Comments

The atrocities happening to animals sent live overseas is shameful, disgraceful and horrific. How can farmers, the industry and government simply turn a blind eye? Australia is globalizing animal abuse and cruelty. The Supply Chain Assurances do not work. The brutal slaying and burying alive of 21,000 sheep in Pakistan is not an "isolated incidence"! 2000 cows are to be sent to Pakistan, to the same government organisation that culled the sheep!! The lust for money is the root of all evil. The live export industry is shameful to Australia and must end. Money can't justify it.

You can show your support of the EDO by signing this petition: http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/nsw-government-save-environmental-defender-s-office-edo-nsw The Australian newspaper has accused the organisation of secretly working with Greenpeace to draft a plan to cripple the coal industry. An allegation denied by the EDO. Since when did the Australian go beyond being a "news" paper and become part of the coal lobby? Questions about the organisations relationship with groups such as Lock the Gate have also been raised, with the Energy Minister Chris Hartcher accusing the group of being allied with radical socialists. This is about ostracizing anyone who questions our political policies and businesses that want to over-ride property laws. The bulk of the EDO's work focused on planning laws. It also advises on native vegetation, chemicals, water, forestry and biodiversity protection law. The economic model of perpetual growth means quashing and loosening environmental laws and policies, and holistic planning, to allow access to natural resources, and accommodate a swelling population.

"They (NSW government) say that members of the public struggle to understand the legalities of complex planning proposals,," They do understand the complexity of planning processes. It's obviously about implementing plans to accommodate more people, due to our record-high immigration rates. What's being compromised is environmental integrity and conservation, and the principles of balanced planning. Of course planning processes get more complex! It's an impossible task to preserve open spaces, biodiversity, living standards and good amenities with our rate of population growth - "economic growth". Thus, one more door of public redress must be closed - there's no room for environmental concerns and democratic input as we head for what's unwelcomed by the public - "big Australia"!!!

How is our city meant to grow, and at the same time increase the quality of life, better choice of housing, and improve our economy? Obviously housing affordability is declining, while costs of living are increasing. A study by the Essential Services Commission also found electricity prices increased by an average 33 per cent over the past five years; and gas by 22 per cent over the same period. Over 50% of the cost of power is due to distribution costs - the "poles and wires". A bigger Melbourne, geographically and in population size, will further cause power rises as dis-economies of scale become engorged even more. Melbourne's household water bills are set to soar by an average of 34 per cent next financial year. Each distributor has flagged large increases next year, to cover the cost of the Wonthaggi desalination plant. Families face water bill hikes of up to $310 on an average bill next year, the new documents reveal. It comes as Victorians are warned of another blow - experts tipping power bill increases of at least $150 from next year. Up to 2000 Victorian families are at greater risk of being made homeless this year because of state government budget cuts to a housing support program. A manager from one of the housing support agencies, who asked not to be named, said the 30 per cent funding cut and a proposed further 10 per cent cut next year meant more than 2600 households would miss out on help. A decade into the planning Melbourne 2030 scheme we have seen escalating inner city dwelling prices push most home buyers well out of contention and price increases in suburbia push more would-be property punters out to the urban fringe. In other words, the exact opposite of what the government intended with Melbourne 2030 has occurred and in fact, late last decade, house and land prices on the fringe were no longer affordable for most aspiring first-home buyers as the stock of land marked for subdivision had depleted. The limits of growth are numerous, and further growth for Melbourne will only exacerbate the existing problems, and add more. Monash University’s Bob Birrell says, “Those planning Melbourne’s future have not come to grips with the causes of Melbourne’s affordability crisis. The provision of even more high-rise apartment blocks or further extension of the Urban Growth Boundary, — the current Victorian Government’s strategy — will not provide a solution.” http://www.melbournebuyersagent.com.au/our-blog/2012/10/11/where-to-for-...

It shows how clever the media and social engineering of minds have become, especially in the area of housing. There's nothing "green" about higher density living, or amassing people into cities, or population growth. On the contrary, the most environmentally friendly way of living, according to researchers, is families in single detached houses, with room for gardens, trees, clothes lines, recycling, water harvesting and solar panels. It's amazing how humans can be so naive and so easily manipulated, and still consider Vancouver a most "liveable" city! The mind-manipulators go to great lengths to disguise the "elephant in the room" - population growth by covering it in "green" language. Due to the misleading misinformation that has accompanied these policies of promoting high density living, as being more efficient than suburban sprawl, the public may not fully realise the connection between these policies on the one hand and deteriorating standard of living on the other. Australian Conservation Association’s Consumption Atlas shows greenhouse pollution per person in each postal code. Research shows that the actual travel energy used by dwellers in inner Sydney suburbs is more than those in the outer suburbs, even when air travel is excluded. A study of Melbourne areas shows that the people squeezed into newly converted dense areas did not use public transport to any greater extent and there was little or no change in their percentage of car use compared to living in the previous low-density. Analysis shows that greenhouse gas emissions of those living in high-density areas are greater than for those living in low-density areas. They are captive to power inside their apartments, and being exposed to climatic elements, must rely totally on power. An analysis of the data shows that the average carbon dioxide equivalent emission of the high-density core areas of Australian cities is 27.9 tonnes per person whereas that for the low-density outer areas is 17.5 tonnes per person. (Resisting Dickensian Gloom AUTHOR: TONY RECSEI) There's nothing "green" about living in smaller boxes, and cities are becoming a tool for generating profits by growth-ists rather than human-and-environmentally friendly places to live and work. It's all about mass mind control, and clever manipulation. The Ponzi economic growth scheme promises goods and returns, but it's all an illusion.

Suggesting possums can be controlled by contraceptives is a typically naive, human-centric reaction to a vast ecological problem. It is extremely costly ($160,000 to do 60 animals in Melbourne apparently) and cruel as it interferes significantly with possums natural behavior, not to mention the surgery they need every year or so. While people starve, spending that sort of money on the problem is utterly immoral. Right now, hunting and a fur industry is as sensible as it gets. No-one's suggesting the animals be slaughtered cruelly (1080 should be stopped). Humans have always naturally exploited animals for food and clothing and dealing with the destructive possum pest problem is just a modern day version of an age old activity. These animals are destroying NZ's native environment (they're the facts I'm afraid) and aggressive culling to remove as many of them as possible is the right thing to do. Unless you're a strict vegetarian, suggesting otherwise is hypocrisy and would lead to the destruction of many threatened animal species. While we're at it, we should begin culling in some urban areas of Australia too: overpopulation is resulting in starving, sick animals and the destruction of valuable foliage, much of it native eg. old growth trees in parks. They've become the equivalent of rats in terms of the problems they produce in certain areas (and I don't hear people complaing about killing them). The illogical reactions to culling possums seem to be related to the fact people find them 'cute' - a ridiculous reason to not act on the problem. I'd take the advice of someone who works with and cares for animals every day like a farmer, over some city-dwelling bleeding heart who's experience of animals is a domestic cat or dog, a few visits to the zoo, the occasional witnessing of native animals in their backyards, and leather shoes and steaks for dinner!

