For too long a time we have under supplied our children

and ourselves by accepting through negative ignorance and acquiescence so-called

standards. Based on scant data on mammalian synthesis, available for the rat, a

70-Kg. individual would produce 1.8 grams[5] to 4.0 grams[6] of ascorbic acid

per day in the unstressed condition. Under stress, up to 15.2 grams.[7] Compare

this to the 70 mg recommended for daily requirements without stress and 200 mg

for the simple stress of the obstetrical patient, and you will recognize the

disparity and understand why we have been waging a one man war against the

establishment in Washington for 23 years.

Ascorbic acid not synthesized by man

Work on mammalian biosynthesis of ascorbic acid indicates that the vitamin C

story as is generally accepted represents an oversimplification of available

evidence.[8,9,10] This often leads to misinterpretations and false impressions.

It has been proposed that the biochemical lesion which produces the human need

for exogenous sources of ascorbic acid, is the absence of the active enzyme,

l-gulonolactone oxidase from the human liver[11]. A defect or loss of the gene

controlling the synthesis of this enzyme in man, blocks the final phase in the

series for converting glucose to ascorbic acid. Virus can mutate cells, X-Rays

can do it and it can occur by chance. Such a mutation could have happened,

denying all progenies of this mutated animal the ability to produce ascorbic

acid. Survival demanded ascorbic acid from an exogenous source. This is not

remarkable. Other recognized genetic diseases in which a missing enzyme causes a

pathological syndrome, in man, are phenylketonuria, galactosemia and

alkaptonuria.

 

It is worthy to note that Sealock and Goodland have ascribed to ascorbic acid

the faculty of being the necessary co-enzyme in the metabolic oxidation of

tyrosine. The velocity of the oxidation in this reaction is dependent upon the

concentration of vitamin C. Tyrosine is essential in breaking down protein to

usable amino acid. The scorbutic guinea-pig's liver is unable to oxidize

tyrosine except in the presence of ascorbic acid. This suggests a lead in the

study of the metabolic abnormality Alkaptonuria in humans. Ascorbic acid

administration will correct the alkaptonuria of the scorbutic guinea pig. Its

effect on human alkaptonuria has been inconsistent. The reason: Inadequate use

of ascorbic acid. Biochemist Irwin Stones' concept has practical value

The inability of man to manufacture his own ascorbic acid, due to genetic fault,

has been called " hypoascorbemia " by Irwin Stone.[12] This is another reason for

abolishing the present concept of daily minimal requirements. The physiological

requirements in man are no different from other mammals capable of carrying out

this synthesis.

Various procedures testing for the vitamin C levels and Requirements of the

body.

Various tests have been employed to determine the degree of body saturation of

vitamin C, but for the most part they have been misleading. Blood and urine

samples analyzed with 2:6 dichlorophenol indophenol will give values roughly 7

percent less than when testing with dinitrophenol hydrazine. Gothlin advocates

the capillary fragility test which is similar to the tourniquet test of Hess in

results. Both can be used to estimate the quantity of vitamin C necessary to

maintain capillary integrity. The intradermal test of Rotter as modified by

Slobody[13] is again gaining new recruits. In principle it is the same as the

lingual test of Ringdorf and Cheraskin[14] since both are based on the time

required to decolorize dye. The lingual test is rapid and simple to perform but

it requires a syringe with a 25 gauge needle and a stop watch. Since the dye

methods depend on the reduction of the reagent by vitamin C, any substance

having a reducing potential lower than the dye is a possible source of

interference. Twenty years ago we elected to measure, as a therapeutic gauge,

the amount of vitamin C in urine by borrowing on its ability to reduce

qualitative Benedict's solution. A 2 plus Benedict's reaction in a known

dextrose free urine was accepted as a standard. This test was helpful in gauging

requirements for simple stress, but not accurate enough when using needle

therapy. Fifteen years ago we developed the Silver Nitrate-Urine test[15]. This

test employs 10 drops of 5 percent silver nitrate and 10 drops urine which is

placed in a Wasserman tube. When read in two minutes it will give a color

pattern showing white, beige, smoke gray or charcoal or various combinations of

any two depending upon the degree of saturation. We have found this color index

test is all one will need for establishing the correct amount of ascorbic acid

to use by mouth, by muscle, by vein in the handling of all types of human

pathology either as the specific drug or as an adjuvant with other antibiotics

or neutralizing chemicals. In severe pathological conditions the urine sample,

taken every four hours, must show a fine charcoal-like precipitation with a

clear supernatant liquid if positive clinical results are to be realized.

Spilling in the urine is not new. Abraham and Keefer have demonstrated that when

penicillin is injected intravenously, excretions in the urine account for 60

percent of the administered dose.

Role played by ascorbic acid in intercellular reactions, neutralizing, possibly

controlling virus production.

In 1935 Stanley isolated a crystalline protein possessing the properties of

tobacco mosaic virus. It contained two substances, ribonucleic acid (RNA) and

protein. The simple structure characteristic of tobacco mosaic virus was soon

found to be a basic property of many human viruses such as coxsackie virus

(which I believe to be the cause of Multiple Sclerosis), Echoviruses and

polioviruses - they all contain only ribonucleic acid and protein. There exist

minor variations. Adenoviruses contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein.

Other viruses such as that causing influenza contain added lipid and

polysaccharides. Deoxyribonucleic acid is used to program the large viruses,

like mumps, ribonucleic acid is used to program the small viruses, like measles.

The role of the protein coat is to protect the parasitic but unstable nucleic

acid as it rides the " blood highway " or " lymphatic system " to gain specific cell

entry. Pure viral nucleic acid without its protein coat can be inactivated by

constituents of normal blood. There are several theories as to what happens

after cell entry:

 

Once inside a given cell. the virus nucleic acid sheds its protein coat and

proceeds to modify the host cell by either creating mutations or by directly

substituting its own nucleic acid;

The infectious nucleic acid, after entering a human cell, retains its protein

coat and starts to produce its own type protein coat[16] and viral nucleic acid,

so that new units can either depart to enter other cells or by destruction of

the cell, thus making the infection more severe;

The introduction of a foreign fragment of nucleic acid in the cell-virus

interaction approach as postulated by Starr[17]. In the Starr theory there can

exist cells with partial chromosome make-up and cells with multi-nuclei. Hiliary

Kropowski holds that these partial cells are 'pseudo-virons'[18] and are found

in some tumor-virus infections. A key factor in the Starr-Kropowski thinking is

that the cell maintains its biological integrity to support virus development

despite the abnormal morphology and genetic deficiency. If these invaded cells

could be destroyed or the invader neutralized the illness would suddenly

terminate. Ascorbic acid has the capability of entering all cells. Under normal

circumstances its presence is beneficial to the cell, however, when the cell has

been invaded by a foreign substance, like virus nucleic acid, enzymatic action

by ascorbic acid contributes to the breakdown of virus nucleic acid to adenosine

deaminase which converts adenosine to inosine. The net result is to lead to

purines which are extensively catabolized and not to p+urines which are utilized

for further nucleic acid. Ascorbic acid also joins with the available virus

protein, making a new macromolecule which acts as the repressor factor. It has

been demonstrated that when combined with the repressor, the operator gene,

virus nucleic acid, cannot react with any other substance and cannot induce

activity in the structural gene, therefore inhibiting the multiplication of new

virus bodies. The tensile strength of the cell membrane is exceeded by these

macromolecules with rupture and destruction. Another hypothesis is that vitamin

C acts to create new " L " viruses which are impotent. Still another, that the

" binding " alone is sufficient to destroy the virus.

Promptness of massive ascorbic acid in avoiding fatal encephalitis related to

stubborn head and chest colds.

In 1953[19] we presented a case history and films of a patient with virus

pneumonia. This patient was unconscious, with a fever of 106.8°F (A. corrected)

when admitted to the hospital. 140 grams ascorbic acid was given intravenously

over a period of 72 hours at which time she was awake, sitting up in bed and

taking fluids freely by mouth. The temperature was normal. Since that time we

have observed a more deadly syndrome associated with a virus causing head and

chest colds. This is one of the adenovirus striking in the area of the upper

respiratory tract with resulting fever, sore throat and eyes, and when in

children can cause fatal pneumonia. More often death is indirect by way of

incipient encephalitis where the child can be dead in 30 minutes. These are the

babies and children found dead in bed and attributed to suffocation [sIDS,

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome]. It is suffocation but by way of a syndrome we

observed and reported in 1957[20] which is similar to that found in cephalic

tetanus-toxemia culminating in diaphragmatic spasm, with dyspnea and finally

asphyxia.[21]By 1958[22] we had collected sufficient information from our office

and hospital patients to catalog this deadly syndrome Into two important stages.

 

Stage 1

There is always a history of having had the " Flu " which lasted 48 to 96

hours complicated with extreme physical or mental distress; or

A mild cold, similar to an allergic rhinitis, which lingered on for

several weeks but did not incapacitate the individual.

 

Stage 2, which is always sudden, will present itself in at least seven forms:

Convulsive seizures;

Extreme excitability resembling delirium tremens if an adult and with

dancing of the eyeballs if a child;

Severe chill;

Strangling in the course of eating or drinking (bulbar type);

Collapse;

Stupor;

Hemiplegic type.

 

 

Other findings of this dramatic second stage are:

 

Rapid pulse;

Temperature can be normal, moderately elevated or high;

Respirations twice to three times normal and in some cases will be suggestive

of air hunger;

Pupils will be moderately open and in some instances (hemiplegic) one will be

markedly dilated;

Urine negative;

The white blood count running from 6,000 to 25,000 with a high poly count in

the differential;

Young patients starting the second phase with a convulsion there has been not

only a history of normal bowel movements but also an enema given at the time of

first examination has produced a normal stool;

Bladder sphincter control was abnormal in our cases who convulsed or who were

in coma.

Neurological Changes

It is apparent that the second stage of this syndrome is triggered by a

breakthrough at the site of the blood-brain barrier. The time required for

neurological changes to become evident is roughly comparable to the time

necessary for similar neuropathology to be demonstrated following a severe head

injury. Cerebral edema exists in both conditions. In my practice I start massive

ascorbic acid therapy immediately. I have seen children dead in from 30 minutes

to 2 hours because their attending physician was not impressed with their

illness upon hospital admission. An autopsy on one of these patients showed

bilateral pneumonitis - all one needs to spark a deadly encephalitis. To

indicate just how common this syndrome presents itself, I relate here a

newspaper account of a 15 year old girl who had a mild, lingering cold for

several weeks. She attended a dance party one evening and except for a complaint

of feeling extremely tired, she went to bed apparently well. She was found dead

in bed the following morning. An autopsy showed bilateral pneumonia. How many

times have you read such an account? This is why it is necessary for everybody

to take adequate supplemental vitamin C to guard against such disasters.

Literature Research

In 1960 we decided to research the literature before writing our paper. " Virus

Encephalitis As A Sequel Of The Pneumonias. " [22] Rosenfield in 1903 described a

similar syndrome under the caption " Brain Purpura or Hemorrhagic Encephalitis. "

Comby, in 1907, was the first to call attention to the interesting " metastic "

sequela of the pneumonias. Baker and Noran in 1945 enumerated five groups, each

showing certain definite clinical characteristics which may be of both

diagnostic and prognostic significance in relation to this virus syndrome. [23]

 

Symptoms of a nonspecific nature - headache, vomiting, irritability;

Delirious type;

Convulsive type;

Lethargic type;

Hemiplegic type.

 

These groups plus two additional types, namely:

 

Chill - blood invasion type;

Collapse,

 

were as we reported them, independently, in the Tri-State Medical Journal,

October 1958. Their results: Some recovered, some died and still others lived as

" vegetation " mental cripples. All of our patients recovered. Thirteen years from

the time of the Baker-Noran report to the time of our report and 13 years from

the time of our report to the present time. This makes the issue urgent.

Physicians must recognize the inherent danger of the lingering head or chest

cold and appreciate the importance of early massive vitamin C therapy.

How does the brain become involved in encephalitis?--some speculations.

Clinical problems such as these groups present, leads one to speculate on the

pathways in which the virus gains entrance into the brain. We can summarize:

 

Through the olfactory nerves;

Through the portals of the stomach from material swallowed, either pulmonary

or upper respiratory drainage;

Direct extension from otitis media or from mastoid cells;

The blood stream. Arriving in the brain the virus goes through the blood

cerebrospinal fluid barrier and/or the blood brain barrier by one of three ways:

Electrical charge;

Chemical lysis of tissue;

Osmosis.

 

 

Bakay[24] reported that the permeability of the blood-brain barrier can be

changed by introducing various toxic agents into the blood circulation. Chambers

and Zweifach[25] emphasized the importance of the intercellular cement of the

capillary wall in regulating permeability of the blood vessels of the central

nervous system. In this syndrome the toxic substance is an adenovirus. Ascorbic

acid will repair and maintain the integrity of the capillary wall.

Burns - degrees explained and some therapy rational.

In the treatment of burns ascorbic acid, in sufficient amounts, reflects itself

as a truly miracle substance. In the early forties, when I was using ascorbic

acid, intramuscularly, in treating bacillary dysentery, shiga type, with

excellent results, Lund, Lam and many others were using, what they called,

massive doses of ascorbic acid in the treatment of burns. One or two grams each

day, in fluids, was the recognized dose. Burns are at the beginning first degree

and some remain as just an erythema. Many times the first degree burn progresses

rapidly to the second degree stage and remains as " blisters " . Still others go on

to third degree which usually is more pronounced on the third-plus post-burn

day. There is a fourth stage which results from lack of knowledge in treatment.

It terminates with skin grafting and plastic surgery. We believe that ascorbic

acid will eliminate the fourth stage and the third stage if used as we will

later program.

Burns - continued descriptive and related therapies.

The pathologic physiology of a burn wound from the moment of the accident is in

a state of dynamic change until the wound heals or the patient dies. The primary

consideration is the phenomenon of blood sludging originally recognized by

Knisely in 1945.[26,27] Initially there is intravascular agglutination of red

blood cells into distinctly visible, smooth, hard, rigid, basic masses. Lofstrom

in 1959 demonstrated that the oxygen uptake by the tissues is greatly reduced

because of the sludging and therefore reduced rate of flow. Berkeley[28] in 1960

concluded that this phenomenon of sludging or agglutination results in capillary

thrombosis in the area of the burn, extending proximally to involve the large

arterioles and venules and thereby creating tissue destruction greater than that

originally produced by the burn. Anoxia produces added tissue destruction. Lund

and Levenson[28] found that after severe burns there is considerable alteration

in the metabolism of ascorbic acid as shown by a low concentration of ascorbic

acid in the plasma either with the patient fasting or after saturation tests and

also low urinary excretion of vitamin C either with the patient fasting or after

the injection of test doses. The extent of the abnormality closely paralleled

the severity of the burn. Bergman[30] reported an increase demand for ascorbic

acid in burns especially when epithelization and formation of granulation tissue

are taking place. Lam[31] also reported in 1941 a marked decrease in the plasma

ascorbic acid concentration in patients with severe burns. Klasson[32] although

limiting the amount of ascorbic acid to a dose range of 300 mg to 2000 mg daily,

in divided doses, found that it hastened the healing of wounds by producing

healthy granulation tissue and also that it reduced local edema. He rationalized

that ascorbic acid used locally as a 2% dressing possessed astringent properties

similar to hydrogen peroxide. He also reported that antibiotic therapy was

rarely necessary.

Severe burns and related therapy.

Harlen Stone[33] suggested the use of gentamicin in major burns to lower the

sepsis caused by pseudomonas. Absorption of its exotoxin from the infected burn

wound inhibits the bacterial defense mechanism of the reticuloendothelial

system. Death can result either from the toxemia alone or from an associated

septicemia. We have found that the secret in treating burns can be summarized in

five steps:

 

The use of the " old covered wagon " type cradle when indicated, with three 25

watt bulbs. The patient controls the heat by turning on and off the first bulb

as needed to keep warm. No garments or dressings are allowed;

The employment of a 3% ascorbic acid solution as a spray over the entire area

of the burn. The spray can be applied with a Devilbis unit using an ordinary

portable pressure pump. The old type " flit gun " can also be used or even a 50

c.c. syringe with a 20 gauge needle. The 3% solution is used every 2 to 4 hours

for a period of roughly five days;

The use of vitamin A and D ointment over the area of the burn and this is now

alternated, q4h with the 3% ascorbic acid solution;

The administration of massive doses of ascorbic acid by vein and by mouth.

500 mg per Kg. body weight diluted to at least 18 c.c. per gram vitamin C using

5% dextrose in water, saline in water or Ringers solution and for the initial

injection, run in as fast as a 20 gauge needle or catheter will carry the flow.

Cut-downs are frequently necessary and the foot-ankle area is recommended.

Vitamin C solution is repeated every 8 hours for the first several days, then at

12 hour intervals. Ascorbic acid, by mouth, is given to tolerance. Loose stools

is accepted as this index. Using large doses of ascorbic acid I.V. will

necessitate the administration of at least one gram calcium gluconate, daily, to

replace free calcium ions removed in the breakdown chemical action as ascorbic

acid goes to dehydroascorbic acid, then to ketogulonic acid and later to oxalic

acid as the calcium salt;

Supportive treatment; that is, whole blood and maintaining electrolyte

balance.

 

If seen early after the burn there will be no infections and no eschar

formations. This eliminates fluid formation, since the eschar traps will not

exist and there will be no distal edema because the venous and lymphatic systems

will remain open. There will be no arterial obstruction and no nerve

compression. Pseudomonas will not be a problem, since ascorbic acid destroys the

exotoxin systemically and locally. Even if the burn is seen late when

pseudomonas is a major problem the gram negative bacilli will be destroyed in a

few days leaving a clean healthy surface. I have seen eschars 2 inches wide and

1/2 inch thick, severely infected so that stench had to be controlled with

deodorizing sprays, melt away when employing the method outlined. Ascorbic acid

also eliminates pain so that opiates or their equivalent are not required. In

extremely extensive burns that involve back and front of the patient, the

" Hoverbed " [35] employed by the British should be considered. It uses the same

principle as the hovercraft to lift a solid object. What has been overlooked in

burns is that there are many living epithelial cells in the areas that grossly

look like " raw muscle. " With the use of ascorbic acid these cells are kept

viable, will multiply and soon meet with other proliferating units in the

establishment of a new integument.

Regarding personal and environmental pollution-carbon monoxide.

We are all plagued with varying degrees of chronic carbon monoxide poisoning.

