• DOI:10.3322/canjclin.23.5.314
• Corpus ID: 35027868

Unproven methods of cancer management

@article{Saltzman1986UnprovenMO,
  title={Unproven methods of cancer management},
  author={B N Saltzman},
  journal={CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians},
  year={1986},
  volume={23}
}

• B. N. Saltzman
• Published 1986
• Medicine
• CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians

After careful review of the literature and other available information, the American Cancer Society does not have evidence that treatment of cancer in humans by the Gerson method results in any objective benefit. The following is a summation of information contained in the American Cancer Society files as of August, 1972. Genson's method of treatment for cancer was essentially dietary and was based on: (1) detoxification of the whole body; (2) providing essential contents of the potassium group; and (3) adding oxi dizing enzymes continuously as long as they are not reactivated and built in the body (in the form of green leaf juice and fresh calf's liver juice). This creates a near normal condition of the oxidizing system of the body, to which malignant cells with the fermentation system can not adapt.' The diet was said to make the body highly hypersensitive, so that ordi nary anesthesia might be fatal, a conjec ture that is wholly unfounded and ap parently designed to appeal to the cancer victim who is already fearful of a surgi cal operation.2 “¿ To the layman. . . it makes sense because it views the prob lem in the †̃¿ concept of totality,' placing emphasis on the deteriorated metabo lism as a whole with the liver as the central organ. †̃¿ “¿ The detailed “¿ diet― proposed by Dr. Max Gerson consisted essentially in re striction of all foods other than uncanned fresh fruits and vegetables and oatmeal. He forbade the use of aluminum utensils and pressure cookers in the preparation of food and also forbade the use of salt, spices, sodium bicarbonate, alcohol and tobacco. After the first six weeks pro teins from milk products were added along with fat soluble Vitamin A and D. Medication includes niacin, brewer's yeast, fresh defatted bile in capsules, liver and iron capsules, dicalcium phos phate and viosterol, injections of crude liven extract intramuscularly, Lugol †̃¿ s solution and thyroid extract. All vegeta bles were chopped up and made into juice employing the use of a machine which was made available to patients for approximately $150.@ Dr. Gerson also advocated the use of enemas, including coffee enemas, to produce at least one copious bowel movement per day.