The "management" of dingoes has been a sad tale of trapping, shooting and poisoning since Colonial settlement when pastoralists brought their livestock here. Dingoes have always had some human contact, and they were brought here by indigenous people about 5,000 years ago as companions. It's thought that they made extinct the thylaciene on the mainland, however, the rate of extinctions and threats to species since European settlement has accelerated since then. Although the Tiger may have been stronger than the Dingo, more capable of recovering from drought and a superior hunter, the Dingo's symbolic relationship with the nomadic humans gave it a huge comparative advantage. Thus began an era of eradication and disaster for Australia’s native dog, which has continued through till today. The dingo is a totem animal for the local Aborigine tribe. The dingo was so sacred and revered, that Aboriginal women nursed dingo pups from their own breasts. The dingo is connected to holy places, totems, rituals, and dreamtime characters. There appears to have been a close affinity between Aborigines and dingoes before the coming of the white man. The draconian "management" of dingoes is sterile, objective and scientific, with little respect for it's place in ecology, the myths of our traditional owners, or respect for their suffering and the very small parcel of land left for them to exist on and eke out a living. Humans entering their territory need to be managed, not the dingoes.

It takes one to know one. Jennifer Cunich of the Property Council is right - there should be no sacred cows. And she should be the first one to go!

Mark O'Connor writes about Nick Parr's article on The Conversation: In "Time to put baby bonus myths to bed," (The Conversation 26 October 2012), demographer Nick Parr writes: "With higher fertility, the age structure would eventually become more economically advantageous than it would be with lower fertility — but only after about 50 years. In the shorter term, higher fertility creates an economically more challenging age structure." Like many demographers he's looking at the proportions of those too young to work and too old to work. He forgets the other big issue, however, that rapid population growth impoverishes. It impoverishes not just the parents of large families (obviously) but also the whole community who must, mainly through taxes, provide at least $200,000 worth of public infrastructure per extra person. On this see: O'Sullivan J (2012) The burden of durable asset acquisition in growing populations. Economic Affairs, February 2012, pp 31-37. a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-0270.2011.02125.x/pdf and MP Kelvin Thomson's 19 March 2012 Speech: http://www.kelvinthomson.com.au/Editor/assets/speeches_2012/120319%20grievance%20debate%20population%20growth.pdf Both point out that the rate of pop growth is what produces the greatest economic costs, NOT the changes in the proportions of young and old. Anyone can register and comment on the site.

Melbourne planning strategy preparations Get Involved Throughout the development of the new Metropolitan Planning Strategy we will be seeking views from the community, councils, industry, and other stakeholders on a range of issues.  Your feedback will be used to help plan Melbourne’s future and we encourage you to get involved.  Have Your Say on the Discussion Paper The Victorian Coalition Government's Ministerial Advisory Committee has prepared a Discussion Paper called "Melbourne, let's talk about the future".  The paper was released by the Minister for Planning to prompt debate around the challenges and ideas for Melbourne's future.  The Committee raises many interesting ideas for you to consider and there are a number of ways for you to provide feedback:

• Read "Melbourne, let's talk about the future"
• Make a submission 
• Register your interest to attend an event
• Share your ideas in the online discussion forum

Feedback on the Discussion Paper close on Friday 1 March 2013. If you would like to make your comments in writing please email [email protected] to request a copy of the submission template. Next Steps - Draft Strategy Building on the feedback from the previous consultation and further research, a draft strategy will be prepared. The draft strategy is expected to be released for comment in Autumn 2013.

