Page images
PDF
EPUB

STATEMENT BY DR. MAX GERSON, GOTHAM HOSPITAL,
NEW YORK, N. Y.

Senator PEPPER. You may proceed, Dr. Gerson. Your name is Dr. Max Gerson?

Dr. GERSON. Max Gerson.

Senator PEPPER. Will you give us a little of your background.

Dr. GERSON. My office is 667 Madison Avenue, and I reside at 40 West Fifty-fifth Street, New York City.

I was born in eastern Germany, October 18, 1881. I graduated from the University of Freiburg im Br., where I received my license and degree in May 1907. I was assistant, later associate and on the staff of several famous hospitals, for about 13 years: with Prof. Albert Fraenkel, internist, Berlin; Prof. B. Kroenig, internist, Berlin; Prof. Otfried Foerster, neurologist, Breslau, for 411⁄2 years; and Prof. Ferdinand Sauerbruch, Munich, for 4 years; Prof. Herman, Zondek, internist, Berlin.

I came to this country November 1936, passed the medical examination, and received my New York license January 27, 1938, my citizenship (No. 5961570) July 13, 1944, delayed by the war.

I am a member of the AMA, Medical Society of New York State, and Medical Society of New York County.

The dietetic treatment which has for many years been known as the "Gerson diet," was developed first to relieve my own severe migraine condition. Then it was successfully applied to patients with allergic conditions such as asthma as well as diseases of the intestinal tract and the liver pancreas apparatus. By chance a patient with lupus vulgaris (skin tuberculosis) was cured following the use of the diet. After this success the dietetic treatment was used in all other kinds of tuberculosis-bones, kidneys, eyes, lungs, and so forth. It, too, was highly favorable in many other chronic diseases, such as arthritis, heart diseases, chronic sinusitis, chronic ulcers, including colitis, high blood pressure, psoriasis, sclerosis multiplex, and so forth. The most striking results were seen in the restoration of various kinds of liver and gall bladder diseases which could not be influenced by other methods up to the present.

The great number of chronic diseases which responded to the dietetic treatment showed clearly that the human body lost part of its resistance and healing power, as he left the way of natural nutrition for generations.

The fundamental damage starts with the use of artificial fertilizer for vegetables and fruits as well as for fodder. Thus the chemically transformed vegetarian and meat nourishment, increasing through generations, transforms the organs and functions of the human body in the wrong direction.

Another basic defect lies in the waste of excrements of the cities. Instead of returning the natural manure to the fruit-bearing soil, it is led into the rivers, killing underwater life. The natural cycle is interrupted and mankind has to suffer dearly for the violation. Life in forest and wilderness should teach us the lesson.

But we can regain the lost defense and healing power if we return as close as possible to the laws of nature as they are created. Highly concentrated for speedy reaction, they are laid down in the dietetic treatment.

(Dr. Gerson placed on file with the committee a pamphlet entitled "Dietary Considerations in Malignant Neoplastic Disease.")

Dr. GERSON. The tuberculosis treatment was tested with favorable results in Munich, Kassel, and Berlin. A demonstration was scheduled in the Berlin Medical Association for May 5, 1933, but I left Germany for Vienna after the political upheaval, March 1933.

The first cancer patient (bile ducts) was treated in 1928 with success. Seven favorable cases followed out of 12 and remained free of symptoms up to 712 years.

In Vienna I tried a modification of this treatment in six cases of cancer without any result.

After 2 years I moved to Paris where a patient, Mr. Horace Finaly, president of the Banque de Paris, bought a clinic for continuation of this treatment. Here I had three favorable results and one undecided case out of seven cases of cancer, following the use of the Gerson diet. In New York I started the Gerson diet in. cancer patients, 412 years ago.

The evolution of the dietetic treatment is given in detail in one article published December 1945, and another one will be published

soon.

The treatment is ineffective in cases with less than 10 percent lymphocytes in the differential blood count when the phosphorous cannot be brought back into the red blood cells and other tissues; it is also ineffective in patients with advanced liver damage, and, of course, in those who are in extremis.

Since the end of January 1946, I treat my patients in the Gotham Hospital in New York, 90 percent of them without charge, and never refuse any patients, irrespective of their condition, in order to see what this treatment can do for them. Up to the present all practical and research work was financed by myself in cancer, as well as other chronic diseases, including tuberculosis and I will not ask for money. here. This limits the progress of the method.

My experience leads me to believe that the liver is the center of the restoration process in those patients who improve strikingly. If the liver is too far destroyed, then the treatment cannot be effective.