This is the price we pay for putting our " railroads " on our highways, smoking

and being too lazy to walk. Small amounts of carbon monoxide, if constantly

maintained in the alveoli, can produce serious effects. Carbon monoxide in the

inspired air leads to oxygen deficiency in the tissues causing extreme

exhaustion. The affinity of carbon monoxide for hemoglobin is roughly 300 times

as great as that for oxygen. In addition to active replacement of oxy-hemoglobin

the presence of some proportion of carboxy-hemoglobin decreases the

dissociability of such oxy-hemoglobin as remains. Carbon monoxide can be

released from hemoglobin if the patient is exposed to high pressure of oxygen,

93% along with 7% carbon dioxide. This is not always available. Ascorbic acid in

the blood is constantly losing molecules of water. Perfectly dry carbon monoxide

and oxygen cannot unite to form carbon dioxide, but carbon monoxide and water

may give rise to carbon dioxide in the complete absence of oxygen. The reactions

which take place are CO + H2O = HCOOH CO2 + H2 (Wright). Here the oxygen of the

water has been used to oxidize carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide with the

liberation of hydrogen. Glutathione may facilitate this cellular oxidation by

acting as a hydrogen acceptor (Hopkins). Clinical experience suggests that if

sufficient ascorbic acid is suddenly placed into the blood stream - 12 grams to

50 grams - that through " Flash Oxidation " a concentration of oxygen is made high

enough to pull carbon monoxide from hemoglobin to form carbon dioxide. This

rapidly formed carbon dioxide acts with the high oxygen tension to serve the

same purpose as when given by " mask, " further enhancing the chemical action

taking place. Ascorbic acid will also prevent residuals such as paralysis,

blindness, interference with sensations, muscle spasms or twitchings which in

some cases can be permanent.

Primary and lasting benefits in pregnancy.

Observations made on over 300 consecutive obstetrical cases using supplemental

ascorbic acid, by mouth, convinced me that failure to use this agent in

sufficient amounts in pregnancy borders on malpractice. The lowest amount of

ascorbic acid used was 4 grams and the highest amount 15 grams each day.

(Remember the rat-no stress manufactures equivalent " C " up to 4 grams and with

stress up to 15.2 grams). Requirements were roughly 4 grams first trimester, 6

grams second trimester and 10 grams third trimester. Approximately 20 percent

required 15 grams, each day, during last trimester. Eighty percent of this

series received a booster injection of 10 grams, intravenously, on admission to

the hospital. Hemoglobin levels were much easier to maintain. Leg cramps were

less than three percent and always was associated with " getting out " of Vitamin

C tablets. Striae gravidarum was seldom encountered and when it was present

there existed an associated problem of too much eating and too little walking.

The capacity of the skin to resist the pressure of an expanding uterus will also

vary in different individuals. Labor was shorter and less painful. There were no

postpartum hemorrhages. The perineum was found to be remarkably elastic and

episiotomy was performed electively. Healing was always by first intention and

even after 15 and 20 years following the last child the firmness of the perineum

is found to be similar to that of a primigravida in those who have continued

their daily supplemental vitamin C. No patient required catheterization. No

toxic manifestations were demonstrated in this series. There was no cardiac

stress even though 22 patients of the series had rheumatic hearts. One patient

in particular was carried through two pregnancies without complications. She had

been warned by her previous obstetrician that a second pregnancy would terminate

with a maternal death. She received no ascorbic acid with her first pregnancy.

This lady has been back teaching school for the past 10 years. She still takes

10 grams of ascorbic acid daily. Infants born under massive ascorbic acid

therapy were all robust. Not a single case required resuscitation. We

experienced no feeding problems. The Fultz quadruplets were in this series. They

took milk nourishment on the second day. These babies were started on 50 mg

ascorbic acid the first day and, of course, this was increased as time went on.

Our only nursery equipment was one hospital bed, an old, used single unit hot

plate and an equally old 10 quart kettle. Humidity and ascorbic acid tells this

story. They are the only quadruplets that have survived in southeastern United

States. Another case of which I am justly proud is one in which we delivered 10

children to one couple. All are healthy and good looking. There were no

miscarriages. All are living and well. They are frequently referred to as the

vitamin C kids, in fact all of the babies from this series were called " Vitamin

C Babies " by the nursing personnel--they were distinctly different.

How concerned should we be about oxalic acid and kidney stones? A technical

explanation.

One of the " scare " weapons used by the critics on high daily doses of ascorbic

acid is the oxalic acid-kidney stone hypothesis. Meakins[36] states that the

chief factors in the formation of renal calculi are perversions of metabolic

processes, infection and stasis in the urinary tract. There are two schools of

thought on stone formation: 1) That there is a central nucleus of colloids on

which the crystalloids are precipitated; 2) That the crystalloids are deposited

from the urine in which they are present in concentrated solution, in which salt

and hydrogen ion concentrations are important factors. In all cases stasis and a

concentrated urine appear to be the chief physiological factors. The only way

that oxalic acid can be produced from ascorbic acid is through splitting of the

lactone ring. This happens above pH5. The reaction of urine when 10 grams of

vitamin C is taken daily is usually pH6. Oxalic acid precipitates out of

solution only from a neutral or alkaline solution-pH7 to pH10. Kelli and

Zilva[37] reported that " Nutrition experiments showed that dehydroascorbic acid

is protected in vivo from rapid transformation to the antiscorbutically impotent

diketogulonic acid from which oxalic acid is derived. " Values reported in the

literature for normal 24 hour urinary oxalate excretions for humans range from

14 mg to 56 mg. Lamden et al.[38] found in a group of volunteers that the

ingestion of 9 grams ascorbic acid daily resulted in oxalate spills as high as

68 mg for 24 hours and in the controls without extra vitamin C the high was 64

mg for a 24 hour period.

 

These critics have overlooked the individual with diabetes mellitus. The amount

of oxalic acid found in the diabetic patient approximates that found in the

urine of a normal person taking 10 grams vitamin C each day. With the diabetic

we find a paradox. Give this individual 10 grams ascorbic acid daily, by mouth,

and the urinary oxalate excretion remains relatively unchanged. Diabetics are

known for their diuresis. The individual who takes 10 or more grams of vitamin C

each day will find that this organic compound is an excellent diuretic. No

urinary stasis; no urine concentration.

The ascorbic acid kidney stone story is a myth. Methylene blue will dissolve

calcium oxalate stones giving 65 mg orally 2 to 3 times a day. (Dr. M. J. Vernon

Smith: Med. World News, Dec. 4, 1970) Why death from insect and snake bites?

It is estimated that 6500 deaths occur each year in the United States from snake

bite. Many more from various flying insects, spiders, certain plants and some

caterpillars.These are needless deaths. Several factors are at work in these

pathologies:

 

The tox-albumin of the snake bite, like the copperhead or rattler;

Formic acid plus a toxin with a protein cover, called proteotoxin by

Arthus,[39] such as found in bees and wasps;

Neurotoxin from the Black Widow, the Fiddle Spider and snakes like the Cobra

and Coral;

Production of histamine, especially in the more severe stings and bites.

 

Wells[40] in 1925 called the poison of certain spiders and snakes zootoxins and

of poisonous plants, phytotoxins.Ford[41] in 1911 reported three classes of

toxins in plants and fungi:

 

Nerve poisons-muscarine;

Those causing structural changes in the viscera with resulting fatty

degeneration;

Gastrointestinal irritants.

Ascorbic acid to the rescue.

It is a demonstrated principle that the production of histamine and other end

products from deaminized cell proteins released by injury to cells are a cause

of shock. The clinical value of ascorbic acid in combating shock is explained

when we realize that the deaminizing enzymes from the damaged cells are

inhibited by vitamin C.[42]It has been shown by Chambers and Pollock[43] that

mechanical damage to a cell results in pH changes which reverse the cell enzymes

from constructive to destructive activity. The pH changes spread to other cells.

This destructive activity releases histamine a major shock producing substance.

The presence of vitamin C inhibits this enzyme transition into the destructive

phase. Clark and Rossiter[44] reported that conditions of shock and stress cause

depletion of the ascorbic acid content of the plasma. As with the virus bodies,

ascorbic acid also joins with the protein factor of these toxins effecting quick

destruction.

 

The answer to these emergencies is simple. Large amounts of ascorbic acid 350 mg

to 700 mg per Kg. body weight given intravenously. In small patients, where

veins are at a premium, ascorbic acid can easily be given intramuscularly in

amounts up to two grams at one site. Several areas can be used with each dose

given. Ice held to the gluteal muscles until red, almost eliminates the pain. We

always reapply the ice for a few minutes after the injection. Ascorbic acid is

also given, by mouth, as follow-up treatment. Every emergency room should be

stocked with vitamin C ampoules of sufficient strength so that time will never

be counted-as a factor in saving a life. The 4 gram, 20 c.c, ampoule and 10 gram

50 c.c. ampoule must be made available to the physician. A case history-success

due to promptness with a twelve gram injection.

As an example of the lethal effect of certain stings and bites, I briefly relate

a case history. An adult male came to my office complaining of severe chest pain

and the inability to take a deep breath. Stated that he had been " stung " or

" bitten " 10 minutes earlier. Thinking that it was a Black Widow and not

bothering to look for fang marks, due to the gravity of the situation, I gave

one gram calcium gluconate intravenously. This gave no relief. He begged for

help saying he was dying. He was becoming cyanotic [blue or livid skin from lack

of oxygen]. Twelve grams of vitamin C was quickly pulled into a 50 c.c. syringe

and with a 20 gauge needle was given intravenously as fast as the plunger could

be pushed. Even before the injection was completed, he exclaimed, " Thank God " .

The poison had been neutralized that rapidly. He was sent home to locate the

" culprit " . He soon returned with an object that looked like a mouse. It was 1

1/2 inches long with long brown hair. There was a dark ridge down the entire

back. It had seven pairs of propelling units and a tail much like a mouse. The

following day I took " The Thing " to Duke University where it was identified as

the Puss Caterpillar. This unusual caterpillar left 44 red raised marks on the

back of its victim. Except for vitamin C this individual would have died from

shock and asphyxiation.

Some concern answered regarding high dosage of ascorbic acid.

Merton Lamden, a biochemist, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine,

Feb. 11, 1971, expresses grave doubts about the safety of large doses of

ascorbic acid taken by mouth. He gives a report by Paterson[45] on the

diabetogenic effect of dehydroascorbic acid on rats. Paterson in 1950 employed

only the Ketone formula of ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, which he

administered, undiluted, intravenously, in extraordinary amounts. His results

were based on giving rats, weighing 100 grams to 120 grams, dehydroascorbic acid

in doses from 20 to 50 mg. This transposed to a man weighing 70 kilograms would

represent a dose of 3,500 grams-roughly 5,000 grams ascorbic acid. Obviously the

work has no relationship with the ingestion of ascorbic acid by humans. I have

taken from 10 to 20 grams of ascorbic acid daily since my last visit to this

college - 18 years ago. I do not have diabetes mellitus and if I might digress a

moment, neither have I had a kidney stone.

Diabetes mellitus response to 10 grams ascorbic acid by mouth.

Over the past 17 years we have studied the effect of 10 grams by mouth, in

patients with diabetes mellitus. We found that every diabetic not taking

supplemental vitamin C could be classified as having sub-clinical scurvy. For

this reason they find it difficult to heal wounds. The diabetic patient will use

the supplemental vitamin C for better utilization of his insulin. It will assist

the liver in the metabolism of carbohydrates and to reinstate his body to heal

wounds like normal individuals. We found that 60% of all diabetics could be

controlled with diet and 10 grams ascorbic acid daily. The other 40% will need

much less needle insulin and less oral medication. Contrary to what Medical News

Letter, (Vol. 12 # 26, Dec. 25 1970) carried to the physicians the Tes-Tape is

accurate in testing urine samples.

Observations following post-surgery cases on blood plasma levels of ascorbic

acid. Deduction is evident of the need for substantial amounts of ascorbic acid

prior to surgery.

In 1960 and again in 1966, in papers delivered before the Tri-State Medical

Society, I called attention to the " scurvy " levels of ascorbic acid found in

postoperative patients. Plasma levels recorded before starting anesthesia and

after cessation of such inhalants and completion of surgery remained unchanged.

This has lead many to believe that surgery created little or no demand for

supplemental " C " . We found, however, that samples of blood taken six hours after

surgery showed drops of approximately 1/4 the starting amount and at 12 hours

the levels were down to one-half. Samples taken 24 hours later, without added

ascorbic acid to fluids, showed levels 3/4 lower than the original samples.

Baylor University research team reported similar findings in 1965. Bartlett,

Jones[48] and others reported that in spite of low levels of plasma ascorbic

acid at time of surgery, normal wound healing may be produced by adequate

vitamin C therapy during the post-operative period. Lanman and Ingalls[47]

showed that the tensile strength of healing wounds is lowered in the presence of

" scurvy plasma levels " . Schumacher[48] reported that the preoperative use of as

little as 500 mg of vitamin C given orally " was remarkably successful in

preventing shock and weakness " following dental extractions. Many other

investigators have shown in both laboratory and clinical studies, that optimal

primary wound healing is dependent to a large extent upon the vitamin C content

of the tissues.

 

In 1949, it was my privilege to assist at an abdominal exploratory laparotomy. A

mass of small viscera was found " glued together " . The area was so friable that

every attempt at separation produced a torn intestine. After repairing some 20

tears the surgeon closed the cavity as a hopeless situation. Two grams ascorbic

acid was given by syringe every two hours for 48 hours and then 4 times each

day. In 36 hours the patient was walking the halls and in seven days was

discharged with normal elimination and no pain. She has outlived her surgeon by

many years. We recommend that all patients take 10 grams ascorbic acid each day.

Where this is not done and the surgery is elective, then 10 grams by mouth

should be given for several weeks prior to surgery. At least 30 grams should be

given, daily, in solutions, post-operatively, until oral medication is allowed

and tolerated. Mononucleosis aided by ascorbic acid.

After studying hundreds of college students, Yale researchers have evidence that

strengthens the link between mononucleosis and Epstein-Barr virus, a herpes-like

agent also associated with Burkitt lymphoma.[49] Large doses of intravenous " C "

has a striking influence on the course of mononucleosis. In one patient who was

given the last rites of her church, the girls mother took things into her own

hands when the attending physician refused to give ascorbic acid. In each bottle

of intravenous fluids she would quickly " tap in " 20 to 30 grams vitamin C. The

patient made an uneventful recovery. Her mother has her B.S. in Nursing and has

been a long time advocate of massive " C " therapy.

Could ascorbic acid have anti-cancer features?

Schlegel[50] from Tulane University has been using 1.5 grams ascorbic acid daily

to prevent recurrences of cancer of the bladder. He and biochemist Pipkin have

been able to demonstrate that in the presence of ascorbic acid, carcinogenic

metabolites will not develop in the urine. They suggest that spontaneous tumor

formation is the result of faulty tryptophan metabolism while urine is retained

in the bladder. Schlegel termed ascorbic acid " An Anticancer Vitamin " . Along

this line Glick and Hosoda[51] reported on work by Von Numers and Pettersson

that the depletion of mast cells from guinea pigs skin was due to ascorbic acid

deficiency. The possibilities indicated are that vitamin C is necessary either

directly or indirectly for formation of mast cells, or for their maintenance

once formed or both. Ascorbic acid will control myelocytic leukemia provided 25

to 30 grams are taken orally each day.

 

One can only speculate on what massive therapy would do in all forms of cancer.

Many pathologic conditions are cured by giving 5 million to 100,000 million

units of penicillin as an intravenous drip over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. How

long must we wait for someone to start continuous ascorbic acid drip for 2 to 3

months, giving 100 to 300 grams each day, for various malignant conditions?

Barbiturate patients in shock normalized with ascorbic acid.

Clemmesen[52] states that the important principles in management of barbiturate

poisoning are anti-shock therapy, continuous oxygen and patent airways. Hadden

et al.[53] suggest six measures as supportive treatment. An intensive care unit

would be necessary to carry out these functions. All one really need do is give

adequate ascorbic acid therapy. One patient who had taken 2640 mg Lotusate

(talbutal) was seen in the emergency room with a blood pressure of 60/0. Twelve

grams vitamin C was given intravenously with a 50 c.c. syringe and then the

needle attached to a bottle of 5D water containing 50 grams ascorbic acid.

Within 10 minutes the blood pressure was 100/60 demonstrating the effect of

vitamin C on shock. A second bottle of 250 c.c. 5D water containing one gram

emivan was started in the other arm. The patient was awake in 3 hours, taking

juice with " C " added. She received 125 grams ascorbic acid by vein in 12 hours.

Ascorbic acid not only assists with hepatic metabolism but also as a major

diuretic flushes these compounds out by way of the kidneys. Nasal oxygen running

6 liters per minute was also employed. Another patient who had masked 2400 mg

seconal with paraldehyde was awake after 42 grams of ascorbic acid had been

given by vein as fast as a 20 gauge needle could carry the flow. She received 75

grams vitamin C by vein and 30 grams by mouth in a 24 hour period.

Cholesterol not a problem, when daily intake of ascorbic acid is high.

Mention should be made of the role[54] played by vitamin C as a regulator of the

rate at which cholesterol is formed in the body; deficiency of the vitamin

speeding the formation of this substance. In experimental work, guinea pigs fed

a diet free of ascorbic acid showed a 600 percent acceleration in cholesterol

formation in the adrenal glands. Ten grams or more each day and then eat all the

eggs you want. That is my schedule and my cholesterol remains normal, Russia has

published many articles demonstrating these same benefits.

Lockjaw relieved.

Ascorbic acid has no equal as a adjuvant with other drugs in many conditions.

With Tolserol it is curative in the treatment of Lockjaw. Both drugs must be

used in proper amounts. In our case 1000 mg Tolserol given intravenously to a

boy weighing 20 Kg. was the optimal amount to use. In 48 hours he was given 90

grams ascorbic acid and 3000 mg Tolserol, all intravenously.[55]Jungeblut[56]

reported that vitamin C, when added to tetanus toxin " in vitro " , brings about

inactivation of the toxin.

 

Two cases of Trichinosis was treated and cured using Vitamin C: and

Para-Aminobenzoic acid.[57] Although the temperature curve was returned to

normal in 36 hours it was found that nine days of treatment was necessary for

permanent cures. Infectious hepatitis relieved.

Viral hepatitis needs brief mentioning. There are two types: 1) Infectious

hepatitis; 2) Needle hepatitis. Physical activity has always been considered to

increase the severity and prolong the course of the disease.[58]In Vietnam,

Freebern and Repsher showed that pick-and-shovel details had no effects on the

199 controls as against 199 kept at bed rest.[59] One thing is certain. Given

massive intravenous ascorbic acid therapy and patients are well and back to work

in from 3 to 7 days. In these cases the vitamin is also employed by mouth as

follow-up therapy. Dr. Bauer at the University Clinic, Basel, Switzerland,

reported that just 10 grams daily, intravenously, proved the best treatment

available.