Vitamin C; Another old treatment that has been around for a long time is the injection of large doses of vitamin C. This seems to date back to the 1930's soon after the chemical structure of vitamin C was worked out, and it was being promoted as a cure for anything from tuberculosis to cancer. It is still a popular remedy and can be found on many veterinary homeopathic naturopathic and other alternative medicine(quackery) sites. It also seems to be popular in Australia for some reason, possibly due to many farmers and pet owners living some distance from veterinary services and desiring an inexpensive and quick remedy to give. Various sites recommend giving large doses of vitamin C orally, intravenously, or intramuscularly. There is no real reason that large doses of Vitamin C should counteract snake venom, and this interesting site shows a series of cases in a goat herd, where the farmer carefully recorded the effects or lack thereof, of vitamin C injections in animals suspected of being bitten. Interestingly, several cases that survived turned out to be from non-venomous snakes, or "dry" or mild bites from venomous snakes or problems unrelated to snakebite. The animals confirmed to have serious snakebite died despite vitamin C injection. Vitamin C is acidic and is very painful when injected intramuscularly, and in at least one of the goats reported above, apparently caused sterile abscesses to form after the injections. Again, this treatment is not really any better than placebo, and may be harmful in some circumstances. In conclusion, most first aid treatments for venomous bites are ineffective or minimally effective, and sometimes can cause injury themselves. Don't spend too much time trying to apply first aid to a victim of venomous snakebite. The best chance for humans or animals in such circumstances is getting to professional medical care as quickly as possible. As a friend of mine who is an expert in primitive desert survival techniques and wilderness first aid says, "the best first aid for snakebite is your car keys". Getting to a medical provider who can evaluate the severity of the bite and administer antivenom if necessary is the best thing to do in this unfortunate situation. Time spent trying to apply ineffective first aid, or even worse, self treating with vitamins or some other "natural" remedy can make the difference between surviving the bite and dying from it, and not in a positive way. Snake venom is natural too, and is one of the most toxic substances found anywhere. 13 minuten geleden · Vind ik leuk Journal of Applied Nutrition Vol. 23, No's 3 & 4, Winter 1971 Observations On the Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When Employed Beyond the Range of A Vitamin in Human Pathology Frederick R. Klenner, M.D., F,C,C.P. 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 cc to be replaced by the 'C' ampules. "Recently the FDA has published a 'warning' that too much soda-ascobate 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. 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 perfoliatum2. 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 suprise 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 sympton 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 un-corrected, 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; todays goal of high blood levels to cope with selfinduced 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 illegitmate "child" has been co-fathered by the National Academy of Science and The National Re-search Council and represents a tragic error in judgement. 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: 1) The age of the individual; 2) Habits -- such as smoking, the use of alcohol, playing habits; 3) Sleep, especially when induced artificially; 4) Trauma.-- trauma caused by a pathogen, the trauma of work, the trauma of surgery, the trauma to the body produced accidentally or intentionally; 5) Kidney threshold; 6) Environment; 7) Physiological stress; 8) Season of the year; 9) Loss in the stool; 10) Variations in individual absorption; 11) Variations in "binders" in commercial tablets; 12) Body chemistry; 13) Drugs; 14) Pesticides; 15) Body weight; 16) 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 adquate 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 grams5 to 4.0 grams6 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 over simplication 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 liver11. 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. Bio-chemist Irwin Stone's 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 tourniquent test of Hess in results. Both can be used to estimate the quanity of vitamin C necessary to maintain capillary integrity. The intradermal test of Rotter as modified by Slobody13 is again gaining new recruits. In principle it is the same as the lingual test of Ringdorf and Cheraskin14 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 theraputic 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-Urine15 test. This test employs 10 drops of 5 percent silver nitrate and 10 drops urine which is placed in a Wasserman tube. 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 adjuvent 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 ascorhic 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), Echo and polioviruses - they all contain only ribonucleic acid and protein. There exist minor variations. Adenoviruses contain desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein. Other viruses such as that causing influenza contain added lipid and polysaccharides. Desoxyribonucleic 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 necleic 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: 1) 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; 2) The infectious nucleic acid, after entering a human cell, retains its protein coat and starts to produce its own type protein coat16 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; 3) The introduction of a foreign fragment of nucleic acid in the cell-virus interaction approach as postulated by Starr17. 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, enzymic 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 catabilized 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 195319 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. It is suffocation but by way of a syndrome we observed and reported in 195720 which is similar to that found in cephalic tetanus-toxemia culminating in diphragmatic spasm, with dyspnea and finally asphyxia.21 By 195822 we had collected sufficient information from our office and hospital patients to catalog this deadly syndrome Into two important stages. A 1) There is always a history of having had the "Flu" which lasted 48 to 96 hours complicated with extreme physical or metal distress; 2) A mild cold, similar to an allergic rhinitis, which lingered on for several weeks but did not incapacitate the individual. B This stage, which is always sudden, will present itself in at least seven forms: 1) Convulsive seizures; 2) Extreme excitability resembling delirium tremens if an adult and with dancing of the eyeballs if a child; 3) Severe chill; 4) Strangling in the course of eating or drinking (bulbar type); 5) Collapse; 6) Stupor; 7) Hemiplegic type. Second Stage Findings Other findings of this dramatic second stage are: 1) Rapid pulse; 2) Temperature can be normal, moderately elivated or high; 3) Respirations twice to three times normal and in some cases will be suggestive of air hunger; 4) Pupils will be moderately open and in some instances (hemiplegic) one will be markedly dilated; 5) Urine negative; 6) The white blood count running from 6,000 to 25,000 with a high poly count in the differential; 7) 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; 8) Bladder spincted 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 re-search the literature before writing our paper. "Virus Encephalities As A Sequel Of The Pneumonias."22 Rosenfield in 1903 described a similar syndrome under the caption "Brain Purpura or Haemorrhagic 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. 1) Symptoms of a nonspecific nature - headache, vomiting, irritability; 2) Delirious type; 3) Convulsive type; 4) Lethargic type; 5) Hemiplegic type. These groups plus two additional types, namely: 6) Chill - blood invasion type; 7) 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: 1) Through the olfactory nerves; 2) Through the portals of the stomach from material swallowed, either pulmonary or upper respiratory drainage; 3) Direct extension from otitis media or from mastoid cells; 4) The blood stream. Arriving in the brain the virus goes through the blood cerebro spinal fluid barrier and/or the blood brain barrier by one of three ways: a) Electrical charge; b) Chemical lysis of tissue; c) Osmosis. Bakay24 reported that the permeability of the blood-brain barrier can be changed by introducing various toxic agents into the blood circulation. Chambers and Zweifach25 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. Berkeley28 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 Levenson28 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. Bergman30 reported an increase demand for ascorbic acid in burns especially when epithelization and formation of granulation tissue are taking place. Lam31 also reported in 1941 a marked decrease in the plasma ascorbic acid concentration in patients with severe burns. Klasson32 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 ascrobic 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 Stone33 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: 1) 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; 2) 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; 3) 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; 4) 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 guage 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; 5) Supportative treatment; that is, whole blood and maintaining electrolite 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"" 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 hemmorhages. 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 lustly 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. Meakins36 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 Zilva37 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 mellitue. 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: 1) The tox-albumin of the snake bite, like the copperhead or rattler; 2) Formic acid plus a toxin with a protein cover, called proteotoxin by Arthus,39 such as found in bees and wasps; 3) Neurotoxin from the Black Widow, the Fiddle Spider and snakes like the Cobra and Coral; 4) Production of histamine, especially in the more severe stings and bites. Wells40 in 1925 called the poison of certain spiders and snakes zootoxins and of poisonous plants, phytotoxins. Ford41 in 1911 reported three classes of toxins in plants and fungi: 1) Nerve poisons-muscarine; 2) Those causing structural changes in the viscera with resulting fatty degeneration; 3) 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 Pollock43 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 Rossiter44 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 followup 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, ampouIe 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. 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 iniection 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 bio-chemist, 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 Paterson45 on the diabetogenic effect of dehydroascorbie 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 diabete mellitus and if I might digress a moment, neither have I had a kidney stone. Diabetes millitus 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 scurvey. 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 re-instate 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 anasthesia and after cessation of such inhalents 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 re-search team reported similar findings in 1965. Bartlett, Jones48 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 viatamin C therapy during the post-operative period. Lanman and Ingalls47 showed that the tensile strength of healing wounds is lowered in the presence of "scurvy plasma levels". Schumacher48 reported that the pre-operative 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 like between mononucleosis and EB virus, a herpes-like agent also associated with Burkitt lymphoma. 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? Schlegel50 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 ascrobic acid, carcinogenic metabolites will not develop in the urine. They suggest that spontaneous tumor formation is the result of faulty tryptophane metabolism while urine is retained in the bladder. Schlegel termed ascorbic acid "An Anticancer Vitamin". Along this line Glick and Hosoda51 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 formaton 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 ascrobic acid drip for 2 to 3 months, giving 100 to 300 grams each day, for various malagnant conditions? Barbiturate patients in shock normalized with ascorbic acid. Clemmesen52 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 role54 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. Lock-law 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 Jungeblut56 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 Campbell60 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 and 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 and intravenous injections will quickly relieve the pain and erathema, 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. Forty 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 soluable base will cure acute fever blisters if applied 10 or more times a day and we have removed several small basal cell epithelionhas with a 30 percent ointment. Dr. Virno61 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 intramuscularry 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 uia 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 iq 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. Regnier65 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 heroicly 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 re-appear 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. Greenblatt68 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 ampule, 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 ampule 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 bio-chemist, 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 re-search 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 niillion 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 Widow69 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 comatosed child with a rigid abdomen. The area about the umbilicus was red and indurated, suggesting a strangulated hernia. With a 4 power 1ense, 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 m vitamin B-6 intramuscalarly 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 siiding scale. Intra-Venous 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 aquous 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), aquous 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 reversable 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. 2 Jennings & Avinoff: Wild Flowers of Western Penna. & Upper Ohio Basin, University of Pittsburgh Press, Vol. 2, Plate 156. 3 Food and Life: P. 236, 1939 Yearhook, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, U.S. Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 4 Klenner, F. R.;: Correspondence with Dr. Bauer, University of Switzerland. 5 J. J. Burns, et al.: J. Biol. Chem. 207: 679, 1954. 6 Salomon, L. L, et al.: N.Y. Acad. Science 93: 115, 1961. 7 Conney, A. H., et al.: N.Y. Acad. Science 92: 115, 1961. 8 Grollman, A. P. & Lehninger, A. L.: Arch. Biochem., 69:458, 1957. 9 Chattejee, I. B., Kar, N. C., Guha, B. C.: N.Y. Acad. Science 92:36, 1961. 10 Isherwood, F. A. & Mapson, L. W.: N.Y. Acad. Science 92:6, 1961. 11 Burns, J. J. Am. J. Med. 26: 740, 1959 12 Stone, I.: Brief Proposal Per. Biology & Medicine, Autumn 1966. 13 Slobody, L. B.: J. Lab & CLinical Med. 29 #5, 464-472, 1944. 14 Ringsdore, W. M., Cheraskin, E. Sec., Oral Med., U. of Ala. Med. Center, Birmingham, Ala. 15 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., Feb. 1956. 16 Larson, C.: Ordnance, PP. 359-360, Jan.-Feb. 1967. 17 Starr, T. J.: Hospital Practice, p. 52, November 1968. 18 Kropowski, H.: Med. World News, p. 24, June 19, 1970. 19 Klenner, F. R.: J. Applied Nutrition, 1953. 20 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. Journal, June 1957. 21 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., Oct. 1958. 22 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., Feb. 1960. 23 Baker, A. B. & Noran, H. H.: Archives Int. Med. Vol. 76, 146-153, 1945. 24 Bakay, L: The Blood-Brain Barrier, C. Thomas, 1956. 25 Chambers, R. et al: Physiol. Rev., Vol. 27, 436-463, 1947. 26 Knisely, M. H. et al: Archives Surgery, 51-220, 1945. 27 Knisely, M. H. Science 106: 431, 1947. 28 Berkeley, W. T., Jr.: Southern Med. J., Vol. 58, pp. 1182-1184. 29 Lund & Levenson: Arch. Surg., Vol. 55: 557, 1947. 