MY THEORY

Aware of the imperfection of this as well as any other theory, I shall try, nevertheless, to explain the end results of the Gerson diet. It is condensed in three surpassing components:

(1) The elimination of toxins and poisons and returning of the displaced "extracellular" Na-group, connected with toxins, poisons, edema, destructive inflammation, from the tissues, tumors, and organs where it does not belong, into the serum and tissues where it belongsgall bladder with bile ducts, connective tissue, thyroid, stomach mucosa, kidney medulla, tumors, and so forth.

(2) Bringing back the lost "intracellular" K-group combined with vitamins, enzymes, ferments, sugar, and so forth, into the tissues and organs where it belongs-liver, muscles, heart, brain, kidney cortex, and so forth-on this basis, iodine, ineffective before, is made effective, continuously added in new amounts.

(3) Restoring the differentiation, tonus, tension, oxidation, and so forth, by activated iodine, where there were before growing tumors

and metatases with dedifferentiation, loss of tension, oxidation, loss of resistance and healing power.

Mr. MARKEL. Doctor, you want to file this Case History of Ten Cancer Patients as a part of your statement. This is Dr. Gerson's. Senator PEPPER. All right.

(Dr. Gerson placed on file with the Committee a document entitled "Case History of Ten Cancer Patients, Clinical Observations, Theoretical Considerations, and Summary.")

Senator PEPPER. Proceed.

Dr. GERSON. I would like to show you a few of the patients.
Senator PEPPER. All right, we would be glad to have them.
Dr. GERSON. This is Miss Alice Hirsch.

(Dr. Gerson presented for the record the following operative record :)

Name: Alice Hirsch.

NEWARK BETH ISRAEL HOSPITAL

OPERATIVE RECORD

Age: 14. Date: October 15, 1945.

Preoperative diagnosis: Spinal cord tumor.

Surgeon Dr. William Ehrlich. Service of: Dr. William Ehrlich.

First assistant: Dr. Wolfson. Anesthetist: Dr. Dear. Anesthesia: Endorrachial Ether. Suture nurse: Miss Goldberg.

Procedure: A midline incision was made extending from the spine of C-7 to D-3. The spines and laminae of D-1 to D-3, were removed with rongeurs. The dura did not pulsate. On opening the dura the cord was found to be swollen and had a yellow appearance. There were several tortuous varicosities on the surface of the cord. On compressing the jugulars no fluid could be obtained and consequently, the laminectomy was extended upward in two stages until the spines and laminae of what are estimated to be C-4, C-5, C-6, and C-7 were also removed. Here, too, the dura was tense, and on opening it the cord in this region had a glistening reddish-gray appearance as if it was completely infiltrated with gliomatous tissue.

The cord bulged through the opening in the dura. Exploration laterally and anteriorly was carried out to be sure we were not dealing with an anteriorly placed extramedullary tumor. A fine needle then was inserted into the midline of the cord but no cystic fluid could be obtained. Inasmuch as the patient had fairly good motor power in the lower extremities, it was not deemed advisable to incise the cord for biopsy.

The dura mater was left open for decompressive purposes and closure was completed using interrupted No. 1 chromic catgut in layers for muscle and fascia and interrupted black silk for subcutaneous tissue and skin. The patient stood the procedure well and returned to her room in good condition. Post operative diagnosis: Cervical and upper thoracic intramedullary glioma. Style of operation: Laminectomy, C-5 to D-3.

Dr. GERSON. This original statement shows that this was a cervical and upper thoracic intramedullary glioma, with an operation in the Neurological Institute, Columbia University. That is the only case now at least arrested in 2,000 years of medical science. The patient was operated, she being a girl 15 years old.

(Dr. Gerson presented as a witness before the subcommittee at this point Miss Alice Hirsch, of Hillside, N. J.) Senator PEPPER. What is your name?

Miss HIRSCH. Alice Hirsch.

Senator PEPPER. And what is your address?

Miss HIRSCH. 558 Sweetland Avenue, Hillside, N. J.
Senator PEPPER. Are your parents living?

Dr. GERSON. Yes; her father is here-the mother, too.

(Dr. Gerson presented as witnesses before the subcommittee at this point Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hirsch.)

Mr. MARKEL. That is the mother, Senator.

Senator PEPPER. And what is your name? Give your name to the reporter, and your address.

Mrs. HIRSCH. Mrs. Hirsch, 558 Sweetland Avenue, Hillside.
Senator PEPPER. And this is your husband?

Mr. HIRSCH. That is right. Leo.