Ascorbic acid therapy applied to various maladies.

We could continue indefinitely extolling the merits of ascorbic acid.

 

Boyd and Campbell[60] reported excellent results in the healing of corneal

ulcers even though their massive doses was 1.5 grams daily. In one case of a

corneal burn from the phosphorus off an old time match, the pain was relieved

immediately with the intravenous injection of 12 grams vitamin C with a 50 c.c

syringe. One gram was prescribed each hour for 50 grams. The cornea was normal

in less than 24 hours.

One single injection of ascorbic acid calculated at 500 mg per Kg. body

weight will reverse heat stroke.

One to three injections of the vitamin in a dose range of 400 mg Kg. body

weight will effect a dramatic cure in Virus Pancarditis.

One gram taken every one to two hours during exposure will prevent sunburn.

Intravenous injections will quickly relieve the pain and erythema, even the

second degree burns when precautions are not taken.

One to three injections of 400 mg per Kg. given every eight hours will " dry

up " chicken-pox in 24 hours.

If nausea is present it will stop the nausea.

 

These injections are usually given with a syringe in a dilution of one gram to 5

c.c fluid. This concentration will produce immediate thirst. This is prevented

by having the patient drink a glass of juice just before giving the injection.

 

40 grams ascorbic acid by vein and 1000 mg to 2000 mg vitamin B1

intramuscularly will neutralize the person intoxicated by alcohol and will save

the life if one drinks after using Antibuse.

5 per cent ointment using a water soluble base will cure acute fever blisters

if applied 10 or more times a day and we have removed several small basal cell

epithelioma has with a 30 percent ointment.

Dr. Virno[61] at the eye clinic, University of Rome, Italy, reported very

promising results in glaucoma with a dose schedule of 100 mg per Kg. body weight

taken after meals and bed hour. He also reported that these large doses have

proved to be safe.

In arthritis at least 10 grams daily and those taking 15 to 25 grams daily

will experience commensurate benefit. Supportive treatment must also be given.

Repair of collagenous tissue is dependent of adequate ascorbic acid.

Complications of smallpox vaccination are usually handled by adequate oral

ascorbic acid. Several times we found it necessary to give the " C " intravenously

along with Adenosine. Twenty percent ichthammol used locally with vaccinia

necrosum is good psychology.

In herpes zoster two grams vitamin C intramuscularly and 50 mg Adenosine

5-Monophosphoric acid, aqueous solution, also intramuscularly every 12 hours.

Compound tincture benzoin locally is helpful.

In massive " shingles " ascorbic acid should also be given by vein. Always as

much by mouth as can be tolerated. Heavy metal intoxication is also resolved

with adequate vitamin C therapy.

General all around benefits of one to ten grams ascorbic acid per day.

It has been suggested that ascorbic acid metabolism may be an index of total

metabolism and thus serve as a general diagnostic guide. Adults taking at least

10 grams of ascorbic acid daily, and children under ten at least one gram for

each year of life will find that the brain will be clearer, the mind more

active, the body less wearied and the memory more retentive.

Summary

The types of pathology treated with massive doses of ascorbic acid run the

entire gamut of medical knowledge. Body needs are so great that so called

minimal daily requirements must be ignored. A genetic error is the probable

cause for our inability to manufacture ascorbic acid, thus requiring exogenous

sources of vitamin C. Simple dye or chemical test are available for checking

individual needs. Ascorbic acid destroys virus bodies by taking up the protein

coat so that new units cannot be made, by contributing to the break-down of

virus nucleic acid with the result of controlled purine metabolism. Its action

in dealing with virus pneumonia and virus encephalitis has been outlined. The

clinical use of vitamin C in pneumonia has a very sound foundation. In

experimental tests monkeys kept on a vitamin C free diet all died of pneumonia

while those with adequate diets remained healthy.[62]Many investigators have

shown an increased need for ascorbic acid in this condition.[63,64] Brody in

1953 after studying vitamin C and colds in college students advised that

ascorbic acid be given early and often in sufficient amounts. Regnier[65]

reporting in review of Allergy found that the larger the dose of ascorbic acid

the better were the results. Our findings resulted in a schedule of one gram

each hour for 48 hours and then 10 grams each day by mouth. Those under ten at

least one gram for each year of life.

Virus Encephalitis.

Virus encephalitis is a deadly syndrome and must be treated heroically with

intravenous and/or intramuscular injections of ascorbic acid. We recommend a

dose schedule of from 350 mg to 700 mg per Kg. body weight diluted to at least

18 c.c. of 5D water to each gram of " C " . In small children, 2 and 3 grams can be

given intramuscularly, every 2 hours. An ice cap to the buttock will prevent

soreness and induration. Ascorbic acid in amounts under 400 mg per Kg. body

weight can be administered intravenously with a syringe in dilutions of 5 c.c.

to each one gram provided the ampoule is buffered with sodium bicarbonate with

sodium Bisulfite added. As much as 12 grams can be given in this manner with a

50 c.c. syringe. Larger amounts must be diluted with " bottle " dextrose or

" saline " solutions and run in by needle drip. This is true because amounts like

20 to 25 grams which can be given with a 100 c.c. syringe can suddenly dehydrate

the cerebral cortex so as to produce convulsive movements of the legs. This

represents a peculiar syndrome, symptomatic epilepsy, in which the patient is

mentally clear and experiences no discomfiture except that the lower extremities

are in mild convulsion. This epileptiform type seizure will continue for 20 plus

minutes and then abruptly stop. Mild pressure on the knees will stop the seizure

so long as pressure is maintained. If still within the time limit of the seizure

the spasm will reappear by simply withdrawing the hand pressure. I have seen

this in two patients receiving 26 grams intravenously with a 100 c.c. syringe on

the second injection. One patient had poliomyelitis, the other malignant

measles. Both were adults. I have duplicated this on myself to prove no after

effects. Intramuscular injections are always 500 mg to 1 c.c. solution. With

continuous intravenous injections of large amounts of ascorbic acid, at least

one gram of calcium gluconate must be added to the fluids each day. This is done

because we have found that massive doses of ascorbic acid pulls free calcium

ions from the vicinity of the platelets or from the calcium-prothrombin complex

as the lactone ring of dehydroascorbic acid is opened. The first sign of calcium

ion loss is " nose bleeding " . This differs from the nosebleed found, at times, in

cases of chicken pox or measles. Here it represents frank scurvy from vitamin C

deficiency. The pathology being " Capillary fragility " .[66]

Burns.

A new treatment for burns has been outlined, which if followed will eliminate

skin grafting and plastic surgery. It is probably too simple to gain early

acceptance. The literature has been suggesting the value of ascorbic acid in

burns for many years. Proper local application and the amount for systemic usage

has been misleading. One only need see one case properly treated with ascorbic

acid to appreciate its importance. If ascorbic acid can destroy the exotoxin of

tetanus, as Jungeblut demonstrated, it can also destroy the exotoxin of

Pseudomonas. Ascorbic acid plays an important role in maintaining fluid balance

in the body. Ruskin pointed out that the vitamin activates an enzyme arginase,

which breaks down the amino acid arginine, resulting in production of urea which

is one key to tissue fluid balance.

Pregnancy.

The simple stress of pregnancy demands supplemental vitamin C. This amount will

vary with the individual. The silver nitrate-urine text will simplify these

findings. Vitamin C seems especially concerned with mesenchymal tissue. When one

considers the demands of the fetus and infant, especially premature babies, it

is obvious that high vitamin C intakes are required during pregnancy because

this " parasite " will drain available " C " from the mother. Greenblatt[67] reports

excellent results following the oral administration of vitamin C in the therapy

of habitual abortion. In my own practice I was able to take women who had had as

many as five abortions without a successful pregnancy and carry them through two

and three uneventful pregnancies with the use of supplemental vitamin C. The

German literature is " stacked " with articles recommending high doses of vitamin

C during gestation because they believe that this substance is of great benefit

in influencing the health of the mother and in preventing infections. The vital

contribution of ascorbic acid to the body tissues can be summed up in the

formation and maintenance of normal intercellular material, especially in the

connective tissue, bones, teeth, and blood vessels. Genetic errors might be

prevented if prospective mothers were advised to take 10 or more grams of

ascorbic acid daily. It is significant that we found in the simple stress of

pregnancy, a normal physiological process, that equivalent requirements

paralleled those found in the rat when under stress. Experiments by King et

al.[68] have shown that the need for supplemental vitamin C begins with the

embryo.

Kidney Stones.

The " scare " factor of large doses of ascorbic vs. kidney stones has been laid to

rest. Since the urine is usually pH6, one can see that the opening of the

lactone ring is a slow process. This reaction takes place in tissues and is

probably regulated by the amount of glutathione present. The important

considerations are that one must have a concentrated urine, that stasis must be

a factor and that the urine must be alkaline for any appreciable amounts of the

crystalloids to precipitate out. This will never occur with massive ascorbic

acid therapy. Furthermore, it has been shown that the controls in a given

experiment had almost as much oxalic acid spill as did those volunteers taking 9

grams of ascorbic acid daily.

Insect - Snake Bites.

The quickness of results in snake bite, spider bite, hornet stings and

caterpillar reactions demonstrates the usefulness in saving lives. It is best to

give the vitamin intravenously with a syringe since bottle preparations are too

time consuming. One precaution must be given. There exist a 2 gram ascorbic acid

ampoule, and ironically it is the only one to my knowledge approved by the Food

and Drug Administration, which might " kill " if used undiluted in a syringe. This

lethal factor is due to the preservatives added. Each ampoule contains 2 grams

sodium ascorbate. Vehicle contains: Monothioglycerol 0.14%; Sodium Formaldehyde

Sulfoxylate 0.05%; Methyl Paraben 0.13%; Propyl Paraben 0.015%. Neutralized to

pH6 with Sodium Bicarbonate; Water for injection q.s. This ampoule can be used

intravenously ONLY when diluted to at least 25 c.c. to one gram. One sometimes

will be confronted with extraordinary allergic and shock symptoms along with

acute respiratory obstruction. In these situation one must employ Benadryl

intravenously and/or intramuscularly and an adrenocortical hormone such as

Decadron. These can be given by a nurse while the ascorbic acid is being

prepared. In their absence a second " syringe " dose of ascorbic acid will

suffice. Fluids by mouth should be given to prevent or correct thirst which all

patients seem to experience.

Diabetes

Large doses of ascorbic acid do not cause diabetes mellitus in humans as has

been suggested. On the contrary 10 grams daily, by mouth, has proved to be

beneficial. The fact that 10 grams will allow them to heal wounds like normal

individuals will save many legs in. the future. Lamden, a biochemist, instigated

these fears by misinterpretation of the results reported by Patterson using the

Ketone formula intravenously in rats.

In Surgery.

In surgery the use of ascorbic acid resolves itself into a " must " situation. The

24 hour frank scurvy levels should be sufficient evidence to encourage all

surgeons to use vitamin C freely in their fluids. Proper employment of vitamin C

by the surgeons will all but eliminate the post-surgery deaths.

In Malignancy.

The part very large doses of ascorbic acid given intravenously over a prolonged

period offers a medical challenge. From cabbage and tomatoes grown in the

carbon-14 chambers radioactive ascorbic acid can be extracted, which can be used

in tracer studies. At least one research team has demonstrated that in cancer

all available " C " is mobilized at the site of the malignancy. Lauber and

Rosenfeld reported that " C " is mobilized from the tissues of the body and

selectively concentrated in traumatized areas. In one hopeless case we

administered 17 grams daily for 92 consecutive days without changing the blood

or urine levels from that associated with scurvy. This is the reason we believe

a dose range of 100 grams to 300 grams daily by continuous intravenous drip for

a period of several months might prove surprisingly profitable. Blood chemistry

should be followed daily with such an investigation. Schlegel found that even a

dose of 1.5 grams a day, by mouth, would prevent bladder cancer.

Barbiturate Poisoning.

Our findings in no less than 15 cases of barbiturate poisoning suggested that no

death should occur from this error in judgment. We also observed the dramatic

effect of 12 grams intravenously on blood pressure associated with shock. The

shock seen in heat stroke had been corrected by the time the injection was

completed. The dose range used was 500 mg per Kg body weight.

Tetanus - Trichinosis

The use of ascorbic acid with Tolserol in the treatment of Tetanus should be

accepted as universal treatment. Here again the dose must be proper. Our case as

reported will serve as a guide in making these calculations. Ascorbic acid along

with Para-Aminobenzoic acid is curative in Trichinosis. Both drugs are

administered by mouth. It is estimated that at least 5 million cases of chronic

Trichinosis exists in the United States. Just nine days of treatment would

return these individuals to normal. In our cases 10 grams ascorbic acid was

given daily and Para-Aminobenzoic acid was employed in high range. Four to six

grams to start then three grams every 2 hours for eight times. For the remainder

of the nine day schedule it was given 3 grams every two hours during the day and

every three hours during the night.

Viral Hepatitis.

Ascorbic acid is the drug of choice in viral hepatitis. The dose used ranges

from 400 mg to 600 mg per Kg body weight, depending on the severity of the

disease. It should be given every 8 to 12 hours. Ten grams ascorbic acid daily

in divided doses is also given by mouth. Those under 10 years the usual schedule

of at least one gram for each year of life.

Multiple Uses.

We have reviewed many other pathological conditions in which ascorbic acid plays

an important part in recovery. To these might be added Cardiovascular Diseases,

Hypermenorrhea, Peptic and Duodenal Ulcers, Post-operative and Radiation

Sickness, Rheumatic Fever, Scarlet Fever, Poliomyelitis, Acute and Chronic

Pancreatitis, Tularemia, Whooping Cough and Tuberculosis. In one case of scarlet

fever in which Penicillin and the Sulfa drugs were showing no improvement, fifty

grams ascorbic acid given intravenously resulted in a dramatic drop in the fever

curve to normal. Here the action of ascorbic acid was not only direct but also

as a synergist. A similar situation was observed in a case of lobar pneumonia.

In another case of purperal sepsis following a criminal abortion the initial

dose of ascorbic acid was 1200 mg per Kg body weight and two subsequent

injections were at the 600 mg level. Along with Penicillin and Sulfadiazine an

admission temperature of 105.4°F. was normal in nine hours. The patient made an

uneventful recovery. In one spectacular case of Black Widow[69] spider bite in a

3 1/2 year old child, in coma, one gram calcium gluconate and 4 grams of

ascorbic acid was administered intravenously when first seen in the office. Four

grams ascorbic acid was then given every six hours using a 20 c.c. syringe. She

was awake and well in 24 hours. Physical examination showed a comatose child

with a rigid abdomen. The area about the umbilicus was red and indurated,

suggesting a strangulated hernia. With a 4 power lens, fang marks were in

evidence. Thirty hours after starting the vitamin C therapy the child expelled a

large amount of dark clotted blood. There was no other residual. A review of the

literature confirmed that this individual has been the only one to survive with

such findings; the others were reported at autopsy. Ten grams vitamin C and 200

mg to 400 mg vitamin B-6, by mouth, daily will " shield " one from mosquito bites.

Twenty percent will also require 100 mg vitamin B-6 intramuscularly each week.

General Nutrition.

Vitamin C plays a very important role in general nutrition. Deficiency of this

substance in sufficient amounts can be a factor in loss of appetite, loss of

weight or failure to grow, muscular weakness, anemia and various skin lesions.

The relationship between vitamin C and the health of the gums and teeth has long

been recognized. Laboratory studies on gum-teeth connective tissue have

reaffirmed this relationship.[70] Our son who will be 19 in July has never

developed a tooth cavity. Since age 10 he has received at least 10 grams

ascorbic acid, daily, by mouth. Before age 10 the amount given was on a sliding

scale.[71]

Intravenous Application.

Ascorbic acid must be given by needle to bring about quick reversal of various

" insults " to the human body. We have found that doses must range from 350 mg to

1200 mg per Kg body weight. Under 400 mg per Kg of body weight the injection can

be made with a syringe provided the vitamin is buffered with sodium bicarbonate

with Sodium Bisulfite added. Above 400 mg doses per Kg body weight, and a

particular ampoule described in this summary, the vitamin must be diluted to at

least 18 c.c. of 5 per cent dextrose in water, saline in water or Ringer's

solution. Many times Adenosine 5-Monophosphate, 25 mg in children and 50 to 100

mg in adults, given intramuscularly, is necessary to achieve results. The

aqueous solution is more effective for quick results, although Adenosine in Gel

can be employed. In debilitated individuals or when the pathology is serious,

Desoxycorticosterone Acetate (DCA), aqueous solution, must also be added to the

schedule. Usually 2.5 mg for children and 5 mg for adults is the daily

intramuscular dose required. Sudden swelling of the feet indicates abnormal

sensitivity and the drug must be discontinued.

 

It must be remembered when using ascorbic acid that experiments on man are the

only experiments which can give positive evidence of therapeutic action in man.

Likewise, the use of ascorbic acid in human pathology must follow the Law of

Mass Action: " In reversible reactions, the extent of chemical change is

proportional to the active masses of the interacting substance. " FRED R.