30 Bergman, H. C. et al: Am. Heart J., Vol. 29, 506-512, 1945. 31 Lam, C. R.: Col. Rev. Surg. Gyn. & Obst., Vol. 72, 390-400. 1941. 32 Klasson,D. H.: N.Y. J. Med., 51, 2388-2392, Oct. 1951. 33 Stone, H. H.: Med. J., Aug. 1: 6-10, 1970. 34 Borsook, H. et al: J. Biol. Chem, 117:237, 1937. 35 Hoverbed: Med. World News, Oct. 13, 1967; 36 Meakins, J. C.: The Practice of Med., C. V. Mosby, 1938. 37 Kelli & Zilva; J. Biochemistry, 29: 1028. 1935. 38 Lambden, M. P. et al: Proc. Sec. Exp. Biol. Med., 85: 190-192, 1954. 39 Arthus: J. Pharm. Chemi., 20: 41, 1919. 40 Wells, H. C.: Chem. Pathology, Saunders, 3rd Ed., 1925. 41 Ford: J. Pharmacy, 2, 285; 1911. 42 Editorial: J.A.M.A. (117) 11: 937-938, 1941. 43 Chambers, R., & Pollock, H.: J. Gen. Physiology, 10: 739, 1927. 44 Clark & Rassiter: Q. J. Exp. Physiology, V32, 279, 1944. 45 Patterson, J. W.: J. Biological Chemistry, 81-88, 1950. 46 Bartlett, M. K., et al.: New Eng. J. of Med., Vol. 226, 474, 1942. 47 Lanman, T. H., Ingalls, T. H.: Am. Surgery, Vol. 105, 616, 1937. 48 Schumacher: Ohio State Med. J., 42: 1248, 1946. 49 Mono-EB Virus-Burkitt Lymphoma: Med. World News, Dec. 13, 1968. 50 Schlegal, G. E., et al.: Trans. Am. Ass. Genito Urinary Surgery, Vol. 61, 1989, 51 Click and Hosoda: Proc. Sec. Exp. Biology and Med., 119, 1965. 52 Clemmesen, C.: Bisperbjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Mod. Med., 123-124, July, 1954. 53 Hadden, J., et al.: J. Am. Med. Ass., 209: 893-900, 1989. 54 Becker, R. R., et al.: J. Am. Chem. Sec. 75: 2020, 1953. 55 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., July, 1954. 56 Jungeblut, C. U.: J. Immuniology, Vol. 33 #3, Sept. 1939 57 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J., April 1954. 58 Capps, R. B.: Modern Med., Jan. 11, 1971. 59 Freeben, R. K., Repsher, L. R.: Mod. World News, Jan. 23, 1970. 60 Boyd,T. A. Campbell, F. W.: B. Med. J., 2: 1145, Nov. 1950. 61 Virno, M.: Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Monthly, Vol. 46, p. 1502. 62 Sabin: J. Exp. Med., 89: 507-515, 1939. 63 Wright: Ann. Int. Med., 12, 4: 518-528, Oct. 1938. 64 Brody, H. D.: J. Am. Diet. Ass., 29: 588, 1953. 65 Regnier, E.: Review of Allergy, 22: 948, Oct. 1968. 66 Pollock, H. & Halpen: Washington Nat. Re-search Council Publication, 234, 1942. 67 Greenblatt, R. B.: Obstet. & Gynec., 2: 530, 1953. 68 King, C. C., et al.: New York Times, Nov. 2, 1952. 69 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. T., Dec. 1957 70 Baume, L. J.: Science News Letter, 64: 103, 1953. 71 Klenner, F. R.: Tri-State Med. J. Nov. 1955 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. dilutent. 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 antitoxon 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 poliomyelities. 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 prowness. 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 dramtically 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 point 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 righ 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 vist. No other antibiotics were given and none was required. Since she had had a booster injection of tetanus toroid 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 giveq 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 un-satisfactory, 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 phenonmenon" 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 diffculty." 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 controling 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 "re-lapse" 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. Ngusea and vomiting were present. Serium 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 lauda 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. Does Vitamin C help with dog snake bite? Dog snake bite has been a tremendous concern for us since moving to this current location. We learned about the properties of Vitamin C from a few locals who recommended it as an aid for snake bite for our pets. We bought a couple of syringes and a bottle of Vitamin C liquid from a local pet store, it was really easy to buy here in Australia – not sure of other countries. Our Vet's have divided views on using Vitamin C for snake bite first aid. One says it will make no difference. The other Vet says it can help to 'buy time' which you need to get to the surgery for the snake anti venom. When I pushed him recently for more detail on this opinion he admitted there was no evidence of it helping to save pets and as it does no real harm he has no problem agreeing to use it ONLY if the pet is on its way to the clinic for the anti venom. I have had Vitamin C information on my website for two years now and recently recieved the following information from a very experienced goat herder who has documented many experiences of snake bite from his local area. As a direct consequence of his information plus other stories I no longer support the use of Vitamin C for dog snake bite or for any other animal. I am not going to take part in an ongoing discussion, I have made up my mind and place the information here for you – as the pet owner – to make your own decision. We have thrown out our Vitamin C bottle and syringes. The traditional snake anti venom is very successful in treating dog snake and seems to be the pets only hope of survival if the bite is serious enough. Here is what Jim has to say regarding Vitamin C and snake bite on animals. Having a herd of goats from 200-350 at times we have seen our fair share of animal husbandry and health issues. On the snake front, like many of the club, we used Vitamin C injections. On the 10 occasions we used it over many years ( and yes it stings like hell, they certainly bellow a lot), it did, on the face of it, work in 6 of the 10 cases, so you'd think 60% success rate, right? That sounded great but, I'll tell you why we don't use it any more, and as you all will find in due course, why no one should use it for snake bite.This is over a10 year period so don't think we have plagues of snakes everywhere! Two of our goats got bitten by a brown snake in the shed (I saw them both being bitten). I treated both with Vitamin C and took them both to the Vet.) and indeed it was confirmed at the Vets (counted the face scales) as a brown snake. Goat 1: By the time I got her down there, she was frothing at the mouth and on her side. Knowing it was a brown snake with such quick advancement of signs, he said she would die unless we used anti-venom.We declined due to cost, and I guess a feeling that the Vitamin C would save her. She died 4 hours later, a horrid death- you don't want to know. So the Vitamin C did nothing. Goat 2: She wasn't bad at all at that stage, just agitated and distressed. I know she had been bitten by this brown as I saw the strike. The vet used the snake detection kit to test her, and she was negative! GREAT that is, she had no venom in her...he said that means the snake gave her a dry bite or the bite ejected in the thick hair. So no need for anti-venom and she would recover with no treatment, and sent us home. As he predicted, she recovered fine, because she didn't get any toxin into her system in the first place! How many people would have attributed her "recovery" to Vitamin C and told all their friends that they saw the goat being bitten by a brown snake and it recovered with Vitamin C? This is how these old wives tales become perpetuated. Not all bites get their target, not all are venomous, and many are dry!By the way, she developed a large swelling at one of the Vitamin C injection sites. It was a sterile abscess, in other words no infection, just a reaction to the Vitamin C preparation. It required lancing and frequent cleaning until all the dead tissue dissipated (after all Vitamin C is an acid). All came good by 8 weeks, but she never grew her coat back at that spot. Goat 3: got bitten by a snake in the goat shelter. I gave her Vitamin C injections immediately. I was sure it was a brown, it slithered away, but I got it and threw a thick tarp over it and took it to the Vet. The Vet naturally didn't want to risk his own safety examining a live brown so he called in a snake handler. In the meantime the goat was anxious and holding up the leg which was bitten. The Vet felt since she wasn't showing any serious or advancing symptoms, she may have got only a small dose of toxin or perhaps the snake wasn't a brown at all. The handler eventually identified the snake as a non venomous one! The vet sent us home and aside from a sore leg for 3 days (where she was bitten) and painful neck where I gave the injections, she was fine! She recovered not due to Vitamin C, but because the snake wasn't venomous in the first place! Goat 4: Found in the goat shelter, frothing at the mouth and staggering. I suspected a snake but couldn't find one. Gave her Vitamin C injections. She continued to deteriorate, and died the next morning. Found the snake next to the shed that afternoon, Tiger. The Vitamin C did nothing, perhaps may have accelerated her death due to intense pain at the injection sites. Goat 5: Buck kid, found lying on his side paddling. Nest of small browns found 10m away. Vitamin C injections (boy did that hurt in a small kid). Died that evening. The Vitamin C did nothing, except again, add to his pain. Goat 6: Brownish snake seen sliding away from a doe. Doe thereafter quiet and moves slowly. The doe was very valuable to us, so concerned at the possibility of brown snake bite, we gave her Vitamin C injections. Took her to the Vet, they took urine for testing for snake but no result till tomorrow. She improved that evening at the clinic. Test results were negative so it wasn't a snake bite after all! If we hadn't paid the money to have her tested and found out that she had no venom in her system, we could have easily felt and told everyone that Vitamin C cures animals with snake bite! Goat 7: Doe suddenly twitching and weak. We suspected a snake, gave her Vitamin C injections and kept it in the shed hand feeding her. She recovered over the next 2 days, making us feel perhaps the Vitamin C did a lot of good and saved her from death.Amazingly another goat developed the same signs the next day, surely 2 goats can't have been bitten, that’s just getting too coincidental...so after thoroughly searching the area (somewhat sheepishly) for a nest of snakes, and we found the culprit, not a snake but a toxic plant! We removed the plant, didn't treat the doe except for removing her to the shed and feeding her some hay, and she recovered once she could no longer eat any more of the toxic plant!. So in hindsight, the one we treated "successfully with Vitamin C injection" the day before, well it wasn't the Vitamin C that cured her but the removal from access to the plant. How many cases of this do you see where the farmer never found the real cause, and attributes the cause as snake bite and the recovery to Vitamin C? I can certainly see how easy it is for the Vitamin C rumor to be perpetuated, and all in good faith too! Goat 8: Kid playing in new paddock, walking very slowly and bleeding from the gums. Although I couldn't see one, I suspected snake bite, gave Vitamin C injections. The Vitamin C injections did nothing, and she continued to deteriorate so off to the Vets. He tested the blood with the test kit yielding a strong positive result. He used Anti-venom (cost wasn't too bad as she was very small and the dose goes on body-weight)... and she made a steady improvement and recovered after 2 days. The success rate with anti-venom is very high as long as the vet can administer it early in the course. Goat: 9 Doe eating in newly fenced paddock.... lagging behind herd and wobbly. Being a newly grazed bush-land paddock snake bite was likely..... gave Vitamin C on suspicion. She recovered uneventfully. We found out later it was tick paralysis (dried up dead tick attached to her neck) and the cydectin drench we had used the week before killed the tick, but not before it caused a little mild paralysis before it died. So Vitamin C didn't cure the goat, it was going to recover anyway due tot he death of the tick! Again, would have been easy for the non astute to attribute this apparent "cure" to the Vitamin C when in effect all it did was cause some pain in a goat that was not bitten at all! Goat 10: Doe found quiet and reluctant to get up. No other signs. She started shaking a lot and we suspected snake bite, gave her Vitamin C injections immediately. She deteriorated over night, and lay on her side, bloating, not moving much. To the Vet, tested for snake bite, strong positive for Tiger snake. The Vet felt at this stage, chances of survival with even with anti-venom was slim so we put her down. We should not have even tried to give Vitamin C, she could have been saved if she was taken straight away.So, after all that what conclusion?We used Vitamin C 10 times for snake bite6 lived However, when you look at it.... those 6 that lived were all goats that had no venom in their system!When you look at the ones that had venom in their system, and they were treated with Vitamin C, they all died, except 1, which only recovered because it had anti-venom as well, just in the nick of time. So the summary is, for goats that truly have received a lethal dose of brown or tiger snake venom, Vitamin C doesn't prevent nor delay the symptoms. After a long discussion with 2 Vets now, both with natural medicine interests, we find that the same story exists for dogs, cats, sheep and calves and foals. They too often see cases brought in that have had Vitamin C used, and interestingly, despite both Vets being on the "natural side" of the medical spectrum, they both admit, that in the 60 years cumulative experience they are yet to see one success story of confirmed assistance of Vitamin C in snake bite and they themselves no longer use it. They have however seen dozens and dozens of cases in dogs where the Vitamin C has done nothing, and interestingly they have had cases where they have had to treat the abscesses formed by people giving the Vitamin C injections incorrectly. There are many a case which apparently recovers with Vitamin C injections, and these cases would have recovered anyway as they did not receive venom in their system. Without the test kit, it is impossible to prove many of these "hearsay" cases, and in fact people become quite defensive of Vitamin C and its abilities (I used to be that way myself!) but with mounting evidence now there is little case for its use in this situation. You can never "prove" all those old stories as false because they have been and gone, but listen carefully to all future stories, and you can bet your bottom dollar that those that recovered weren't envenomed. ADDENDUM: Interestingly, a major conference was held in Sydney 2 years ago in emergency veterinary medicine featuring emergency medicine specialists, where 2 days was spent wholly on snake bite emergencies mainly in dogs and cats. It was raised the problem of Vitamin C.The major problem with it, is that often owners, like us, frequently TRY Vitamin C to see if it helps, and when it doesn't we then go to the Vet, by which time the venom has spread to such a stage that often anti-venom cant help or if it does, the recovery is much slower often requiring intensive care which, in the absence of a Medicare for animals, can become quite financially taxing.So the Vitamin C old wives tale actually kills many dogs, cats and farm animals every year by giving people false hope and thus delaying testing and correct treatment. Furthermore, there are many animals which are treated with Vitamin C at home, and when they do not respond, they are left to die a horrid death of suffering.In bold letters in the conference proceedings is has " Vitamin C has been proven to be of no benefit what so ever in treating snake bite evenomation, it merely causes intense pain at the site of injection whilst delaying the access of correct medical diagnosis and treatment. Many cases where Vitamin C has been given to a an animal by rural owners, and those pets are subsequently taken to emergency centers and survived after being given anti-venom, have had large painful abscesses form due to the Vitamin C which in some cases have required surgical drainage to be effectively treated.Furthermore, with ever-advancing ready access to the internet, and the uncensored publication of so called cures featuring "natural remedies", more and more people will be taken in by such tales and Veterinarians country wide may see more and more of the result of the naive public heeding such tragic falsities" I am embarrassed to say... we were in that category and have certainly have found that out the hard way!Jim PPS: have found published success rates for anti venom in dogs and cats, With early diagnosis and treatment, success rate varies from 75-95% depending on type of snake encountered. There are no published rates for goats, but the local Vet estimates that for those presented to him in early-moderate stages, with accurate snake identification, the success rate of treatment with anti-venom is over 80%. Also, even though all Vets obviously cannot attend all conferences, the published data on that conference is now filtering through to most GP Vets and generally most now know the situation. We would not use Vitamin C for dog snake bite now