Senator PEPPER. All right. Now, what did the little lady have? Dr. GERSON. She had intramedullary glioma. Glioma is a tumor of the whole cerbral nervous system, it could be in the brain or in the spinal cord; and this was in the spinal cord. The tumor was here [indicating]. You can see they operated here, by the scar. They took the bones out, here for inspection. They made a so-called laminectomy. It came out here, where you see the long scar.

Senator PEPPER. You made the operation?

Dr. GERSON. No. It was made in the Newark Beth Israel Hospital; date, October 15, 1945.

Senator PEPPER. That is where the operation occurred?

Dr. GERSON. Yes. Here is the original operative record.

Senator PEPPER. What did you do?

Dr. GERSON. Then the physicians told the father:

We cannot do anything; it is a tumor, and nobody can remove such a tumor from the spinal cord. She would die.

Senator PEPPER. Was that before the operation?

Dr. GERSON. No. During the operations they saw that the tumor was in the spinal cord. It was inside-not outside. An extra-medullary tumor can be removed; so they operated to look into it and to see whether it was extra or intra. When they found it was an intra medullary tumor they could not do anything-closed, and sent her home, and told the father, "Please make her as comfortable as possible; that is all; we can do nothing else." That is all. So when she came to me, and we applied the treatment, and here [indicating], she had a paresis in the lower right arm; the process involved especially the nervous ulnaris of the right hand and the right leg; she could not walk much, these portions became more and more paralyzed, little by little increasing if the tumor grows. It destroys the spinal cord and stimuli from the brain cannot be carried to the muscles which atrophy. Senator PEPPER. And by your dietary treatment you cured the tumor?

Dr. GERSON. We killed the tumor, yes; otherwise, you can understand, the muscles could not have been restored; she can move now the hands and arms. Maybe there is a little bit of weakness left, here. Professor Howe was much interested in this extraordinary case. Senator PEPPER. You gave no treatment except your dietary treatment?

Dr. GERSON. She had some liver injections, too.

Senator PEPPER. How long was she under your care?

Dr. GERSON. She is still now under my care.

Senator PEPPER. How long ago was it she came to you?
Dr. GERSON. The end of October.

Senator PEPPER. Of last year?

Dr. GERSON. Of 1945.

Senator PEPPER. Is the statement that Dr. Gerson has made substantially correct?

Mr. HIRSCH. Absolutely. She was to have been paralyzed by around December 1-she was supposed to be, according to the other doctors. Senator PEPPER. What was her condition when she went to Dr. Gerson?

Mr. HIRSCH. Very, very weak.

Dr. GERSON. She could not walk.

Mr. HIRSCH. We had to feed her by hand.

We had to take her up

out of bed when she wanted to go anywhere, and she could not walk to any extent.

Senator PEPPER. Could you see the tumor?

Mr. HIRSCH. No.

Dr. GERSON. No.

Senator PEPPER. It was inside; was it?

Dr. GERSON. Only by the operation it is visible.

Senator PEPPER. Did the doctors who operated at this Newark Beth Israel Hospital tell you they could do nothing about the tumor? Mr. HIRSCH. That is right.

Senator PEPPER. And that there was a tumor in the spine?

Mr. HIRSCH. We knew before the operation that there was a tumor in the spine, and before the operation it was almost impossible to do anything for her.

Senator PEPPER. Is this a true copy of the report of the Newark Beth Israel Hospital about the operation and all?

Mr. HIRSCH. That is right. That is from the Beth Israel.

Senator PEPPER. Would you like to leave a copy of this for the record?

Dr. GERSON. I have presented that for the record.

Senator PEPPER. Now, another witness, Dr. Gerson?

Dr. GERSON. Yes, sir; Mr. Gimson.

(Dr. Gerson presented as witnesses before the subcommittee at this point Mr. George Gimson.)

Senator PEPPER. Dr. Miley, do you know also about these cases? Dr. MILEY. Yes. I have seen all these cases many times. I have been watching it for the last 6 to 8 months, depending on how long they have been in there.

Senator PEPPER. Your name is Dr. George Miley, of Gotham Hospital, New York?

Dr. MILEY. That is correct.

Senator PEPPER. What is your own home address in New York? Dr. MILEY. 820 Park Avenue.

Senator PEPPER. And what is the address of Gotham Hospital? Dr. MILEY. 30 East Seventy-sixth Street.

Senator PEPPER. Who is the head of that hospital?

Dr. MILEY. I am.

Senator PEPPER. How many beds do you have?

Dr. MILEY. Approximately 85 beds.

Senator PEPPER. Is it a privately owned hospital?

Dr. MILEY. It is a hospital owned by a private foundation-the Robinson Foundation-at present.

Senator PEPPER. Is it a member of any hospital association?

« PreviousContinue »