KLENNER, M.D.Reidsville, N.C.Bibliography

1 Correspondence with colleague from Puerto Rico. ref

 

2 Jennings & Avinoff: Wild Flowers of Western Penna. & Upper Ohio Basin,

University of Pittsburgh Press, Vol. 2, Plate 156. ref

3 Food and Life: P. 236, 1939 Yearbook, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, U.S. Printing

Office, Washington, D.C. ref

4 Klenner, F. R.;: Correspondence with Dr. Bauer, University of Switzerland. ref

5 J. J. Burns, et al.: J. Biol. Chem. 207: 679, 1954. ref

6 Salomon, L. L, et al.: N.Y. Acad. Science 93: 115, 1961. ref

7 Conney, A. H., et al.: N.Y. Acad. Science 92: 115, 1961. ref

8 Grollman, A. P. & Lehninger, A. L.: Arch. Biochem., 69:458, 1957. ref

9 Chattejee, I. B., Kar, N. C., Guha, B. C.: N.Y. Acad. Science 92:36, 1961. ref

10 Isherwood, F. A. & Mapson, L. W.: N.Y. Acad. Science 92:6, 1961. ref

11 Burns, J. J. Am. J. Med. 26: 740, 1959 ref

12 Stone, I.: Brief Proposal Per. Biology & Medicine, Autumn 1966. ref

13 Slobody, L. B.: J. Lab & Clinical Med. 29 #5, 464-472, 1944. ref

14 Ringsdore, W. M., Cheraskin, E. Sec., Oral Med., U. of Ala. Med. Center,

Birmingham, Ala. ref

15 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., Feb. 1956. ref

16 Larson, C.: Ordnance, PP. 359-360, Jan.-Feb. 1967. ref

17 Starr, T. J.: Hospital Practice, p. 52, November 1968. ref

18 Kropowski, H.: Med. World News, p. 24, June 19, 1970. ref

19 Klenner, F. R.: J. Applied Nutrition, 1953. ref

20 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. Journal, June 1957. ref

21 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., Oct. 1958. ref

22 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., Feb. 1960. ref

23 Baker, A. B. & Noran, H. H.: Archives Int. Med. Vol. 76, 146-153, 1945. ref

24 Bakay, L: The Blood-Brain Barrier, C. Thomas, 1956. ref

25 Chambers, R. et al: Physiol. Rev., Vol. 27, 436-463, 1947. ref

26 Knisely, M. H. et al: Archives Surgery, 51-220, 1945. ref

27 Knisely, M. H. Science 106: 431, 1947. ref

28 Berkeley, W. T., Jr.: Southern Med. J., Vol. 58, pp. 1182-1184. 29 Lund &

Levenson: Arch. Surg., Vol. 55: 557, 1947. ref, ref

30 Bergman, H. C. et al: Am. Heart J., Vol. 29, 506-512, 1945. ref

31 Lam, C. R.: Col. Rev. Surg. Gyn. & Obst., Vol. 72, 390-400. 1941. ref

32 Klasson,D. H.: N.Y. J. Med., 51, 2388-2392, Oct. 1951. ref

33 Stone, H. H.: Med. J., Aug. 1: 6-10, 1970. ref

34 Borsook, H. et al: J. Biol. Chem, 117:237, 1937.

35 Hoverbed: Med. World News, Oct. 13, 1967; ref

36 Meakins, J. C.: The Practice of Med., C. V. Mosby, 1938. ref

37 Kelli & Zilva; J. Biochemistry, 29: 1028. 1935. ref

38 Lambden, M. P. et al: Proc. Sec. Exp. Biol. Med., 85: 190-192, 1954. ref

39 Arthus: J. Pharm. Chemi., 20: 41, 1919. ref

40 Wells, H. C.: Chem. Pathology, Saunders, 3rd Ed., 1925. ref

41 Ford: J. Pharmacy, 2, 285; 1911. ref

42 Editorial: J.A.M.A. (117) 11: 937-938, 1941. ref

43 Chambers, R., & Pollock, H.: J. Gen. Physiology, 10: 739, 1927. ref

44 Clark & Rassiter: Q. J. Exp. Physiology, V32, 279, 1944. ref

45 Patterson, J. W.: J. Biological Chemistry, 81-88, 1950. ref

46 Bartlett, M. K., et al.: New Eng. J. of Med., Vol. 226, 474, 1942. ref

47 Lanman, T. H., Ingalls, T. H.: Am. Surgery, Vol. 105, 616, 1937. ref

48 Schumacher: Ohio State Med. J., 42: 1248, 1946. ref

49 Mono-Epstein-Barr virus-Burkitt Lymphoma: Med. World News, Dec. 13, 1968. ref

50 Schlegal, G. E., et al.: Trans. Am. Ass. Genito Urinary Surgery, Vol. 61,

1989, ref

51 Click and Hosoda: Proc. Sec. Exp. Biology and Med., 119, 1965. ref

52 Clemmesen, C.: Bisperbjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Mod. Med., 123-124, July,

1954. ref

53 Hadden, J., et al.: J. Am. Med. Assoc., 209: 893-900, 1989. ref

54 Becker, R. R., et al.: J. Am. Chem. Sec. 75: 2020, 1953. ref

55 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., July, 1954. ref

56 Jungeblut, C. U.: J. Immunology, Vol. 33 #3, Sept. 1939 ref

57 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., April 1954. ref

58 Capps, R. B.: Modern Med., Jan. 11, 1971. ref

59 Freeben, R. K., Repsher, L. R.: Mod. World News, Jan. 23, 1970. ref

60 Boyd,T. A. Campbell, F. W.: B. Med. J., 2: 1145, Nov. 1950. ref

61 Virno, M.: Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Monthly, Vol. 46, p. 1502. ref

62 Sabin: J. Exp. Med., 89: 507-515, 1939. ref

63 Wright: Ann. Int. Med., 12, 4: 518-528, Oct. 1938. ref

64 Brody, H. D.: J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 29: 588, 1953. ref

65 Regnier, E.: Review of Allergy, 22: 948, Oct. 1968. ref

66 Pollock, H. & Halpen: Washington Nat. Research Council Publication, 234,

1942. ref

67 Greenblatt, R. B.: Obstet. & Gynec., 2: 530, 1953. ref

68 King, C. C., et al.: New York Times, Nov. 2, 1952. ref

69 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. T., Dec. 1957 ref

70 Baume, L. J.: Science News Letter, 64: 103, 1953. ref

71 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J. Nov. 1955. ref Appendix

Case History: Pesticide Poisoning

 

Three boys ranging in years from age seven to age 12 were walking along a North

Carolina Highway. They were caught in the " spray " of a dusting airplane. The

youngest boy had been covered by the other two and so received little exposure.

He was seen in the emergency room of the local hospital and sent home. The other

two boys had different physicians. One lad age 12, under our care, was given 10

grams of ascorbic acid with a 50 c.c. syringe every 8 hours. The concentration

was one gram for each 5 c.c. diluent. He was returned home on the second

hospital day. The third boy received supportive treatment but did not receive

ascorbic acid. His body was something to see. The spray had produced an allergic

dermatitis as well as a chemical burn. He died on the 5th hospital day.

Case History: Nasal Diphtheria

Three children, living in the same neighborhood, developed nasal diphtheria. All

three children had different physicians. A little girl under our care was given

10 grams ascorbic acid, intravenously, with a 50 c.c. syringe every 8 hours for

the first 24 hours and then every 12 hours for two times. She was then put on

one gram ascorbic acid every two hours by mouth. She lived and is now a graduate

nurse. The other children did not receive ascorbic acid and both died. Our young

patient also received 40,000 units diphtheria antitoxin which was given

intraperitoneal. The other children also were administered the antitoxin.

Case History: Poliomyelitis

Although we were able to cure many cases of polio with massive doses of ascorbic

acid, one single instance demonstrates the value of vitamin C. Two brothers were

sick with poliomyelitis. These two boys were given 10 and 12 grams of ascorbic

acid, according to weight, intravenously with a 50 c.c. syringe, every eight

hours for 4 times and then every 12 hours for 4 times. They also were given one

gram every two hours by mouth around the clock. They made complete recovery and

both were athletic stars in high school and college. A third child, a neighbor,

under the care of another physician received no ascorbic acid. This child also

lived. The young lady is still wearing braces.

Case History: Acute Virus Infection representing Deadly Virus Syndrome

Cases with paralysis are extremely interesting in as much as they challenge

diagnostic prowess. One of our cases, a female age 58, demonstrated three

different types. She entered the hospital because of a convulsive seizure. She

had had a lingering cold for ten days. She experienced three additional

convulsive seizures after hospital admission. The temperature was 100.8°F. pulse

140, respirations 32. She was extremely restless. Twenty-four grams ascorbic

acid in 360 c.c. 5D water was given intravenously for three times at 8 hour

intervals. One gram calcium gluconate was added to the first and third bottle.

Twenty four hours following admission and 72 grams ascorbic acid in the blood

stream, patient was awake and rational but completely paralyzed, right arm and

leg. Five grams ascorbic acid was given in fruit juice every 6 hours by mouth

and 6 grams ascorbic acid along with a B complex preparation was given

intravenously, daily for eight additional days. The right arm and leg returned

to normal 48 hours after admission. Classical pellagra was also corrected during

this hospital stay.

Case History: Repeating virus infection

This case proved that adequate ascorbic acid therapy must be continued long

enough to destroy all virus bodies, otherwise the infection will recur. In 1960,

I treated a seven year old boy, off and on, over a period of six weeks, for

influenza like symptoms. Therapy included one of the mold derived drugs,

sulfadiazine and 5 to 10 grams ascorbic acid by mouth. On three different

occasions this treatment schedule was dramatically effective. When the child

became ill for the fourth time, the administration of the above antibiotics and

oral vitamin C had no reversing effect. On the third day of this illness the

child suddenly became lethargic and just as suddenly to frank stupor. The

temperature which had been running low grade was now 102.6°F. At this paint all

oral medication was discontinued. I immediately gave six grams of ascorbic acid

intravenously with a 30 c.c. syringe. He was awake and asking, " what happened "

in 5 minutes. Six grams ascorbic acid was given in 4 hours and then at 6 hour

intervals for two additional doses. The recovery was complete in 24 hours and

remained so. Ascorbic acid was again started by mouth giving 5 grams in juice

every 8 hours. After one week, this was reduced to the usual daily " take " of

seven grams. I had ample opportunity to observe this case--the child was our

son.

Case History: Snake bite

Child of 4 years was struck on the lower leg by a large highland moccasin at

7:00 P.M., while at play in the yard of her country home. Seen in the emergency

room of the local hospital at 7:30 P.M., the child was vomiting, was crying

because of severe pain in her leg, which she held with both hands above the

" fang marks " . Fever was 99.0°F. Four grams of ascorbic acid was given

intravenously at 7:35 P.M. with a 20 c.c. syringe. The following 25 minutes were

taken to follow a skin test on anti-venom. At this time and before the

anti-venom was administered the child had stopped vomiting, she had stopped

crying and was sitting on the emergency room table, laughing and drinking a

glass of orange juice. She commented: " Come on, Daddy, I'm all right now, let's

go home. " She was allowed to return home with the understanding that her father

would give me a report, by phone, each hour during the night. This he did. His

report, each time, was that the child was sleeping as usual and that except for

moderate swelling to the " calf of the leg " , appeared normal. Seen in the office

at 10:00 A.M. the following morning she still demonstrated the small amount of

swelling of her leg and had 1/2 degree fever. She was given a second dose of 4

grams of ascorbic acid intravenously. Seen at 5 P.M. she had no fever but the

swelling remained constant. There was no pain. The following day, 38 hours after

being bitten, she was completely normal. Since this was our first case of snake

bite treated with vitamin C, we elected to give an additional 4 grams of

ascorbic acid on this visit. No other antibiotics were given and none was

required. Since she had had a booster injection of tetanus toxoid in recent

months, none was given at this time.

Comparing this to an earlier case of snake bite in a 16 year old girl, struck by

a moccasin of about the same size, as gauged from the fang marks, on the hand

while pulling tobacco plants, and who was hospitalized for three weeks. She was

given 3 doses of anti-venom. The arm was compressed continuously with magnesium

sulfate solution. Swelling was four times that of the opposite arm and striae

developed over the entire surface. This patient received no vitamin C other than

that found in a regular hospital diet. Morphine was required to control pain.

(We no longer use anti-venom.)

Case History: An Insidious virus

This was a child of 18 months. She was seen in the driveway to my home at about

7:00 P.M. The history was brief. The child had strangled on food while eating

supper. A cursory examination given in the front seat of an automobile revealed

an extremely restless, whining child. The temperature was 98.6°F. (axillary 10

minutes-corrected). There was no obstruction to the air-ways. We did elicit the

information, that the child had had a cold for several days. We also learned

that the child's mother had taken her for a long stroller ride the previous

day--which in this area was damp and cold. Frankly the impulse to send the child

home was great.

Remembering that I had seen children dead within 30 minutes to two hours after

hospital admission without treatment, I decided to buy some time. The Uncle was

asked to take the child to the emergency room of the local hospital. The nurse

on duty was given an order to take a rectal temperature and then give a fleets

enema. If the results proved unsatisfactory, she was to repeat the procedure in

30 minutes using a normal saline solution. Approximately 45 minutes after

leaving my home, the intern on duty reported by phone, that the child was

unconscious to a point where she responded only to pain stimuli. The enema had

not been given. Going at once to the hospital, conditions were found as

described. The little patient was lying motionless on the examining table. Using

a suitable size rectal tube I gave the enema with good results. The stool was

normal. Rectal temperature taken at the hospital was 98.4°F. (corrected). The

pulse rate was 152 per minute and respirations were 32 per minute. It was

impossible to visualize the throat because the mouth was " locked " as one finds

after stimulation in lockjaw. Our impression was that the virus had now entered

the brain.

Thirty grams of ascorbic acid, in divided doses, was given intramuscularly over

a period of 36 hours. Crystalline penicillin was started on the second day and

300,000 units were administered in divided doses over the next three days. This

was added to block secondary invaders. One hour following admission we applied a

4 x 4 gauze, saturated with tap water, to the child's lips. The sucking reflex

was still intact, but the child immediately strangled. Turning the child head

down, the small amount of water ran from its nostrils. Now it was clear. It was

this " bulbar phenomenon " that was at play when the child was eating supper. The

nursing log showed the temperature to be 99.0°F. (corrected) 1 1/2 hours after

admission and 1 1/2 hours later it was recorded at 100.0°F. (corrected). The

nursing log at this time read: " Shows no sign of consciousness. " Temperature was

101.2°F. four hours after admission and was 102.4°F. (corrected) after six

hours. Now the nursing log read: " Baby swallowed water without difficulty. " At

this point the temperature curve started back down and by 7:00 A.M. (11 hours

following admission) the child was alert and taking water freely from a spoon.

Twenty eight hours after the first injection of ascorbic acid the temperature

was normal. Water, milk and orange juice were now taken from a bottle. Cecon

(liquid vitamin C) was given by mouth. Discharge was on the 5th hospital day.

The initial low fever recording indicated that the child was dying; after

ascorbic acid therapy she began to respond, thus the fever. After the virus was

killed, the temperature returned to normal.

Case History: Monoxide Poisoning

State highway employee carried into my office in unconscious condition. He was a

known diabetic. The breathing was not Kussmaul type and his skin was warm and

dry. We elicited the information that he had been found in the cab of his truck

with the windows closed and the engine running. It was a cold Winter day.

Entertaining a diagnosis of Monoxide intoxication we immediately gave 12 grams

ascorbic acid with a 50 c.c. syringe using a 20 gauge needle. (We employ a 20 G.

needle when using a 50 c.c. syringe; 21 G needle for a 30 c.c. syringe; 22 G

needle for a 20 c.c. syringe and a 23 G needle for a 10 c.c. syringe. This

assists in controlling the rate of flow which is important, especially, in young

children). Within 10 minutes the patient was awake, sitting up on the edge of

the examining table, rubbing his eyes and saving: " Doc, what in the world am I

doing up here in your office. " He returned to his place of employment within 45

minutes.

Case History #1: Acute Virus qancarditis

A five year old boy was admitted to the local hospital with history of having a

" relapse " after recovery from measles. The physical findings showed a thready

and feeble pulse. A distinct rub was in evidence by auscultation. The EKG showed

RS-T deviations. The temperature was 105°F.. Ascorbic acid calculated at 400 mg

per Kg body weight was given intravenously with a syringe. Within two hours the

picture had almost reverted to normal. Injection of Vitamin C was repeated in 6

hours and again at 12 hours. A fourth injection was given after 24 hours

although the patient was clinically well. The child returned home on the 4th

hospital day.

Case History #2: Acute Virus Pancarditis following a deep cold

The findings approximated those of case #1. The parents elected to take the

child to Duke Medical Center. Six grams of ascorbic acid was given by needle

before starting the trip to the hospital which was 60 miles away. Upon arrival

at the Medical Center the child had made such dramatic response to the single

injection of ascorbic acid that the parents were tempted to return home. The

receiving physician questioned the sickness of the child as being out of

proportion to that relayed by me during our telephone conversation. The parents

assured the physician that the child had been seriously ill, but that the change

came about after receiving the ascorbic acid. Although 50 grams (25 ampoules) of

ascorbic acid was sent along with the parents, none was given because the

physician in charge stated that he would be afraid to give that size dose,

intravenously, to a child. The fact that we had administered six grams, which

represented a dose of 400 mg per Kg body weight, apparently had no influence.

Laboratory findings, however, confirmed our impression and the child was

hospitalized for two weeks. Two additional injections of vitamin C would have

cured the child in 24 hours.

Case History: Acute Pancreatitis

Adult Male seen in the emergency room of local hospital complaining of severe,

agonizing pain in the epigastrium which radiated to the back. Nausea and

vomiting were present. Serum amylase studies showed a concentration of 345. This

was the 4th such attack experienced by this patient. Sixty grams ascorbic acid

in 700 c.c. Dextrose in water was given intravenously. 20 mg Pantapon was given

in the emergency room. No additional opiates were required. The patient made an

uneventful recovery. He was placed on 10 grams ascorbic acid by mouth and has

not had a recurrence in almost 5 years. He has, however, developed mild diabetes

mellitus which is now controlled with diet and vitamin C.

END

I am in full agreement with Lancelot Hogben who said, " A scientific idea must

live dangerously or die of inanition. Science thrives on daring generalizations.

There is nothing particularly scientific about excessive caution. Cautious

explorers do not cross the Atlantic of truth. "

 

 

 

 

Frederick R. Klenner, M.D., F.C.C.P.

Reidsville, North Carolina

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Klenner attended St. Vincent and St. Francis

College, where he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in biology. He graduated

magna cum laude and was awarded a teaching fellowship there. He was also awarded

the college medal for scholastic philosophy. There followed another teaching

fellowship in chemistry at Catholic University, Where he pursued studies for a

doctorate in physiology.

Dr. Klenner then 'migrated' to North Carolina and Duke University to continue

his studies. He arrived in time to use his knowledge in physiology and chemistry

to free the nervous system of the frog for a symposium by immersing the animal

in 10% nitric acid. Taken in tow by Dr. Pearse, chairman of the department, he

was finally persuaded to enter the school of medicine. He completed his studies

at Duke University and received his medical degree in 1936.

Dr. Klenner served three years in post graduate hospital training before

embarking on a private practice in medicine. Although specializing in diseases

of the chest, he continued to do general practice because of the opportunities

it afforded for observations in medicine. His patients were as enthusiastic as

he in playing guinea pigs to study the action of ascorbic acid. The first

massive doses of ascorbic acid he gave to himself. Each time something new

appeared on the horizon he took the same amount of ascorbic acid to study its

effects so as to come up with the answers.

Dr. Klenner's list of honors and professional society affiliations is

tremendous. He is listed in a flock of various " Who's Who " registers. He has

published many scientific papers throughout his scientific career.

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

 

There are hundreds of messages in our archives referencing Vitamin C.

Here is another one.

Frank

 

 

, Frank

<califpacific> wrote:

 

Dr. Klenner used Vitamin C extensively in the 1940s to the 1970s.

 

He regularly cured polio and other very serious diseases of the day.

 

Of course his findings were NOT put to use by the medical

establishment.

 

Check out the dates on individual papers in the bibliography at the

end of article.