This makes total sense. Thank you for explaining. Developers are wrecking the planet - too many people and too much greed is the problem. How utterly tragic .... we must amp up the pressure against the forces that be bringing this into action.

See info below from PIA re the launch of the new metro planning strategy discussion paper at a symposium on Fri.Oct.26 with a free morning session. If enough people sign up for this free session, they’ll offer us a cut-price for the rest of the day – see below in large print. But people need to indicate an interest by this Friday 19th. Mat in the PIA office says this offer is definitely happening and the discount will be “significant”, so as many people as possible should at least try and sign up for this free morning session. The symposium is at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. The flyer link is Planning org documents Speakers include Guy and Rob Adams. Adams happens to be the Vice Chair of the Urbanisation Council of the World Economic Forum, and this is what they say about increasing urbanization: "Humanity is rapidly urbanizing, but will its cities be ready? In the face of historic worldwide migration that could lead to 80% of all people living in urban areas by 2050, cities will be hard-pressed to provide basic urban services. Clean water, efficient transportation and reliable electricity cannot be ensured in the future for any city - rich or poor - without massive investments to build or repair infrastructure. In almost all urban areas, decisions on allocating resources for infrastructure will shape the options available for other urban concerns: public health, crime and economic development." [] Not my idea of a sustainable future.....

