Yes, I’m still migrating posts from the old blog, but don’t worry, I’ll run out eventually. –PalMD
So maybe homeopathy (the use of water to treat disease) isn’t strong enough for you. Maybe isn’t doesn’t have that certain…je ne sais qois…um…that sizzle. I have the solution for you! Just add another oxygen molecule!
Water Pl+s!® is another miracle cure “they” don’t want you to know about!
OK, I made that name up. Actually, it’s just hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 to water’s H2O). One of my residents clued me in to hydrogen peroxide woo. Apparently it’s quite popular in altie circles. Like any good woo, there is apparently no condition that it can’t treat. If you thought Gary Null had even a shred of credibility, have a look at this document on his website. No, he didn’t write it, but it shows up in his “library”, and not as a cautionary tale.
I am so amused by the first paragraph that I must re-print it in its entirety:
I must report on this promising therapy, as so many physicians and patients have given me good tidings from its use. What is probably not so well known by the general public, and many practicing physicians, is that hydrogen peroxide has been used for more than a century, the abstracts of articles published from 1966 through 1988 alone reaches 2″ high when printed on 8-1/2″X11″ paper.
“Good tidings”? That sounds like a religious term, not a scientific one. Who the hell cares about how big the pile of crap on this guy’s desk is? This may actually call for a blow-by-blow analysis. Fire up the Dewooificator!
Is there anything this stuff can’t do?
While H2O2 has been used to good advantage for hardening of the arteries, temporal arteritis, shingles, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the yeast syndrome, various viral infections, including AIDS, certain forms of cancer, dental gum diseases, colds (35% H2O2 in cold humidifier), growing better food, purifying water without chlorine complications, increasing thyroid activity, arthritis, depression, emphysema, lupus erythematosis, multiple sclerosis, . . ., a list of claims made would exceed our space limitations, and so I direct you to others for substantiation and research reports: The International Bio-Oxidative Foundation1 and ECHOS, as per references.
He forgot to talk about the sorrow of toe nail fungus.
I scoff at your extravagant claims! Oh, wait:
Before scoffing, keep in mind that one of the very first lines of defense against any and all microorganisms recognized as invaders by our immunological system are macrophages and leucocytes (sic), one of which uses hydrogen peroxide to oxidize the foreigners; and that vitamin C is effective principally by its ability to promote hydrogen peroxide use against foreign invaders, including parasites, viruses, bacteria, yeast/fungus, and that all body tissues contain catalase and that hydrogen peroxide in the presence of catalase is reduced to oxygen and water. So, there is strong reason to believe that added hydrogen peroxide, used properly, may be both effective against certain organisms and safe.
Finally, you mention the fungus!
Hydrogen peroxide is an essential metabolite, meaning that it is necessary to life’s process, according to William Campbell Douglass, M.D. of Georgia. As we age, our immunological system weakens, which permits organisms of opportunity to spread, thereby breeding colonies of organisms whose presence is anathema to good health. Killing these organisms should permit at least temporary respite from microbial warfare, and give your system time to heal.
Will you trust me if I told you that none of that made sense? Anyway, I don’t remember anything like that from medical school. Did I forget something?
There are also many important forgotten facts in the past medical literature. For example, William Campbell Douglass, M.D. reports on “Dr. Edward C. Rosenow, author of 450 published medical papers and associate at the Mayo Clinic for over 60 years . . . proved [more than] 70 years ago (1914) that bacteria could be found consistently in the lymph nodes that drain joints (J.A.M.A., April 11, 1914). He was probably the first scientist to postulate that H2O2 would help arthritis because of its ability to supply oxygen to oxygen-hating organisms causing arthritis (Streptococcus viridans).”
So, Gary Null says that the author says that Douglass says that Rosenow says…hmm…a game of woo-telephone. Oh, and I love citing a 90 year old article. Medical knowledge isn’t quite that durable. Humors, blood-letting, etc…bad form these days.
One thing I can say about this particular brand of woo is that it is not expensive, only dangerous. Relying on an unproven treatment that has no reason to work is not a great idea, and ingesting a toxic substance is also a bad idea. But at least it’s cheap.