 

This is a 1971 paper on Vitamin C by Dr. Fred Klenner M.D.

 

http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerpaper.html

Journal of Applied Nutrition Vol. 23, No's 3 & 4, Winter

1971Observations On the Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When

Employed Beyond the Range Of A Vitamin In Human PathologyFrederick R.

Klenner, M.D., F.C.C.P.

 

Comment by Robert F. Cathcart, M.D.: This paper repeatedly refers to

intravenous ascorbic acid. My personal experience, my talking with

Klenner, and with his wife, Annie Klenner, who served as his nurse,

would indicate that he means sodium ascorbate. See my article on how

to make intravenous C solutions. I am especially indebted to Annie

Klenner for her descriptions of how Fred made the intravenous

solutions of sodium ascorbate.

 

Editor's Note:

Because of the unusually high amounts of ascorbic acid used in Dr.

Klenner's treatment as reported in his paper, we asked him to verify

amounts mentioned. Following is his answer: " To the Editor of the

ICAN Journal: This will confirm that all 'quantity' factors given in

my paper are correct and can be confirmed from hospital and medical

office records. The notation relative to 150 grams represents the

amount used for reversing pathology in a given case and was the

amount given over a period of 24 hours. (The I.V. was continuous.)

This was given in three bottles of 5D water, decanting only enough

from 1000 c.c. to be replaced by the 'C' ampoules.

" Recently the FDA has published a 'warning' that too much soda-

ascorbate might be harmful, referring to the sodium ion. In reply to

this I can state that for many years I have taken 10 to 20 grams of

sodium ascorbate by mouth daily, and my blood sodium remains normal.

These levels are checked by an approved laboratory. 20 grams each day

and my urine remains at or just above pH 6. "

Signed:

Fred R. Klenner, M.D.

 

 

Body of paper

Summary

Appendix - more case histories

Bibliography

Klenner Biography

 

 

Ancient History and Homespun Vitamin C Therapies

Folklore of past civilizations report that for every disease

afflicting man there is an herb or its equivalent that will effect a

cure. In Puerto Rico the story has long been told " that to have the

health tree Acerola in one's back yard would keep colds out of the

front door. " [1] The ascorbic acid content of this cherry-like fruit

is thirty times that found in oranges. In Pennsylvania, U.S.A., it

was, and for many still is, Boneset, scientifically called Eupatorium

perfoliatum[2]. Although it is now rarely prescribed by physicians,

Boneset was the most commonly used medicinal plant of eastern United

States. Most farmsteads had a bundle of dried Boneset in the attic or

woodshed from which a most bitter tea would be meted out to the

unfortunate victim of a cold or fever. Having lived in that section

of the country we qualified many times for this particular drink. The

Flu of 1918 stands out very forcefully in that the Klenners survived

when scores about us were dying. Although bitter it was curative and

most of the time the cure was overnight. Several years ago my

curiosity led me to assay this " herbal medicine " and to my surprise

and delight I found that we had been taking from ten to thirty grams

of natural vitamin C at one time. Even then it was given by body

weight. Children one cupful; adults two to three cupfuls. Cups those

days held eight ounces. Twentieth century man seemingly forgets that

his ancestors made crude. drugs from various plants and roots, and

that these decoctions, infusions, juices, powders, pills and

ointments served his purpose. Elegant pharmacy has only made the

forms and shapes more acceptable.

Early specifications, action and dosages for administrations.

To understand the chemical behavior of ascorbic acid in human

pathology, one must go beyond its present academic status either as a

factor essential for life or as a substance necessary to prevent

scurvy. This knowledge is elementary. Listen to what appeared in Food

and Life Yearbook 1939, U.S. Department of Agriculture[3]: " In fact

even when there is not a single outward symptom of trouble, a person

may be in a state of vitamin C deficiency more dangerous than scurvy

itself. When such a condition is not detected, and continues

uncorrected, the teeth and bones will be damaged, and what may be

even more serious, the blood stream is weakened to the point where it

can no longer resist or fight infections not so easily cured as

scurvy. " It is true that without these infinitesimal amounts myriads

of body processes would deteriorate and even come to a fatal halt.

 

Ascorbic acid has many important functions. It is a powerful oxidizer

and when given in massive amounts; that is, 50 grams to 150 grams,

intravenously, for certain pathological conditions, and " run in " as

fast as 20 Gauge needle will allow, it acts as a " Flash Oxidizer, " [4]

often correcting the pathology within minutes. Ascorbic acid is also

a powerful reducing agent. Its neutralizing action on certain toxins,

exotoxins, virus infections, endotoxins and histamine is in direct

proportion to the amount of the lethal factor involved and the amount

of ascorbic acid given. At times it is necessary to use ascorbic acid

intramuscularly. It should always be used orally, when possible,

along with the needle. Scurvy historically the target; today's goal

of high blood levels to cope with self-induced abuses and

physiological traumas.

If one is to employ ascorbic acid intelligently, some index for

requirements must be realized. Unfortunately there exists today a

sort of " brand " called " minimum daily requirements. " This

illegitimate " child " has been co-fathered by the National Academy of

Science and The National Research Council and represents a tragic

error in judgment. There are many factors which increase the demand

by the body for ascorbic acid, and unless these are appreciated, at

least by physicians, there can be no real progress. It is vitally

important that cognizance be taken of the demand by the body for

ascorbic acid far beyond so-called scorbutic levels. Briefly these

demands can be summarized:

 

The age of the individual;

Habits -- such as smoking, the use of alcohol, playing habits;

Sleep, especially when induced artificially;

Trauma.-- trauma caused by a pathogen, the trauma of work, the

trauma of surgery, the trauma to the body produced accidentally or

intentionally;

Kidney threshold;

Environment;

Physiological stress;

Season of the year;

Loss in the stool;

Variations in individual absorption;

Variations in " binders " in commercial tablets;

Body chemistry;

Drugs;

Pesticides;

Body weight;

Inadequate storage.

Flexible dosage standards explained as minimal standards.

With such knowledge it is no longer possible to accept a set

numerical unit in terms of minimal daily requirements. This is true

because of the simple fact that people are different and these same

people experience different situations at various times. With

ascorbic acid, today's adequate supply means little or nothing in

terms of the needs for tomorrow. Let us start thinking in terms of

maximum requirements. For too long a time we have under supplied our

children and ourselves by accepting through negative ignorance and

acquiescence so-called standards. Based on scant data on mammalian

synthesis, available for the rat, a 70-Kg. individual would produce

1.8 grams[5] to 4.0 grams[6] of ascorbic acid per day in the

unstressed condition. Under stress, up to 15.2 grams.[7] Compare this

to the 70 mg recommended for daily requirements without stress and

200 mg for the simple stress of the obstetrical patient, and you will

recognize the disparity and understand why we have been waging a one

man war against the establishment in Washington for 23 years.

Ascorbic acid not synthesized by man

Work on mammalian biosynthesis of ascorbic acid indicates that the

vitamin C story as is generally accepted represents an

oversimplification of available evidence.[8,9,10] This often leads to

misinterpretations and false impressions. It has been proposed that

the biochemical lesion which produces the human need for exogenous

sources of ascorbic acid, is the absence of the active enzyme, l-

gulonolactone oxidase from the human liver[11]. A defect or loss of

the gene controlling the synthesis of this enzyme in man, blocks the

final phase in the series for converting glucose to ascorbic acid.

Virus can mutate cells, X-Rays can do it and it can occur by chance.

Such a mutation could have happened, denying all progenies of this

mutated animal the ability to produce ascorbic acid. Survival

demanded ascorbic acid from an exogenous source. This is not

remarkable. Other recognized genetic diseases in which a missing

enzyme causes a pathological syndrome, in man, are phenylketonuria,

galactosemia and alkaptonuria.

 

It is worthy to note that Sealock and Goodland have ascribed to

ascorbic acid the faculty of being the necessary co-enzyme in the

metabolic oxidation of tyrosine. The velocity of the oxidation in

this reaction is dependent upon the concentration of vitamin C.

Tyrosine is essential in breaking down protein to usable amino acid.

The scorbutic guinea-pig's liver is unable to oxidize tyrosine except

in the presence of ascorbic acid. This suggests a lead in the study

of the metabolic abnormality Alkaptonuria in humans. Ascorbic acid

administration will correct the alkaptonuria of the scorbutic guinea

pig. Its effect on human alkaptonuria has been inconsistent. The

reason: Inadequate use of ascorbic acid. Biochemist Irwin Stones'

concept has practical value

The inability of man to manufacture his own ascorbic acid, due to

genetic fault, has been called " hypoascorbemia " by Irwin Stone.[12]

This is another reason for abolishing the present concept of daily

minimal requirements. The physiological requirements in man are no

different from other mammals capable of carrying out this synthesis.

Various procedures testing for the vitamin C levels and Requirements

of the body.

Various tests have been employed to determine the degree of body

saturation of vitamin C, but for the most part they have been

misleading. Blood and urine samples analyzed with 2:6 dichlorophenol

indophenol will give values roughly 7 percent less than when testing

with dinitrophenol hydrazine. Gothlin advocates the capillary

fragility test which is similar to the tourniquet test of Hess in

results. Both can be used to estimate the quantity of vitamin C

necessary to maintain capillary integrity. The intradermal test of

Rotter as modified by Slobody[13] is again gaining new recruits. In

principle it is the same as the lingual test of Ringdorf and Cheraskin

[14] since both are based on the time required to decolorize dye. The

lingual test is rapid and simple to perform but it requires a syringe

with a 25 gauge needle and a stop watch. Since the dye methods depend

on the reduction of the reagent by vitamin C, any substance having a

reducing potential lower than the dye is a possible source of

interference. Twenty years ago we elected to measure, as a

therapeutic gauge, the amount of vitamin C in urine by borrowing on

its ability to reduce qualitative Benedict's solution. A 2 plus

Benedict's reaction in a known dextrose free urine was accepted as a

standard. This test was helpful in gauging requirements for simple

stress, but not accurate enough when using needle therapy. Fifteen

years ago we developed the Silver Nitrate-Urine test[15]. This test

employs 10 drops of 5 percent silver nitrate and 10 drops urine which

is placed in a Wasserman tube. When read in two minutes it will give

a color pattern showing white, beige, smoke gray or charcoal or

various combinations of any two depending upon the degree of

saturation. We have found this color index test is all one will need

for establishing the correct amount of ascorbic acid to use by mouth,

by muscle, by vein in the handling of all types of human pathology

either as the specific drug or as an adjuvant with other antibiotics

or neutralizing chemicals. In severe pathological conditions the

urine sample, taken every four hours, must show a fine charcoal-like

precipitation with a clear supernatant liquid if positive clinical

results are to be realized. Spilling in the urine is not new. Abraham

and Keefer have demonstrated that when penicillin is injected

intravenously, excretions in the urine account for 60 percent of the

administered dose.

Role played by ascorbic acid in intercellular reactions,

neutralizing, possibly controlling virus production.

In 1935 Stanley isolated a crystalline protein possessing the

properties of tobacco mosaic virus. It contained two substances,

ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein. The simple structure

characteristic of tobacco mosaic virus was soon found to be a basic

property of many human viruses such as coxsackie virus (which I

believe to be the cause of Multiple Sclerosis), Echoviruses and

polioviruses - they all contain only ribonucleic acid and protein.

There exist minor variations. Adenoviruses contain deoxyribonucleic

acid (DNA) and protein. Other viruses such as that causing influenza

contain added lipid and polysaccharides. Deoxyribonucleic acid is

used to program the large viruses, like mumps, ribonucleic acid is

used to program the small viruses, like measles. The role of the

protein coat is to protect the parasitic but unstable nucleic acid as

it rides the " blood highway " or " lymphatic system " to gain specific

cell entry. Pure viral nucleic acid without its protein coat can be

inactivated by constituents of normal blood. There are several

theories as to what happens after cell entry:

 

Once inside a given cell. the virus nucleic acid sheds its protein

coat and proceeds to modify the host cell by either creating

mutations or by directly substituting its own nucleic acid;

The infectious nucleic acid, after entering a human cell, retains

its protein coat and starts to produce its own type protein coat[16]

and viral nucleic acid, so that new units can either depart to enter

other cells or by destruction of the cell, thus making the infection

more severe;

The introduction of a foreign fragment of nucleic acid in the cell-

virus interaction approach as postulated by Starr[17]. In the Starr

theory there can exist cells with partial chromosome make-up and

cells with multi-nuclei. Hiliary Kropowski holds that these partial

cells are 'pseudo-virons'[18] and are found in some tumor-virus

infections. A key factor in the Starr-Kropowski thinking is that the

cell maintains its biological integrity to support virus development

despite the abnormal morphology and genetic deficiency. If these

invaded cells could be destroyed or the invader neutralized the

illness would suddenly terminate. Ascorbic acid has the capability of

entering all cells. Under normal circumstances its presence is

beneficial to the cell, however, when the cell has been invaded by a

foreign substance, like virus nucleic acid, enzymatic action by

ascorbic acid contributes to the breakdown of virus nucleic acid to

adenosine deaminase which converts adenosine to inosine. The net

result is to lead to purines which are extensively catabolized and

not to p+urines which are utilized for further nucleic acid. Ascorbic

acid also joins with the available virus protein, making a new

macromolecule which acts as the repressor factor. It has been

demonstrated that when combined with the repressor, the operator

gene, virus nucleic acid, cannot react with any other substance and

cannot induce activity in the structural gene, therefore inhibiting

the multiplication of new virus bodies. The tensile strength of the

cell membrane is exceeded by these macromolecules with rupture and

destruction. Another hypothesis is that vitamin C acts to create

new " L " viruses which are impotent. Still another, that the " binding "

alone is sufficient to destroy the virus.

Promptness of massive ascorbic acid in avoiding fatal encephalitis

related to stubborn head and chest colds.

In 1953[19] we presented a case history and films of a patient with

virus pneumonia. This patient was unconscious, with a fever of 106.8°

F (A. corrected) when admitted to the hospital. 140 grams ascorbic

acid was given intravenously over a period of 72 hours at which time

she was awake, sitting up in bed and taking fluids freely by mouth.

The temperature was normal. Since that time we have observed a more

deadly syndrome associated with a virus causing head and chest colds.

This is one of the adenovirus striking in the area of the upper

respiratory tract with resulting fever, sore throat and eyes, and

when in children can cause fatal pneumonia. More often death is

indirect by way of incipient encephalitis where the child can be dead

in 30 minutes. These are the babies and children found dead in bed

and attributed to suffocation [sIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome].

It is suffocation but by way of a syndrome we observed and reported

in 1957[20] which is similar to that found in cephalic tetanus-

toxemia culminating in diaphragmatic spasm, with dyspnea and finally

asphyxia.[21]By 1958[22] we had collected sufficient information from

our office and hospital patients to catalog this deadly syndrome Into

two important stages.

 

Stage 1

There is always a history of having had the " Flu " which lasted

48 to 96 hours complicated with extreme physical or mental distress;

or

A mild cold, similar to an allergic rhinitis, which lingered on

for several weeks but did not incapacitate the individual.

 

Stage 2, which is always sudden, will present itself in at least

seven forms:

Convulsive seizures;

Extreme excitability resembling delirium tremens if an adult

and with dancing of the eyeballs if a child;

Severe chill;

Strangling in the course of eating or drinking (bulbar type);

Collapse;

Stupor;

Hemiplegic type.

 

 

Other findings of this dramatic second stage are:

 

Rapid pulse;

Temperature can be normal, moderately elevated or high;

Respirations twice to three times normal and in some cases will be

suggestive of air hunger;

Pupils will be moderately open and in some instances (hemiplegic)

one will be markedly dilated;

Urine negative;

The white blood count running from 6,000 to 25,000 with a high

poly count in the differential;

Young patients starting the second phase with a convulsion there

has been not only a history of normal bowel movements but also an

enema given at the time of first examination has produced a normal

stool;

Bladder sphincter control was abnormal in our cases who convulsed

or who were in coma.

Neurological Changes

It is apparent that the second stage of this syndrome is triggered by

a breakthrough at the site of the blood-brain barrier. The time

required for neurological changes to become evident is roughly

comparable to the time necessary for similar neuropathology to be

demonstrated following a severe head injury. Cerebral edema exists in

both conditions. In my practice I start massive ascorbic acid therapy

immediately. I have seen children dead in from 30 minutes to 2 hours

because their attending physician was not impressed with their

illness upon hospital admission. An autopsy on one of these patients

showed bilateral pneumonitis - all one needs to spark a deadly

encephalitis. To indicate just how common this syndrome presents

itself, I relate here a newspaper account of a 15 year old girl who

had a mild, lingering cold for several weeks. She attended a dance

party one evening and except for a complaint of feeling extremely

tired, she went to bed apparently well. She was found dead in bed the

following morning. An autopsy showed bilateral pneumonia. How many

times have you read such an account? This is why it is necessary for

everybody to take adequate supplemental vitamin C to guard against

such disasters.

Literature Research

In 1960 we decided to research the literature before writing our

paper. " Virus Encephalitis As A Sequel Of The Pneumonias. " [22]

Rosenfield in 1903 described a similar syndrome under the

caption " Brain Purpura or Hemorrhagic Encephalitis. " Comby, in 1907,

was the first to call attention to the interesting " metastic " sequela

of the pneumonias. Baker and Noran in 1945 enumerated five groups,

each showing certain definite clinical characteristics which may be

of both diagnostic and prognostic significance in relation to this

virus syndrome. [23]

 

Symptoms of a nonspecific nature - headache, vomiting,

irritability;

Delirious type;

Convulsive type;

Lethargic type;

Hemiplegic type.

 

These groups plus two additional types, namely:

 

Chill - blood invasion type;

Collapse,

 

were as we reported them, independently, in the Tri-State Medical

Journal, October 1958. Their results: Some recovered, some died and

still others lived as " vegetation " mental cripples. All of our

patients recovered. Thirteen years from the time of the Baker-Noran

report to the time of our report and 13 years from the time of our

report to the present time. This makes the issue urgent. Physicians

must recognize the inherent danger of the lingering head or chest

cold and appreciate the importance of early massive vitamin C

therapy.

How does the brain become involved in encephalitis?--some

speculations.

Clinical problems such as these groups present, leads one to

speculate on the pathways in which the virus gains entrance into the

brain. We can summarize:

 

Through the olfactory nerves;

Through the portals of the stomach from material swallowed, either

pulmonary or upper respiratory drainage;

Direct extension from otitis media or from mastoid cells;

The blood stream. Arriving in the brain the virus goes through the

blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier and/or the blood brain barrier by

one of three ways:

Electrical charge;

Chemical lysis of tissue;

Osmosis.