Currently in many Melbourne middle ring suburbs there are community campaigns calling for reinstatement of government school provision. These are generally areas which have experienced school closures followed by increased numbers of school aged children as a result of increased births, high immigration, and an influx of first home buyers and young families moving a bit further out from the inner. Docklands, Southbank, Port Melbourne, Coburg, Northcote, Brunswick and Preston are expected to be placed under the greatest pressure from the soaring student population. ''There's going to be a huge shortfall of schools in inner-suburbs,'' said Melbourne University planning professor Kevin O'Connor, who based his research on official government population projections. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/critical-shortages-in-innercity-school... Professor O'Connor said existing schools could absorb the population growth by increasing their enrolments. But even if half the extra students found places, there would still be demand for about seven new schools. Reviews into the need for new schools in South Melbourne, Yarraville, Coburg and North Melbourne-Docklands are due to be released this year by Education Minister Martin Dixon. In a report released in September, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission says it is ''deeply concerned'' that some students with disabilities are only attending school part time and parents are having to pay for support in schools. Lack of support for children with disabilities, declining educational standards, bullying, crowding, school closures, over-crowded classrooms are an over-population one. With demands for infrastructure, there's not enough funds for education - including TAFEs.

In 1911, just 100 years ago, the human population of the world was around 1.6 billion people. One hundred years later, we reached 7 billion inhabitants. We are on course to reach 8 billion by 2020 and 9 billion by 2050.

Governments need to spend $US80 billion a year to halt extinctions of endangered animals and plants, many times current levels and only half the amount paid to bankers in bonuses last year, a study showed.

Read more: Conservation efforts need to rise 10-fold to succeed, report finds of 12 October 2012 at http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/conservation-efforts-need-to-rise-10fold-to-succeed-report-finds-20121012-27ggj.html

For world governments to spend $US80 billion a year to halt extinctions of endangered animals and plants, there needs a dramatic change in direction of business priorities.

Rather than pure altruism, it's an investment. Stanford University's Paul Ehrlich said "people depend upon 'ecosystem services' provided by plants and the other species.... Their support are income, like interest or dividends, flowing from the capital value of nature".

Species are disappearing about 1,000 times faster than is typical of the planet’s history but it isn’t because of geologic or cosmic forces but unsustainable human population growth.

U.N. reports say the world is facing the worst crisis of extinctions since the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago. Pollution, climate change, land clearance of forests to make way for farms, roads and towns are among threats. The U.N. goals for 2020 include expanding protected areas to 17 per cent of the world's land surface - from 12.7 per cent estimated for 2010 - and to 10 per cent of seas under national control, from 4.0 per cent.

Human population seems to be expanding with self-generated natural force at an exponential rate, a juggernaut chained only by starvation and disease. This suggests that unless something unusual comes along to check this geometric growth, there will soon be "standing room only." By 2145 or 2245 there could be standing room only on Earth. It leaves very little room for biodiversity, a living planet.

An estimated 215 million women in the developing world have an unmet need for contraceptives, meaning they want to avoid or delay a pregnancy but can’t access contraception. Access to family planning is the first step towards healing and re-balancing our planet ecosystems, along with suppressing the tunnel-visioned drive for destructive "economic growth" at all costs.

Comments on this page now closed. "Miscellaneous comments" page from 16 October 2012 can be found here.

The public and business communities are being forced to face congestion for no fault of their own. We are all victims of the economic-population growth model. Why should drivers pay for something not decided by them, democratically, and not in their interests? There's also the suggestion that taxes must be raised more to pay for the infrastructure for population growth - as if it were inevitable! Dr Ken Henry said the projected growth in the population would place growing demands on government spending on vital infrastructure. The "projected" growth of our population is a political choice, and lands right within the portfolio of Minister for "Sustainable" population, Tony Burke. Extracting more tax revenue means more public and heavy private debt, at a time of rising unemployment, funding cuts, weaker household spending, and housing stress. Demand on infrastructure must keep apace with population growth - but the short-term benefits of population growth don't cover the long term costs. So, the solution? We end with an addiction problem. More people are needed to cover the funding shortfall, and the ongoing problem is never solved. We need a circuit-breaker, and a "sustainable" population size. There is no precedent on a finite planet for unlimited growth, and when economic growth becomes uneconomic, it's time to reconsider the "business as usual" policy of "big Australia". There's a definite question about environmental sustainability, but economic sustainability is another dimension of greed for growth - beyond our ability to pay for it. The myth that cities must continually grow or "stagnate" must be challenged. Eben Fodor, community planning consultant and author of Better, Not Bigger, has released a study comparing the fastest-growing metro areas of the U.S. with the slowest-growing, to test conventional wisdom that cities benefit from growth. This study ought to put the final nail in the coffin of the “grow or die” myth that misinforms public policies in many cities. According to Fodor, “The slowest-growing MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) outperformed the fastest-growing in every category. The 25 slowest-growing MSAs averaged almost 1% lower unemployment rates, 2.4% lower poverty rates, and a remarkable $8,455 more in per capita personal income in 2009. They also had larger income gains from 2000 to 2009 and saw significantly lower declines in income from the recession (2007-09). “ http://www.growthbusters.org/2010/12/cities-with-stable-population-outpe... For example, it is a "no brainer" that it is better to spend $X billions on universities, research and exports, and manufacturing, rather than spend $X billions on a road upgrade caused by population growth. There must come a time of betterments, improvements, not cost-cutting and austerity to pay for growth.

Queensland's unemployment rate has jumped to its highest level in nearly nine years but the state government denies it's because of its public service job-slashing program. Australia’s unemployment rate rose to 5.4 per cent in September with more people looking for work as softness in the national economy began flowing through to the jobs market. According to the data, the unemployment rate in the nation's most populous state of New South Wales rose from 4.9 per cent to 5.2 per cent. Unemployment Rates by State and Territory, August 2012 (%) Labour Force Region Unemployment Rate Australian Capital Territory 3.6 Western Australia 3.9 Northern Territory 4.2 New South Wales 4.8 Victoria 5.6 South Australia 5.7 Queensland 5.9 Tasmania 6.8 The "real" rate is likely to be higher, considering under-employment and those who haven't registered for benefits. Economist Ben Jarman said the data showed all types of workers were giving up the hunt. ‘‘Ultimately this is an unsustainable way of keeping the unemployment rate low," he said. ‘‘You either have to get the participation rate back, or there is less income circulating around the economy." Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/business/the-economy/jobless-rate-falls-... All the rates confirm that Australia's economy is stagnating, along with that of Europe. Continually adding more people doesn't assure economic growth.

http://theage.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/first-there-was-raheen-now-the-pratt-family-goes-one-or-two-better-20121009-27bd7.html How’s this for excess? Melbournians are being asked to squeeze up and consolidate while this family does the opposite. It highlights the increasing wealth divide, the migration of money to the top few percent. It is disgusting and it is not the Australia I was brought up in.

Anonymous does raise an interesting point on the decline of status for men, that is evident not just in health matters/services from governments , but into the wider society. Many causes could be attributed - from the decline in productive skills due to transfer of manufacturing overseas to help the needy poor, no longer any sense of community through the immigration swarm and multiculturalism of/for big corporations for consumption demands and economic directions, lack of suitable comradeship as once was held amongst "blokes" of the past, and probably femininism inflicting feelings of uncertainty onto many men. I do not feel however that "dropping out" offers any answer, as this only adds to increasing the huge number of men who currently sit down for all oblutions. No, I think pursuit of freedom, identity and heritage could offer a reprieve, perhaps starting with a study of the time respected Magna Carta. Well, just a thought anyway.

The following government website states all of the people and services that make up a community: www.vic.gov.au/health-community There's one rather glaring omission though: men. Apparently even Animals and Pets are important enough to rate a mention, but men as roughly half of the population? No. There's no links for men, no mention of services for men. Nothing. If we're going to keep ignoring half of the population we're going to continue to see more of men "dropping out". It's a sad day indeed when men don't even rate a mention when 'Animals and Pets' do. We're still citizens of this country, even if we're being treated like second class ones!

Industrial Chemical WASTE dumping in clean water supplies, in the guise of public health ?

It is a grievous harm done to humans, to mass medicate and mislead by chemical company sponsored propaganda. The thyroid and the pineal glands are sensitive & VERY important to human function on many levels. I am somewhat alarmed to have just discovered this vital function is becoming shut down through toxic fluoridation.. in a sense, this creeping stealthy menace has been implemented where ever there is ignorance & complacency.

It is well known that the calcification of the pineal gland by water fluordation, reduces the human's ability to be sensitive to spiritual vibrations. THERE is a very real reason why it is called the third eye.

Fluoride was added to WW2 POW drinking water to stupify them and make them apathetic.

It appears that the New World Order is implementing its strategy for dominance and control, by dumbing down the populace. This is a heinous crime crime against all living things.

Are you complacent and ignorant? Do your research, or be surreptitiously poisoned.

See also: Former Whitlam Government Health Minister says No to Water Fluoridation of 24 Feb 2008.

This bitter sweet story is amazing - so much beauty in the night, the kangas and the wonderful Australian bushland - makes us remember what we are supposed to be doing, rather than sitting in rooms with tech boxes etc. But one thing we shouldn't be doing is having to put lives back together after the killing industry, the government, the ag industry and the hoons have injured wildlife and orphaned these poor babies. Thank goodness for all the Steves and Rosemarys of Australia, the Davids against the Goliath of cruelty and ignorance. As an historical record of our terrible times this is priceless - as a literary work I feel there could have been a little editing done and possibly some dramatic connections made, to vary the tone of the delivery. However, I guess time is a factor as the writer seems to living several lives simultaneously! Incredible.

HUNDREDS of millions of new jobs will be needed to keep up with world population growth by 2020, the World Bank says. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/world-bank-600-millio... Jobs might equal hope, but jobs all depend on natural resources. Creating more farms in Africa is limited by "peak water", "peak soil" and peak just about everything. Job creation is actually limited by the finite amount of natural resources on the planet to support those jobs. Jobs aren't created in a vacuum. As populations surge in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa the number of positions will need to increase by 600 million over 2005 levels, the World Bank report said. The problem is not too few jobs; it’s too many people. Tim Jackson in the UK, Herman Daly in the US, and Serge Latouche in France have argued that growth is not always good for the environment, or for the real health of communities. If all countries decide to maximize their populations and their economies, ice will melt, putting cities under sea level, oil will run out, food prices will rise, wages will fall, and human welfare will be reduced, not increased.