 

 

Bakay[24] reported that the permeability of the blood-brain barrier

can be changed by introducing various toxic agents into the blood

circulation. Chambers and Zweifach[25] emphasized the importance of

the intercellular cement of the capillary wall in regulating

permeability of the blood vessels of the central nervous system. In

this syndrome the toxic substance is an adenovirus. Ascorbic acid

will repair and maintain the integrity of the capillary wall.

Burns - degrees explained and some therapy rational.

In the treatment of burns ascorbic acid, in sufficient amounts,

reflects itself as a truly miracle substance. In the early forties,

when I was using ascorbic acid, intramuscularly, in treating

bacillary dysentery, shiga type, with excellent results, Lund, Lam

and many others were using, what they called, massive doses of

ascorbic acid in the treatment of burns. One or two grams each day,

in fluids, was the recognized dose. Burns are at the beginning first

degree and some remain as just an erythema. Many times the first

degree burn progresses rapidly to the second degree stage and remains

as " blisters " . Still others go on to third degree which usually is

more pronounced on the third-plus post-burn day. There is a fourth

stage which results from lack of knowledge in treatment. It

terminates with skin grafting and plastic surgery. We believe that

ascorbic acid will eliminate the fourth stage and the third stage if

used as we will later program.

Burns - continued descriptive and related therapies.

The pathologic physiology of a burn wound from the moment of the

accident is in a state of dynamic change until the wound heals or the

patient dies. The primary consideration is the phenomenon of blood

sludging originally recognized by Knisely in 1945.[26,27] Initially

there is intravascular agglutination of red blood cells into

distinctly visible, smooth, hard, rigid, basic masses. Lofstrom in

1959 demonstrated that the oxygen uptake by the tissues is greatly

reduced because of the sludging and therefore reduced rate of flow.

Berkeley[28] in 1960 concluded that this phenomenon of sludging or

agglutination results in capillary thrombosis in the area of the

burn, extending proximally to involve the large arterioles and

venules and thereby creating tissue destruction greater than that

originally produced by the burn. Anoxia produces added tissue

destruction. Lund and Levenson[28] found that after severe burns

there is considerable alteration in the metabolism of ascorbic acid

as shown by a low concentration of ascorbic acid in the plasma either

with the patient fasting or after saturation tests and also low

urinary excretion of vitamin C either with the patient fasting or

after the injection of test doses. The extent of the abnormality

closely paralleled the severity of the burn. Bergman[30] reported an

increase demand for ascorbic acid in burns especially when

epithelization and formation of granulation tissue are taking place.

Lam[31] also reported in 1941 a marked decrease in the plasma

ascorbic acid concentration in patients with severe burns. Klasson

[32] although limiting the amount of ascorbic acid to a dose range of

300 mg to 2000 mg daily, in divided doses, found that it hastened the

healing of wounds by producing healthy granulation tissue and also

that it reduced local edema. He rationalized that ascorbic acid used

locally as a 2% dressing possessed astringent properties similar to

hydrogen peroxide. He also reported that antibiotic therapy was

rarely necessary.

Severe burns and related therapy.

Harlen Stone[33] suggested the use of gentamicin in major burns to

lower the sepsis caused by pseudomonas. Absorption of its exotoxin

from the infected burn wound inhibits the bacterial defense mechanism

of the reticuloendothelial system. Death can result either from the

toxemia alone or from an associated septicemia. We have found that

the secret in treating burns can be summarized in five steps:

 

The use of the " old covered wagon " type cradle when indicated,

with three 25 watt bulbs. The patient controls the heat by turning on

and off the first bulb as needed to keep warm. No garments or

dressings are allowed;

The employment of a 3% ascorbic acid solution as a spray over the

entire area of the burn. The spray can be applied with a Devilbis

unit using an ordinary portable pressure pump. The old type " flit

gun " can also be used or even a 50 c.c. syringe with a 20 gauge

needle. The 3% solution is used every 2 to 4 hours for a period of

roughly five days;

The use of vitamin A and D ointment over the area of the burn and

this is now alternated, q4h with the 3% ascorbic acid solution;

The administration of massive doses of ascorbic acid by vein and

by mouth. 500 mg per Kg. body weight diluted to at least 18 c.c. per

gram vitamin C using 5% dextrose in water, saline in water or Ringers

solution and for the initial injection, run in as fast as a 20 gauge

needle or catheter will carry the flow. Cut-downs are frequently

necessary and the foot-ankle area is recommended. Vitamin C solution

is repeated every 8 hours for the first several days, then at 12 hour

intervals. Ascorbic acid, by mouth, is given to tolerance. Loose

stools is accepted as this index. Using large doses of ascorbic acid

I.V. will necessitate the administration of at least one gram calcium

gluconate, daily, to replace free calcium ions removed in the

breakdown chemical action as ascorbic acid goes to dehydroascorbic

acid, then to ketogulonic acid and later to oxalic acid as the

calcium salt;

Supportive treatment; that is, whole blood and maintaining

electrolyte balance.

 

If seen early after the burn there will be no infections and no

eschar formations. This eliminates fluid formation, since the eschar

traps will not exist and there will be no distal edema because the

venous and lymphatic systems will remain open. There will be no

arterial obstruction and no nerve compression. Pseudomonas will not

be a problem, since ascorbic acid destroys the exotoxin systemically

and locally. Even if the burn is seen late when pseudomonas is a

major problem the gram negative bacilli will be destroyed in a few

days leaving a clean healthy surface. I have seen eschars 2 inches

wide and 1/2 inch thick, severely infected so that stench had to be

controlled with deodorizing sprays, melt away when employing the

method outlined. Ascorbic acid also eliminates pain so that opiates

or their equivalent are not required. In extremely extensive burns

that involve back and front of the patient, the " Hoverbed " [35]

employed by the British should be considered. It uses the same

principle as the hovercraft to lift a solid object. What has been

overlooked in burns is that there are many living epithelial cells in

the areas that grossly look like " raw muscle. " With the use of

ascorbic acid these cells are kept viable, will multiply and soon

meet with other proliferating units in the establishment of a new

integument.

Regarding personal and environmental pollution-carbon monoxide.

We are all plagued with varying degrees of chronic carbon monoxide

poisoning. This is the price we pay for putting our " railroads " on

our highways, smoking and being too lazy to walk. Small amounts of

carbon monoxide, if constantly maintained in the alveoli, can produce

serious effects. Carbon monoxide in the inspired air leads to oxygen

deficiency in the tissues causing extreme exhaustion. The affinity of

carbon monoxide for hemoglobin is roughly 300 times as great as that

for oxygen. In addition to active replacement of oxy-hemoglobin the

presence of some proportion of carboxy-hemoglobin decreases the

dissociability of such oxy-hemoglobin as remains. Carbon monoxide can

be released from hemoglobin if the patient is exposed to high

pressure of oxygen, 93% along with 7% carbon dioxide. This is not

always available. Ascorbic acid in the blood is constantly losing

molecules of water. Perfectly dry carbon monoxide and oxygen cannot

unite to form carbon dioxide, but carbon monoxide and water may give

rise to carbon dioxide in the complete absence of oxygen. The

reactions which take place are CO + H2O = HCOOH CO2 + H2 (Wright).

Here the oxygen of the water has been used to oxidize carbon monoxide

to carbon dioxide with the liberation of hydrogen. Glutathione may

facilitate this cellular oxidation by acting as a hydrogen acceptor

(Hopkins). Clinical experience suggests that if sufficient ascorbic

acid is suddenly placed into the blood stream - 12 grams to 50 grams -

that through " Flash Oxidation " a concentration of oxygen is made

high enough to pull carbon monoxide from hemoglobin to form carbon

dioxide. This rapidly formed carbon dioxide acts with the high oxygen

tension to serve the same purpose as when given by " mask, " further

enhancing the chemical action taking place. Ascorbic acid will also

prevent residuals such as paralysis, blindness, interference with

sensations, muscle spasms or twitchings which in some cases can be

permanent.

Primary and lasting benefits in pregnancy.

Observations made on over 300 consecutive obstetrical cases using

supplemental ascorbic acid, by mouth, convinced me that failure to

use this agent in sufficient amounts in pregnancy borders on

malpractice. The lowest amount of ascorbic acid used was 4 grams and

the highest amount 15 grams each day. (Remember the rat-no stress

manufactures equivalent " C " up to 4 grams and with stress up to 15.2

grams). Requirements were roughly 4 grams first trimester, 6 grams

second trimester and 10 grams third trimester. Approximately 20

percent required 15 grams, each day, during last trimester. Eighty

percent of this series received a booster injection of 10 grams,

intravenously, on admission to the hospital. Hemoglobin levels were

much easier to maintain. Leg cramps were less than three percent and

always was associated with " getting out " of Vitamin C tablets. Striae

gravidarum was seldom encountered and when it was present there

existed an associated problem of too much eating and too little

walking. The capacity of the skin to resist the pressure of an

expanding uterus will also vary in different individuals. Labor was

shorter and less painful. There were no postpartum hemorrhages. The

perineum was found to be remarkably elastic and episiotomy was

performed electively. Healing was always by first intention and even

after 15 and 20 years following the last child the firmness of the

perineum is found to be similar to that of a primigravida in those

who have continued their daily supplemental vitamin C. No patient

required catheterization. No toxic manifestations were demonstrated

in this series. There was no cardiac stress even though 22 patients

of the series had rheumatic hearts. One patient in particular was

carried through two pregnancies without complications. She had been

warned by her previous obstetrician that a second pregnancy would

terminate with a maternal death. She received no ascorbic acid with

her first pregnancy. This lady has been back teaching school for the

past 10 years. She still takes 10 grams of ascorbic acid daily.

Infants born under massive ascorbic acid therapy were all robust. Not

a single case required resuscitation. We experienced no feeding

problems. The Fultz quadruplets were in this series. They took milk

nourishment on the second day. These babies were started on 50 mg

ascorbic acid the first day and, of course, this was increased as

time went on. Our only nursery equipment was one hospital bed, an

old, used single unit hot plate and an equally old 10 quart kettle.

Humidity and ascorbic acid tells this story. They are the only

quadruplets that have survived in southeastern United States. Another

case of which I am justly proud is one in which we delivered 10

children to one couple. All are healthy and good looking. There were

no miscarriages. All are living and well. They are frequently

referred to as the vitamin C kids, in fact all of the babies from

this series were called " Vitamin C Babies " by the nursing personnel--

they were distinctly different.

How concerned should we be about oxalic acid and kidney stones? A

technical explanation.

One of the " scare " weapons used by the critics on high daily doses of

ascorbic acid is the oxalic acid-kidney stone hypothesis. Meakins[36]

states that the chief factors in the formation of renal calculi are

perversions of metabolic processes, infection and stasis in the

urinary tract. There are two schools of thought on stone formation:

1) That there is a central nucleus of colloids on which the

crystalloids are precipitated; 2) That the crystalloids are deposited

from the urine in which they are present in concentrated solution, in

which salt and hydrogen ion concentrations are important factors. In

all cases stasis and a concentrated urine appear to be the chief

physiological factors. The only way that oxalic acid can be produced

from ascorbic acid is through splitting of the lactone ring. This

happens above pH5. The reaction of urine when 10 grams of vitamin C

is taken daily is usually pH6. Oxalic acid precipitates out of

solution only from a neutral or alkaline solution-pH7 to pH10. Kelli

and Zilva[37] reported that " Nutrition experiments showed that

dehydroascorbic acid is protected in vivo from rapid transformation

to the antiscorbutically impotent diketogulonic acid from which

oxalic acid is derived. " Values reported in the literature for normal

24 hour urinary oxalate excretions for humans range from 14 mg to 56

mg. Lamden et al.[38] found in a group of volunteers that the

ingestion of 9 grams ascorbic acid daily resulted in oxalate spills

as high as 68 mg for 24 hours and in the controls without extra

vitamin C the high was 64 mg for a 24 hour period.

 

These critics have overlooked the individual with diabetes mellitus.

The amount of oxalic acid found in the diabetic patient approximates

that found in the urine of a normal person taking 10 grams vitamin C

each day. With the diabetic we find a paradox. Give this individual

10 grams ascorbic acid daily, by mouth, and the urinary oxalate

excretion remains relatively unchanged. Diabetics are known for their

diuresis. The individual who takes 10 or more grams of vitamin C each

day will find that this organic compound is an excellent diuretic. No

urinary stasis; no urine concentration.

The ascorbic acid kidney stone story is a myth. Methylene blue will

dissolve calcium oxalate stones giving 65 mg orally 2 to 3 times a

day. (Dr. M. J. Vernon Smith: Med. World News, Dec. 4, 1970) Why

death from insect and snake bites?

It is estimated that 6500 deaths occur each year in the United States

from snake bite. Many more from various flying insects, spiders,

certain plants and some caterpillars.These are needless deaths.

Several factors are at work in these pathologies:

 

The tox-albumin of the snake bite, like the copperhead or

rattler;

Formic acid plus a toxin with a protein cover, called proteotoxin

by Arthus,[39] such as found in bees and wasps;

Neurotoxin from the Black Widow, the Fiddle Spider and snakes like

the Cobra and Coral;

Production of histamine, especially in the more severe stings and

bites.

 

Wells[40] in 1925 called the poison of certain spiders and snakes

zootoxins and of poisonous plants, phytotoxins.Ford[41] in 1911

reported three classes of toxins in plants and fungi:

 

Nerve poisons-muscarine;

Those causing structural changes in the viscera with resulting

fatty degeneration;

Gastrointestinal irritants.

Ascorbic acid to the rescue.

It is a demonstrated principle that the production of histamine and

other end products from deaminized cell proteins released by injury

to cells are a cause of shock. The clinical value of ascorbic acid in

combating shock is explained when we realize that the deaminizing

enzymes from the damaged cells are inhibited by vitamin C.[42]It has

been shown by Chambers and Pollock[43] that mechanical damage to a

cell results in pH changes which reverse the cell enzymes from

constructive to destructive activity. The pH changes spread to other

cells. This destructive activity releases histamine a major shock

producing substance. The presence of vitamin C inhibits this enzyme

transition into the destructive phase. Clark and Rossiter[44]

reported that conditions of shock and stress cause depletion of the

ascorbic acid content of the plasma. As with the virus bodies,

ascorbic acid also joins with the protein factor of these toxins

effecting quick destruction.

 

The answer to these emergencies is simple. Large amounts of ascorbic

acid 350 mg to 700 mg per Kg. body weight given intravenously. In

small patients, where veins are at a premium, ascorbic acid can

easily be given intramuscularly in amounts up to two grams at one

site. Several areas can be used with each dose given. Ice held to the

gluteal muscles until red, almost eliminates the pain. We always

reapply the ice for a few minutes after the injection. Ascorbic acid

is also given, by mouth, as follow-up treatment. Every emergency room

should be stocked with vitamin C ampoules of sufficient strength so

that time will never be counted-as a factor in saving a life. The 4

gram, 20 c.c, ampoule and 10 gram 50 c.c. ampoule must be made

available to the physician. A case history-success due to promptness

with a twelve gram injection.

As an example of the lethal effect of certain stings and bites, I

briefly relate a case history. An adult male came to my office

complaining of severe chest pain and the inability to take a deep

breath. Stated that he had been " stung " or " bitten " 10 minutes

earlier. Thinking that it was a Black Widow and not bothering to look

for fang marks, due to the gravity of the situation, I gave one gram

calcium gluconate intravenously. This gave no relief. He begged for

help saying he was dying. He was becoming cyanotic [blue or livid

skin from lack of oxygen]. Twelve grams of vitamin C was quickly

pulled into a 50 c.c. syringe and with a 20 gauge needle was given

intravenously as fast as the plunger could be pushed. Even before the

injection was completed, he exclaimed, " Thank God " . The poison had

been neutralized that rapidly. He was sent home to locate

the " culprit " . He soon returned with an object that looked like a

mouse. It was 1 1/2 inches long with long brown hair. There was a

dark ridge down the entire back. It had seven pairs of propelling

units and a tail much like a mouse. The following day I took " The

Thing " to Duke University where it was identified as the Puss

Caterpillar. This unusual caterpillar left 44 red raised marks on the

back of its victim. Except for vitamin C this individual would have

died from shock and asphyxiation.

Some concern answered regarding high dosage of ascorbic acid.

Merton Lamden, a biochemist, writing in the New England Journal of

Medicine, Feb. 11, 1971, expresses grave doubts about the safety of

large doses of ascorbic acid taken by mouth. He gives a report by

Paterson[45] on the diabetogenic effect of dehydroascorbic acid on

rats. Paterson in 1950 employed only the Ketone formula of ascorbic

acid, dehydroascorbic acid, which he administered, undiluted,

intravenously, in extraordinary amounts. His results were based on

giving rats, weighing 100 grams to 120 grams, dehydroascorbic acid in

doses from 20 to 50 mg. This transposed to a man weighing 70

kilograms would represent a dose of 3,500 grams-roughly 5,000 grams

ascorbic acid. Obviously the work has no relationship with the

ingestion of ascorbic acid by humans. I have taken from 10 to 20

grams of ascorbic acid daily since my last visit to this college - 18

years ago. I do not have diabetes mellitus and if I might digress a

moment, neither have I had a kidney stone.

Diabetes mellitus response to 10 grams ascorbic acid by mouth.

Over the past 17 years we have studied the effect of 10 grams by

mouth, in patients with diabetes mellitus. We found that every

diabetic not taking supplemental vitamin C could be classified as

having sub-clinical scurvy. For this reason they find it difficult to

heal wounds. The diabetic patient will use the supplemental vitamin C

for better utilization of his insulin. It will assist the liver in

the metabolism of carbohydrates and to reinstate his body to heal

wounds like normal individuals. We found that 60% of all diabetics

could be controlled with diet and 10 grams ascorbic acid daily. The

other 40% will need much less needle insulin and less oral

medication. Contrary to what Medical News Letter, (Vol. 12 # 26, Dec.

25 1970) carried to the physicians the Tes-Tape is accurate in

testing urine samples.

Observations following post-surgery cases on blood plasma levels of

ascorbic acid. Deduction is evident of the need for substantial

amounts of ascorbic acid prior to surgery.