A new report by THINKK, the UTS-based think tank for kangaroos, has called for improved government oversight of the code of practice for the humane killing of kangaroos. The industry can't be regulated, as the shooting happens in remote, hot and dusty areas. Babies are disposed of by bashing, having no commercial value. It reduces animals to a mere commodity, rather than warm-blooded living creatures - in many ways like humans. Authorities for animal welfare can't even supervise what happens in semi-urban abattoirs, let alone what happens when killing happens in remote bushland. The researchers say government agencies do not regularly inspect carcasses at the point of kill and without such inspections it is impossible to ensure compliance with code. That the kangaroo meat industry is well supervised and "humane" is pure industry and political spin. Some people see kangaroos as a "pest", a saleable "harvest, "green" meat, an industry for meat and skins. Fortunately there are people who are emotionally literate, who have their fingers on the pulse of the natural world, who understand Nature and animals for their intrinsic beauty, and empathise with the sentience of animals.

I can sympathise with P Incorrect's frustrations at the his nibbled plants. I am host to one ring tail possum in the middle-inner suburbs of Melbourne (not Moonee Ponds) who gives me only one day a year in spring to enjoy the new leaves on the top of my fruit trees. After that I see that they are increasingly chewed each morning. The interesting thing is that back when Edna first used the word "possums" as a term of endearment, possums were no big deal at all. We hardly knew they were there, such was the "low" density of suburban living that it permitted large gardens and plenty of open space. At that density we apparently lived in harmony, not only with possums, but frogs, lizards and birds as well right in suburban Melbourne. It really is a matter of proportion and we are increasingly out of proportion with everything else that lives and breathes in the world because there are too many of us. People can't tolerate elephants that trample and eat their crops so the elephants get killed. The elephants only do it because they need to eat. We can't tolerate bears, lions and tigers living near us because they might eat us- so they all get killed.

It seems such a small thing to allow possums to climb native trees in public places in order to get some shelter.

News - Science - Open access scientific publishing Harvard University says it can't afford journal publishers' prices University wants scientists to make their research open access and resign from publications that keep articles behind paywalls. Scientific articles have become inaccessible to the general public and any scientist not affiliated with a university unless they can afford ridiculous sums of money for journal articles and journal membership. This means that scientific discoveries don't get widely known and favoritism flourishes whereby it is very difficult for new scientists to get useful peer reviews and to have their theories published. Academic publishing has become too precious for its own good. Amazing and cheering that Harvard is apparently leading the way.

Dame Edna would often greet her audiences with a cheery “Hello possums!”. When I first heard this greeting I thought it was mildly amusing. It wasn’t until I became a home owner, or more particularly a garden owner, that I realised what an insult the good Dame was aiming at us. Recently I have taken to introducing the subject of possums in conversations with old and new acquaintances. I’ve found that it is a great leveler. Personal experiences and strong views abound. Doubtless, there must be possum lovers amongst us, but I have yet to meet one. If they do exist, they must keep their sympathies hidden, and for bloody good reason. In our last two houses we have fought an ongoing and losing war with these bastard creatures. They strip magnolias, roses and any other plant that we have nurtured, fed pruned and cared for. They break branches and strip vines. They run around on the roof and break their way in to the roof cavity through the smallest spaces, and then proceed to treat that space as their own personal en suite where they defecate, urinate and fornicate. They are bastards! I have heard people say “Oh, you must learn to live with possums. They have rights too”. Oh, really? A perusal of authoritative websites reveals ad nausea what could only be described as the possum Bill of Rights. It states that a possum found in your ceiling may be removed provided that it is released no more than a few metres from where it was caught. Pardon? Yep, you got it! These sites also point you in the direction of professional possum people [PPPs] who for a payment, will remove them from your ceiling and release them in the garden or thereabouts. They will then come back the following week, and the week after that and so on. For a further fee, the PPPs will also install unsightly plastic discs and tubes on your electricity and telephone cables to impede the bastards from accessing your property. They can also install spikes along the fence railings. Apparently it is unacceptable to catch and release possums in some nearby reserve, but it is quite alright to impale them. Go figure! It was suggested to me that possums hate the smell of human urine. Simply pee in a bottle, fit a spray to the bottle, and away you go. It was explained that it is far tidier if this job is delegated to the male of the house, notwithstanding the political incorrectness of this separation of duties . For extra effectiveness, he suggests consumption of asparagus beforehand. He said it works a treat but does not do much for neighbourhood relations and can discourage the local postman. Col, a friend of mine, recently became so infuriated by the bastards that he enquired at his local hardware store as to the availability of a possum trap. The store owner’s eyes lit up with excitement. Surely, my friend thought, here is a kindred spirit, and he was right. A trap was immediately produced and its workings explained enthusiastically, and with great clarity. However, the store owner also pointed out with a “nudge nudge wink wink” the severe legal restrictions that applied to the trapping of possums. Col said, and I quote directly, “I don’t give a stuff! I want to declare war on the bastards!”. At this stage the store owner was approaching a state of ecstasy. He said “Well, in that case, you should be aware that it is no use catching them and releasing them in the next street. The bastards will always find their way back. You need to take them a few kilometres away. Even then, they might come back.” He went on to say “what I do, is spray their tail with white paint before I release them. That way, if I catch one featuring a white painted tail, I know I haven’t taken the bastard far enough from my house”. You guessed it! Col not only bought the trap, but a can of spray paint as well. He set the trap each night and the following morning would take his catch, still in the trap, to a recreational park and quietly, and secretively release the bastard near a clump of trees to which it would scamper and climb. One morning he did encounter a difficult problem. Having set the trap the previous night, he forgot about it as he rushed to get to the airport the next morning. At 30,000 feet approaching Sydney, he remembered! On landing, Col rang his wife and asked her to check the trap. She did and reported that the trap contained the biggest possum she had ever seen, and it was not happy. He explained that she would need to put the trap in the boot of her car, drive to the park, and secretly release it. Many expletives followed. Finally she agreed and proceeded to the said park in a southerly direction. She waited until there were no pedestrians in sight, opened the boot and opened the cage. Col forgot to tell her that she needed to take the cage out of the car first. What happened next was to be expected. The bastard came out of the cage and hid in the far darkest reaches of the boot. She prodded it with sticks and swore at it profusely, much to the amusement of pedestrians and cyclists who, by then had started to appear. A classic Basil Fawlty moment! All in all, over two months Col caught several possums and none of them had white tails. And it was good! Well it was good until he realised that as soon as he removed one bastard from his property, another passing possum would see the vacancy sign and move in with extended family. In the end he surrendered to the endless supply of reinforcements that the enemy possessed. Col was out walking on Saturday morning with his wife. He tells me that on a busy corner he spied a possum that had been run over by a car. “It was as flat as a frisbee and a beautiful sight” he said. The world is in turmoil. We have financial meltdown, unsustainable government debt levels, unaffordable housing, climate change and so on. These are second order issues. The politician who says [to paraphrase Sarah Palin] “cull, baby, cull!” has got my vote.