In 1960 and again in 1966, in papers delivered before the Tri-State

Medical Society, I called attention to the " scurvy " levels of

ascorbic acid found in postoperative patients. Plasma levels recorded

before starting anesthesia and after cessation of such inhalants and

completion of surgery remained unchanged. This has lead many to

believe that surgery created little or no demand for

supplemental " C " . We found, however, that samples of blood taken six

hours after surgery showed drops of approximately 1/4 the starting

amount and at 12 hours the levels were down to one-half. Samples

taken 24 hours later, without added ascorbic acid to fluids, showed

levels 3/4 lower than the original samples. Baylor University

research team reported similar findings in 1965. Bartlett, Jones[48]

and others reported that in spite of low levels of plasma ascorbic

acid at time of surgery, normal wound healing may be produced by

adequate vitamin C therapy during the post-operative period. Lanman

and Ingalls[47] showed that the tensile strength of healing wounds is

lowered in the presence of " scurvy plasma levels " . Schumacher[48]

reported that the preoperative use of as little as 500 mg of vitamin

C given orally " was remarkably successful in preventing shock and

weakness " following dental extractions. Many other investigators have

shown in both laboratory and clinical studies, that optimal primary

wound healing is dependent to a large extent upon the vitamin C

content of the tissues.

 

In 1949, it was my privilege to assist at an abdominal exploratory

laparotomy. A mass of small viscera was found " glued together " . The

area was so friable that every attempt at separation produced a torn

intestine. After repairing some 20 tears the surgeon closed the

cavity as a hopeless situation. Two grams ascorbic acid was given by

syringe every two hours for 48 hours and then 4 times each day. In 36

hours the patient was walking the halls and in seven days was

discharged with normal elimination and no pain. She has outlived her

surgeon by many years. We recommend that all patients take 10 grams

ascorbic acid each day. Where this is not done and the surgery is

elective, then 10 grams by mouth should be given for several weeks

prior to surgery. At least 30 grams should be given, daily, in

solutions, post-operatively, until oral medication is allowed and

tolerated. Mononucleosis aided by ascorbic acid.

After studying hundreds of college students, Yale researchers have

evidence that strengthens the link between mononucleosis and Epstein-

Barr virus, a herpes-like agent also associated with Burkitt lymphoma.

[49] Large doses of intravenous " C " has a striking influence on the

course of mononucleosis. In one patient who was given the last rites

of her church, the girls mother took things into her own hands when

the attending physician refused to give ascorbic acid. In each bottle

of intravenous fluids she would quickly " tap in " 20 to 30 grams

vitamin C. The patient made an uneventful recovery. Her mother has

her B.S. in Nursing and has been a long time advocate of massive " C "

therapy.

Could ascorbic acid have anti-cancer features?

Schlegel[50] from Tulane University has been using 1.5 grams ascorbic

acid daily to prevent recurrences of cancer of the bladder. He and

biochemist Pipkin have been able to demonstrate that in the presence

of ascorbic acid, carcinogenic metabolites will not develop in the

urine. They suggest that spontaneous tumor formation is the result of

faulty tryptophan metabolism while urine is retained in the bladder.

Schlegel termed ascorbic acid " An Anticancer Vitamin " . Along this

line Glick and Hosoda[51] reported on work by Von Numers and

Pettersson that the depletion of mast cells from guinea pigs skin was

due to ascorbic acid deficiency. The possibilities indicated are that

vitamin C is necessary either directly or indirectly for formation of

mast cells, or for their maintenance once formed or both. Ascorbic

acid will control myelocytic leukemia provided 25 to 30 grams are

taken orally each day.

 

One can only speculate on what massive therapy would do in all forms

of cancer. Many pathologic conditions are cured by giving 5 million

to 100,000 million units of penicillin as an intravenous drip over a

period of 4 to 6 weeks. How long must we wait for someone to start

continuous ascorbic acid drip for 2 to 3 months, giving 100 to 300

grams each day, for various malignant conditions? Barbiturate

patients in shock normalized with ascorbic acid.

Clemmesen[52] states that the important principles in management of

barbiturate poisoning are anti-shock therapy, continuous oxygen and

patent airways. Hadden et al.[53] suggest six measures as supportive

treatment. An intensive care unit would be necessary to carry out

these functions. All one really need do is give adequate ascorbic

acid therapy. One patient who had taken 2640 mg Lotusate (talbutal)

was seen in the emergency room with a blood pressure of 60/0. Twelve

grams vitamin C was given intravenously with a 50 c.c. syringe and

then the needle attached to a bottle of 5D water containing 50 grams

ascorbic acid. Within 10 minutes the blood pressure was 100/60

demonstrating the effect of vitamin C on shock. A second bottle of

250 c.c. 5D water containing one gram emivan was started in the other

arm. The patient was awake in 3 hours, taking juice with " C " added.

She received 125 grams ascorbic acid by vein in 12 hours. Ascorbic

acid not only assists with hepatic metabolism but also as a major

diuretic flushes these compounds out by way of the kidneys. Nasal

oxygen running 6 liters per minute was also employed. Another patient

who had masked 2400 mg seconal with paraldehyde was awake after 42

grams of ascorbic acid had been given by vein as fast as a 20 gauge

needle could carry the flow. She received 75 grams vitamin C by vein

and 30 grams by mouth in a 24 hour period.

Cholesterol not a problem, when daily intake of ascorbic acid is high.

Mention should be made of the role[54] played by vitamin C as a

regulator of the rate at which cholesterol is formed in the body;

deficiency of the vitamin speeding the formation of this substance.

In experimental work, guinea pigs fed a diet free of ascorbic acid

showed a 600 percent acceleration in cholesterol formation in the

adrenal glands. Ten grams or more each day and then eat all the eggs

you want. That is my schedule and my cholesterol remains normal,

Russia has published many articles demonstrating these same benefits.

Lockjaw relieved.

Ascorbic acid has no equal as a adjuvant with other drugs in many

conditions. With Tolserol it is curative in the treatment of Lockjaw.

Both drugs must be used in proper amounts. In our case 1000 mg

Tolserol given intravenously to a boy weighing 20 Kg. was the optimal

amount to use. In 48 hours he was given 90 grams ascorbic acid and

3000 mg Tolserol, all intravenously.[55]Jungeblut[56] reported that

vitamin C, when added to tetanus toxin " in vitro " , brings about

inactivation of the toxin.

 

Two cases of Trichinosis was treated and cured using Vitamin C: and

Para-Aminobenzoic acid.[57] Although the temperature curve was

returned to normal in 36 hours it was found that nine days of

treatment was necessary for permanent cures. Infectious hepatitis

relieved.

Viral hepatitis needs brief mentioning. There are two types: 1)

Infectious hepatitis; 2) Needle hepatitis. Physical activity has

always been considered to increase the severity and prolong the

course of the disease.[58]In Vietnam, Freebern and Repsher showed

that pick-and-shovel details had no effects on the 199 controls as

against 199 kept at bed rest.[59] One thing is certain. Given massive

intravenous ascorbic acid therapy and patients are well and back to

work in from 3 to 7 days. In these cases the vitamin is also employed

by mouth as follow-up therapy. Dr. Bauer at the University Clinic,

Basel, Switzerland, reported that just 10 grams daily, intravenously,

proved the best treatment available.

Ascorbic acid therapy applied to various maladies.

We could continue indefinitely extolling the merits of ascorbic

acid.

 

Boyd and Campbell[60] reported excellent results in the healing of

corneal ulcers even though their massive doses was 1.5 grams daily.

In one case of a corneal burn from the phosphorus off an old time

match, the pain was relieved immediately with the intravenous

injection of 12 grams vitamin C with a 50 c.c syringe. One gram was

prescribed each hour for 50 grams. The cornea was normal in less than

24 hours.

One single injection of ascorbic acid calculated at 500 mg per Kg.

body weight will reverse heat stroke.

One to three injections of the vitamin in a dose range of 400 mg

Kg. body weight will effect a dramatic cure in Virus Pancarditis.

One gram taken every one to two hours during exposure will prevent

sunburn.

Intravenous injections will quickly relieve the pain and erythema,

even the second degree burns when precautions are not taken.

One to three injections of 400 mg per Kg. given every eight hours

will " dry up " chicken-pox in 24 hours.

If nausea is present it will stop the nausea.

 

These injections are usually given with a syringe in a dilution of

one gram to 5 c.c fluid. This concentration will produce immediate

thirst. This is prevented by having the patient drink a glass of

juice just before giving the injection.

 

40 grams ascorbic acid by vein and 1000 mg to 2000 mg vitamin B1

intramuscularly will neutralize the person intoxicated by alcohol and

will save the life if one drinks after using Antibuse.

5 per cent ointment using a water soluble base will cure acute

fever blisters if applied 10 or more times a day and we have removed

several small basal cell epithelioma has with a 30 percent ointment.

Dr. Virno[61] at the eye clinic, University of Rome, Italy,

reported very promising results in glaucoma with a dose schedule of

100 mg per Kg. body weight taken after meals and bed hour. He also

reported that these large doses have proved to be safe.

In arthritis at least 10 grams daily and those taking 15 to 25

grams daily will experience commensurate benefit. Supportive

treatment must also be given. Repair of collagenous tissue is

dependent of adequate ascorbic acid.

Complications of smallpox vaccination are usually handled by

adequate oral ascorbic acid. Several times we found it necessary to

give the " C " intravenously along with Adenosine. Twenty percent

ichthammol used locally with vaccinia necrosum is good psychology.

In herpes zoster two grams vitamin C intramuscularly and 50 mg

Adenosine 5-Monophosphoric acid, aqueous solution, also

intramuscularly every 12 hours. Compound tincture benzoin locally is

helpful.

In massive " shingles " ascorbic acid should also be given by vein.

Always as much by mouth as can be tolerated. Heavy metal intoxication

is also resolved with adequate vitamin C therapy.

General all around benefits of one to ten grams ascorbic acid per day.

It has been suggested that ascorbic acid metabolism may be an index

of total metabolism and thus serve as a general diagnostic guide.

Adults taking at least 10 grams of ascorbic acid daily, and children

under ten at least one gram for each year of life will find that the

brain will be clearer, the mind more active, the body less wearied

and the memory more retentive.

Summary

The types of pathology treated with massive doses of ascorbic acid

run the entire gamut of medical knowledge. Body needs are so great

that so called minimal daily requirements must be ignored. A genetic

error is the probable cause for our inability to manufacture ascorbic

acid, thus requiring exogenous sources of vitamin C. Simple dye or

chemical test are available for checking individual needs. Ascorbic

acid destroys virus bodies by taking up the protein coat so that new

units cannot be made, by contributing to the break-down of virus

nucleic acid with the result of controlled purine metabolism. Its

action in dealing with virus pneumonia and virus encephalitis has

been outlined. The clinical use of vitamin C in pneumonia has a very

sound foundation. In experimental tests monkeys kept on a vitamin C

free diet all died of pneumonia while those with adequate diets

remained healthy.[62]Many investigators have shown an increased need

for ascorbic acid in this condition.[63,64] Brody in 1953 after

studying vitamin C and colds in college students advised that

ascorbic acid be given early and often in sufficient amounts. Regnier

[65] reporting in review of Allergy found that the larger the dose of

ascorbic acid the better were the results. Our findings resulted in a

schedule of one gram each hour for 48 hours and then 10 grams each

day by mouth. Those under ten at least one gram for each year of

life.

Virus Encephalitis.

Virus encephalitis is a deadly syndrome and must be treated

heroically with intravenous and/or intramuscular injections of

ascorbic acid. We recommend a dose schedule of from 350 mg to 700 mg

per Kg. body weight diluted to at least 18 c.c. of 5D water to each

gram of " C " . In small children, 2 and 3 grams can be given

intramuscularly, every 2 hours. An ice cap to the buttock will

prevent soreness and induration. Ascorbic acid in amounts under 400

mg per Kg. body weight can be administered intravenously with a

syringe in dilutions of 5 c.c. to each one gram provided the ampoule

is buffered with sodium bicarbonate with sodium Bisulfite added. As

much as 12 grams can be given in this manner with a 50 c.c. syringe.

Larger amounts must be diluted with " bottle " dextrose or " saline "

solutions and run in by needle drip. This is true because amounts

like 20 to 25 grams which can be given with a 100 c.c. syringe can

suddenly dehydrate the cerebral cortex so as to produce convulsive

movements of the legs. This represents a peculiar syndrome,

symptomatic epilepsy, in which the patient is mentally clear and

experiences no discomfiture except that the lower extremities are in

mild convulsion. This epileptiform type seizure will continue for 20

plus minutes and then abruptly stop. Mild pressure on the knees will

stop the seizure so long as pressure is maintained. If still within

the time limit of the seizure the spasm will reappear by simply

withdrawing the hand pressure. I have seen this in two patients

receiving 26 grams intravenously with a 100 c.c. syringe on the

second injection. One patient had poliomyelitis, the other malignant

measles. Both were adults. I have duplicated this on myself to prove

no after effects. Intramuscular injections are always 500 mg to 1

c.c. solution. With continuous intravenous injections of large

amounts of ascorbic acid, at least one gram of calcium gluconate must

be added to the fluids each day. This is done because we have found

that massive doses of ascorbic acid pulls free calcium ions from the

vicinity of the platelets or from the calcium-prothrombin complex as

the lactone ring of dehydroascorbic acid is opened. The first sign of

calcium ion loss is " nose bleeding " . This differs from the nosebleed

found, at times, in cases of chicken pox or measles. Here it

represents frank scurvy from vitamin C deficiency. The pathology

being " Capillary fragility " .[66]

Burns.

A new treatment for burns has been outlined, which if followed will

eliminate skin grafting and plastic surgery. It is probably too

simple to gain early acceptance. The literature has been suggesting

the value of ascorbic acid in burns for many years. Proper local

application and the amount for systemic usage has been misleading.

One only need see one case properly treated with ascorbic acid to

appreciate its importance. If ascorbic acid can destroy the exotoxin

of tetanus, as Jungeblut demonstrated, it can also destroy the

exotoxin of Pseudomonas. Ascorbic acid plays an important role in

maintaining fluid balance in the body. Ruskin pointed out that the

vitamin activates an enzyme arginase, which breaks down the amino

acid arginine, resulting in production of urea which is one key to

tissue fluid balance.

Pregnancy.

The simple stress of pregnancy demands supplemental vitamin C. This

amount will vary with the individual. The silver nitrate-urine text

will simplify these findings. Vitamin C seems especially concerned

with mesenchymal tissue. When one considers the demands of the fetus

and infant, especially premature babies, it is obvious that high

vitamin C intakes are required during pregnancy because

this " parasite " will drain available " C " from the mother. Greenblatt

[67] reports excellent results following the oral administration of

vitamin C in the therapy of habitual abortion. In my own practice I

was able to take women who had had as many as five abortions without

a successful pregnancy and carry them through two and three

uneventful pregnancies with the use of supplemental vitamin C. The

German literature is " stacked " with articles recommending high doses

of vitamin C during gestation because they believe that this

substance is of great benefit in influencing the health of the mother

and in preventing infections. The vital contribution of ascorbic acid

to the body tissues can be summed up in the formation and maintenance

of normal intercellular material, especially in the connective

tissue, bones, teeth, and blood vessels. Genetic errors might be

prevented if prospective mothers were advised to take 10 or more

grams of ascorbic acid daily. It is significant that we found in the

simple stress of pregnancy, a normal physiological process, that

equivalent requirements paralleled those found in the rat when under

stress. Experiments by King et al.[68] have shown that the need for

supplemental vitamin C begins with the embryo.

Kidney Stones.

The " scare " factor of large doses of ascorbic vs. kidney stones has

been laid to rest. Since the urine is usually pH6, one can see that

the opening of the lactone ring is a slow process. This reaction

takes place in tissues and is probably regulated by the amount of

glutathione present. The important considerations are that one must

have a concentrated urine, that stasis must be a factor and that the

urine must be alkaline for any appreciable amounts of the

crystalloids to precipitate out. This will never occur with massive

ascorbic acid therapy. Furthermore, it has been shown that the

controls in a given experiment had almost as much oxalic acid spill

as did those volunteers taking 9 grams of ascorbic acid daily.

Insect - Snake Bites.

The quickness of results in snake bite, spider bite, hornet stings

and caterpillar reactions demonstrates the usefulness in saving

lives. It is best to give the vitamin intravenously with a syringe

since bottle preparations are too time consuming. One precaution must

be given. There exist a 2 gram ascorbic acid ampoule, and ironically

it is the only one to my knowledge approved by the Food and Drug

Administration, which might " kill " if used undiluted in a syringe.

This lethal factor is due to the preservatives added. Each ampoule

contains 2 grams sodium ascorbate. Vehicle contains: Monothioglycerol

0.14%; Sodium Formaldehyde Sulfoxylate 0.05%; Methyl Paraben 0.13%;

Propyl Paraben 0.015%. Neutralized to pH6 with Sodium Bicarbonate;

Water for injection q.s. This ampoule can be used intravenously ONLY

when diluted to at least 25 c.c. to one gram. One sometimes will be

confronted with extraordinary allergic and shock symptoms along with

acute respiratory obstruction. In these situation one must employ

Benadryl intravenously and/or intramuscularly and an adrenocortical

hormone such as Decadron. These can be given by a nurse while the

ascorbic acid is being prepared. In their absence a second " syringe "

dose of ascorbic acid will suffice. Fluids by mouth should be given

to prevent or correct thirst which all patients seem to experience.

Diabetes

Large doses of ascorbic acid do not cause diabetes mellitus in humans

as has been suggested. On the contrary 10 grams daily, by mouth, has

proved to be beneficial. The fact that 10 grams will allow them to

heal wounds like normal individuals will save many legs in. the

future. Lamden, a biochemist, instigated these fears by

misinterpretation of the results reported by Patterson using the

Ketone formula intravenously in rats.

In Surgery.

In surgery the use of ascorbic acid resolves itself into a " must "

situation. The 24 hour frank scurvy levels should be sufficient

evidence to encourage all surgeons to use vitamin C freely in their

fluids. Proper employment of vitamin C by the surgeons will all but

eliminate the post-surgery deaths.

In Malignancy.

The part very large doses of ascorbic acid given intravenously over a

prolonged period offers a medical challenge. From cabbage and

tomatoes grown in the carbon-14 chambers radioactive ascorbic acid

can be extracted, which can be used in tracer studies. At least one

research team has demonstrated that in cancer all available " C " is

mobilized at the site of the malignancy. Lauber and Rosenfeld

reported that " C " is mobilized from the tissues of the body and

selectively concentrated in traumatized areas. In one hopeless case

we administered 17 grams daily for 92 consecutive days without

changing the blood or urine levels from that associated with scurvy.

This is the reason we believe a dose range of 100 grams to 300 grams

daily by continuous intravenous drip for a period of several months

might prove surprisingly profitable. Blood chemistry should be

followed daily with such an investigation. Schlegel found that even a

dose of 1.5 grams a day, by mouth, would prevent bladder cancer.

Barbiturate Poisoning.

Our findings in no less than 15 cases of barbiturate poisoning

suggested that no death should occur from this error in judgment. We

also observed the dramatic effect of 12 grams intravenously on blood

pressure associated with shock. The shock seen in heat stroke had

been corrected by the time the injection was completed. The dose

range used was 500 mg per Kg body weight.

Tetanus - Trichinosis

The use of ascorbic acid with Tolserol in the treatment of Tetanus

should be accepted as universal treatment. Here again the dose must

be proper. Our case as reported will serve as a guide in making these

calculations. Ascorbic acid along with Para-Aminobenzoic acid is

curative in Trichinosis. Both drugs are administered by mouth. It is

estimated that at least 5 million cases of chronic Trichinosis exists

in the United States. Just nine days of treatment would return these

individuals to normal. In our cases 10 grams ascorbic acid was given

daily and Para-Aminobenzoic acid was employed in high range. Four to

six grams to start then three grams every 2 hours for eight times.

For the remainder of the nine day schedule it was given 3 grams every

two hours during the day and every three hours during the night.

Viral Hepatitis.

Ascorbic acid is the drug of choice in viral hepatitis. The dose used

ranges from 400 mg to 600 mg per Kg body weight, depending on the

severity of the disease. It should be given every 8 to 12 hours. Ten

grams ascorbic acid daily in divided doses is also given by mouth.

Those under 10 years the usual schedule of at least one gram for each

year of life.

Multiple Uses.

We have reviewed many other pathological conditions in which ascorbic

acid plays an important part in recovery. To these might be added

Cardiovascular Diseases, Hypermenorrhea, Peptic and Duodenal Ulcers,

Post-operative and Radiation Sickness, Rheumatic Fever, Scarlet

Fever, Poliomyelitis, Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis, Tularemia,

Whooping Cough and Tuberculosis. In one case of scarlet fever in

which Penicillin and the Sulfa drugs were showing no improvement,

fifty grams ascorbic acid given intravenously resulted in a dramatic

drop in the fever curve to normal. Here the action of ascorbic acid

was not only direct but also as a synergist. A similar situation was

observed in a case of lobar pneumonia. In another case of purperal

sepsis following a criminal abortion the initial dose of ascorbic

acid was 1200 mg per Kg body weight and two subsequent injections

were at the 600 mg level. Along with Penicillin and Sulfadiazine an

admission temperature of 105.4°F. was normal in nine hours. The

patient made an uneventful recovery. In one spectacular case of Black

Widow[69] spider bite in a 3 1/2 year old child, in coma, one gram

calcium gluconate and 4 grams of ascorbic acid was administered

intravenously when first seen in the office. Four grams ascorbic acid

was then given every six hours using a 20 c.c. syringe. She was awake

and well in 24 hours. Physical examination showed a comatose child

with a rigid abdomen. The area about the umbilicus was red and

indurated, suggesting a strangulated hernia. With a 4 power lens,

fang marks were in evidence. Thirty hours after starting the vitamin

C therapy the child expelled a large amount of dark clotted blood.

There was no other residual. A review of the literature confirmed

that this individual has been the only one to survive with such

findings; the others were reported at autopsy. Ten grams vitamin C

and 200 mg to 400 mg vitamin B-6, by mouth, daily will " shield " one

from mosquito bites. Twenty percent will also require 100 mg vitamin

B-6 intramuscularly each week.

General Nutrition.

Vitamin C plays a very important role in general nutrition.

Deficiency of this substance in sufficient amounts can be a factor in

loss of appetite, loss of weight or failure to grow, muscular

weakness, anemia and various skin lesions. The relationship between

vitamin C and the health of the gums and teeth has long been

recognized. Laboratory studies on gum-teeth connective tissue have

reaffirmed this relationship.[70] Our son who will be 19 in July has

never developed a tooth cavity. Since age 10 he has received at least

10 grams ascorbic acid, daily, by mouth. Before age 10 the amount

given was on a sliding scale.[71]

Intravenous Application.

Ascorbic acid must be given by needle to bring about quick reversal

of various " insults " to the human body. We have found that doses must

range from 350 mg to 1200 mg per Kg body weight. Under 400 mg per Kg

of body weight the injection can be made with a syringe provided the

vitamin is buffered with sodium bicarbonate with Sodium Bisulfite

added. Above 400 mg doses per Kg body weight, and a particular

ampoule described in this summary, the vitamin must be diluted to at

least 18 c.c. of 5 per cent dextrose in water, saline in water or

Ringer's solution. Many times Adenosine 5-Monophosphate, 25 mg in

children and 50 to 100 mg in adults, given intramuscularly, is

necessary to achieve results. The aqueous solution is more effective

for quick results, although Adenosine in Gel can be employed. In

debilitated individuals or when the pathology is serious,

Desoxycorticosterone Acetate (DCA), aqueous solution, must also be

added to the schedule. Usually 2.5 mg for children and 5 mg for

adults is the daily intramuscular dose required. Sudden swelling of

the feet indicates abnormal sensitivity and the drug must be

discontinued.

 

It must be remembered when using ascorbic acid that experiments on

man are the only experiments which can give positive evidence of

therapeutic action in man. Likewise, the use of ascorbic acid in

human pathology must follow the Law of Mass Action: " In reversible

reactions, the extent of chemical change is proportional to the

active masses of the interacting substance. " FRED R. KLENNER,

M.D.Reidsville, N.C.Bibliography

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Case History: Pesticide Poisoning

 

Three boys ranging in years from age seven to age 12 were walking

along a North Carolina Highway. They were caught in the " spray " of a

dusting airplane. The youngest boy had been covered by the other two

and so received little exposure. He was seen in the emergency room of

the local hospital and sent home. The other two boys had different

physicians. One lad age 12, under our care, was given 10 grams of

ascorbic acid with a 50 c.c. syringe every 8 hours. The concentration

was one gram for each 5 c.c. diluent. He was returned home on the

second hospital day. The third boy received supportive treatment but

did not receive ascorbic acid. His body was something to see. The

spray had produced an allergic dermatitis as well as a chemical burn.

He died on the 5th hospital day.

Case History: Nasal Diphtheria

Three children, living in the same neighborhood, developed nasal

diphtheria. All three children had different physicians. A little

girl under our care was given 10 grams ascorbic acid, intravenously,

with a 50 c.c. syringe every 8 hours for the first 24 hours and then

every 12 hours for two times. She was then put on one gram ascorbic

acid every two hours by mouth. She lived and is now a graduate nurse.

The other children did not receive ascorbic acid and both died. Our

young patient also received 40,000 units diphtheria antitoxin which

was given intraperitoneal. The other children also were administered

the antitoxin.

Case History: Poliomyelitis

Although we were able to cure many cases of polio with massive doses

of ascorbic acid, one single instance demonstrates the value of

vitamin C. Two brothers were sick with poliomyelitis. These two boys

were given 10 and 12 grams of ascorbic acid, according to weight,

intravenously with a 50 c.c. syringe, every eight hours for 4 times

and then every 12 hours for 4 times. They also were given one gram

every two hours by mouth around the clock. They made complete

recovery and both were athletic stars in high school and college. A

third child, a neighbor, under the care of another physician received

no ascorbic acid. This child also lived. The young lady is still

wearing braces.

Case History: Acute Virus Infection representing Deadly Virus

Syndrome

Cases with paralysis are extremely interesting in as much as they

challenge diagnostic prowess. One of our cases, a female age 58,

demonstrated three different types. She entered the hospital because

of a convulsive seizure. She had had a lingering cold for ten days.

She experienced three additional convulsive seizures after hospital

admission. The temperature was 100.8°F. pulse 140, respirations 32.

She was extremely restless. Twenty-four grams ascorbic acid in 360

c.c. 5D water was given intravenously for three times at 8 hour

intervals. One gram calcium gluconate was added to the first and

third bottle. Twenty four hours following admission and 72 grams

ascorbic acid in the blood stream, patient was awake and rational but

completely paralyzed, right arm and leg. Five grams ascorbic acid was

given in fruit juice every 6 hours by mouth and 6 grams ascorbic acid

along with a B complex preparation was given intravenously, daily for

eight additional days. The right arm and leg returned to normal 48

hours after admission. Classical pellagra was also corrected during

this hospital stay.

Case History: Repeating virus infection

This case proved that adequate ascorbic acid therapy must be

continued long enough to destroy all virus bodies, otherwise the

infection will recur. In 1960, I treated a seven year old boy, off

and on, over a period of six weeks, for influenza like symptoms.

Therapy included one of the mold derived drugs, sulfadiazine and 5 to

10 grams ascorbic acid by mouth. On three different occasions this

treatment schedule was dramatically effective. When the child became

ill for the fourth time, the administration of the above antibiotics

and oral vitamin C had no reversing effect. On the third day of this

illness the child suddenly became lethargic and just as suddenly to

frank stupor. The temperature which had been running low grade was

now 102.6°F. At this paint all oral medication was discontinued. I

immediately gave six grams of ascorbic acid intravenously with a 30

c.c. syringe. He was awake and asking, " what happened " in 5 minutes.

Six grams ascorbic acid was given in 4 hours and then at 6 hour

intervals for two additional doses. The recovery was complete in 24

hours and remained so. Ascorbic acid was again started by mouth

giving 5 grams in juice every 8 hours. After one week, this was

reduced to the usual daily " take " of seven grams. I had ample

opportunity to observe this case--the child was our son.

Case History: Snake bite

Child of 4 years was struck on the lower leg by a large highland

moccasin at 7:00 P.M., while at play in the yard of her country home.

Seen in the emergency room of the local hospital at 7:30 P.M., the

child was vomiting, was crying because of severe pain in her leg,

which she held with both hands above the " fang marks " . Fever was 99.0°

F. Four grams of ascorbic acid was given intravenously at 7:35 P.M.

with a 20 c.c. syringe. The following 25 minutes were taken to follow

a skin test on anti-venom. At this time and before the anti-venom was

administered the child had stopped vomiting, she had stopped crying

and was sitting on the emergency room table, laughing and drinking a

glass of orange juice. She commented: " Come on, Daddy, I'm all right

now, let's go home. " She was allowed to return home with the

understanding that her father would give me a report, by phone, each

hour during the night. This he did. His report, each time, was that

the child was sleeping as usual and that except for moderate swelling

to the " calf of the leg " , appeared normal. Seen in the office at

10:00 A.M. the following morning she still demonstrated the small

amount of swelling of her leg and had 1/2 degree fever. She was given

a second dose of 4 grams of ascorbic acid intravenously. Seen at 5

P.M. she had no fever but the swelling remained constant. There was

no pain. The following day, 38 hours after being bitten, she was

completely normal. Since this was our first case of snake bite

treated with vitamin C, we elected to give an additional 4 grams of

ascorbic acid on this visit. No other antibiotics were given and none

was required. Since she had had a booster injection of tetanus toxoid

in recent months, none was given at this time.

Comparing this to an earlier case of snake bite in a 16 year old

girl, struck by a moccasin of about the same size, as gauged from the

fang marks, on the hand while pulling tobacco plants, and who was

hospitalized for three weeks. She was given 3 doses of anti-venom.

The arm was compressed continuously with magnesium sulfate solution.

Swelling was four times that of the opposite arm and striae developed

over the entire surface. This patient received no vitamin C other

than that found in a regular hospital diet. Morphine was required to

control pain. (We no longer use anti-venom.)

Case History: An Insidious virus

This was a child of 18 months. She was seen in the driveway to my

home at about 7:00 P.M. The history was brief. The child had

strangled on food while eating supper. A cursory examination given in

the front seat of an automobile revealed an extremely restless,

whining child. The temperature was 98.6°F. (axillary 10 minutes-

corrected). There was no obstruction to the air-ways. We did elicit

the information, that the child had had a cold for several days. We

also learned that the child's mother had taken her for a long

stroller ride the previous day--which in this area was damp and cold.

Frankly the impulse to send the child home was great.

Remembering that I had seen children dead within 30 minutes to two

hours after hospital admission without treatment, I decided to buy

some time. The Uncle was asked to take the child to the emergency

room of the local hospital. The nurse on duty was given an order to

take a rectal temperature and then give a fleets enema. If the

results proved unsatisfactory, she was to repeat the procedure in 30

minutes using a normal saline solution. Approximately 45 minutes

after leaving my home, the intern on duty reported by phone, that the

child was unconscious to a point where she responded only to pain

stimuli. The enema had not been given. Going at once to the hospital,

conditions were found as described. The little patient was lying

motionless on the examining table. Using a suitable size rectal tube

I gave the enema with good results. The stool was normal. Rectal

temperature taken at the hospital was 98.4°F. (corrected). The pulse

rate was 152 per minute and respirations were 32 per minute. It was

impossible to visualize the throat because the mouth was " locked " as

one finds after stimulation in lockjaw. Our impression was that the

virus had now entered the brain.

Thirty grams of ascorbic acid, in divided doses, was given

intramuscularly over a period of 36 hours. Crystalline penicillin was

started on the second day and 300,000 units were administered in

divided doses over the next three days. This was added to block

secondary invaders. One hour following admission we applied a 4 x 4

gauze, saturated with tap water, to the child's lips. The sucking

reflex was still intact, but the child immediately strangled. Turning

the child head down, the small amount of water ran from its nostrils.

Now it was clear. It was this " bulbar phenomenon " that was at play

when the child was eating supper. The nursing log showed the

temperature to be 99.0°F. (corrected) 1 1/2 hours after admission and

1 1/2 hours later it was recorded at 100.0°F. (corrected). The

nursing log at this time read: " Shows no sign of consciousness. "

Temperature was 101.2°F. four hours after admission and was 102.4°F.

(corrected) after six hours. Now the nursing log read: " Baby

swallowed water without difficulty. " At this point the temperature

curve started back down and by 7:00 A.M. (11 hours following

admission) the child was alert and taking water freely from a spoon.

Twenty eight hours after the first injection of ascorbic acid the

temperature was normal. Water, milk and orange juice were now taken

from a bottle. Cecon (liquid vitamin C) was given by mouth. Discharge

was on the 5th hospital day. The initial low fever recording

indicated that the child was dying; after ascorbic acid therapy she

began to respond, thus the fever. After the virus was killed, the

temperature returned to normal.

Case History: Monoxide Poisoning

State highway employee carried into my office in unconscious

condition. He was a known diabetic. The breathing was not Kussmaul

type and his skin was warm and dry. We elicited the information that

he had been found in the cab of his truck with the windows closed and

the engine running. It was a cold Winter day. Entertaining a

diagnosis of Monoxide intoxication we immediately gave 12 grams

ascorbic acid with a 50 c.c. syringe using a 20 gauge needle. (We

employ a 20 G. needle when using a 50 c.c. syringe; 21 G needle for a

30 c.c. syringe; 22 G needle for a 20 c.c. syringe and a 23 G needle

for a 10 c.c. syringe. This assists in controlling the rate of flow

which is important, especially, in young children). Within 10 minutes

the patient was awake, sitting up on the edge of the examining table,

rubbing his eyes and saving: " Doc, what in the world am I doing up

here in your office. " He returned to his place of employment within

45 minutes.

Case History #1: Acute Virus qancarditis

A five year old boy was admitted to the local hospital with history

of having a " relapse " after recovery from measles. The physical

findings showed a thready and feeble pulse. A distinct rub was in

evidence by auscultation. The EKG showed RS-T deviations. The

temperature was 105°F.. Ascorbic acid calculated at 400 mg per Kg

body weight was given intravenously with a syringe. Within two hours

the picture had almost reverted to normal. Injection of Vitamin C was

repeated in 6 hours and again at 12 hours. A fourth injection was

given after 24 hours although the patient was clinically well. The

child returned home on the 4th hospital day.

Case History #2: Acute Virus Pancarditis following a deep cold

The findings approximated those of case #1. The parents elected to

take the child to Duke Medical Center. Six grams of ascorbic acid was

given by needle before starting the trip to the hospital which was 60

miles away. Upon arrival at the Medical Center the child had made

such dramatic response to the single injection of ascorbic acid that

the parents were tempted to return home. The receiving physician

questioned the sickness of the child as being out of proportion to

that relayed by me during our telephone conversation. The parents

assured the physician that the child had been seriously ill, but that

the change came about after receiving the ascorbic acid. Although 50

grams (25 ampoules) of ascorbic acid was sent along with the parents,

none was given because the physician in charge stated that he would

be afraid to give that size dose, intravenously, to a child. The fact

that we had administered six grams, which represented a dose of 400

mg per Kg body weight, apparently had no influence. Laboratory

findings, however, confirmed our impression and the child was

hospitalized for two weeks. Two additional injections of vitamin C

would have cured the child in 24 hours.

Case History: Acute Pancreatitis

Adult Male seen in the emergency room of local hospital complaining

of severe, agonizing pain in the epigastrium which radiated to the

back. Nausea and vomiting were present. Serum amylase studies showed

a concentration of 345. This was the 4th such attack experienced by

this patient. Sixty grams ascorbic acid in 700 c.c. Dextrose in water

was given intravenously. 20 mg Pantapon was given in the emergency

room. No additional opiates were required. The patient made an

uneventful recovery. He was placed on 10 grams ascorbic acid by mouth

and has not had a recurrence in almost 5 years. He has, however,

developed mild diabetes mellitus which is now controlled with diet

and vitamin C.

END

I am in full agreement with Lancelot Hogben who said, " A scientific

idea must live dangerously or die of inanition. Science thrives on

daring generalizations. There is nothing particularly scientific

about excessive caution. Cautious explorers do not cross the Atlantic

of truth. "

 

 

 

 

Frederick R. Klenner, M.D., F.C.C.P.

Reidsville, North Carolina

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Klenner attended St. Vincent and St.

Francis College, where he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in

biology. He graduated magna cum laude and was awarded a teaching

fellowship there. He was also awarded the college medal for

scholastic philosophy. There followed another teaching fellowship in

chemistry at Catholic University, Where he pursued studies for a

doctorate in physiology.

Dr. Klenner then 'migrated' to North Carolina and Duke University to

continue his studies. He arrived in time to use his knowledge in

physiology and chemistry to free the nervous system of the frog for a

symposium by immersing the animal in 10% nitric acid. Taken in tow by

Dr. Pearse, chairman of the department, he was finally persuaded to

enter the school of medicine. He completed his studies at Duke

University and received his medical degree in 1936.

Dr. Klenner served three years in post graduate hospital training

before embarking on a private practice in medicine. Although

specializing in diseases of the chest, he continued to do general

practice because of the opportunities it afforded for observations in

medicine. His patients were as enthusiastic as he in playing guinea

pigs to study the action of ascorbic acid. The first massive doses of

ascorbic acid he gave to himself. Each time something new appeared on

the horizon he took the same amount of ascorbic acid to study its

effects so as to come up with the answers.

Dr. Klenner's list of honors and professional society affiliations is

tremendous. He is listed in a flock of various " Who's Who " registers.

He has published many scientific papers throughout his scientific

career.

 

 

 

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