Not so long ago a remarkable scientific treatise on the "Pharm­acology of Sea Water" by Dr. Weiss was sent to me from Germany. It is a very comprehensive work, and is compiled with character­istic tectonic thoroughness. No pains seemed to have been spared in the extensive research that has been made by numerous German doctors as to the curative properties of sea water, with its all em­bracing chemical constituents, and also its richness in trace-elements such as gold, silver, copper, etc., so essential for the normal func­tioning of the body, and without which life could not be sustained. There is an imposing set of tables, and the literature that has been consulted on the subject extends to over three hundred medical authors.

It was about sixteen years ago that I first became acquainted with the therapeutic value of drinking sea water. It was then that I came into possession of a large tome on NATURHEILKUNDE (Nature Cure) by a Dr. Brauchle, and this is what this medical man had to say about the consumption of sea water.

Hippocrates and the ancient Egyptian physicians have all re­commended the drinking of the water from the ocean for the pur­pose of cure, and in the history of medicine one will find physicians continuing to advocate this method, and who make mention of its therapeutic value. Here follows a summary of what is most important:

Nutriment is only wholesome when it contains all the essential materials conducive to maintaining health. If the composition of the soil is faulty, then the food cultivated upon it will also be lacking in mineral salts. Therefore, such deficiencies should be made good by the drinking of sea water.

The ocean is a collecting basin of all the important mineral salts. Life had its origin in the sea itself and right up to the present day the cells of the animal and human organisms are bathed in blood, whose serum in its composition, reveals a remarkable con­formity with that of sea water.

So much, on the one hand, have diseases due to vitamin deficiency been investigated—so little, on the other hand, do we know what harm is caused by lack of mineral salts, or by wrong combination of these salts. Yet it is pretty certain that diseases due to faulty metabolism and glandular troubles, also many forms of tuberculosis, nerve condition, anemia are all caused by deficiencies in the mineral salts. Also cancer appears to be originally related to this lack.

The drinking of sea water in correct dosage will provide essen­tial material imperative for life, enhancing the power of resistance and immunity to infectious diseases, and it will increase the healing tendencies as well as the general capabilities of the individual.

Through the strong alkali reserve, which sea water has, it reacts upon over-acidity of the body, e.g., rheumatism and gout. Medical observations have proved that the whole organism can be toned up by the consumption of sea water. Catarrh of the ali­mentary tract, of the gall bladder and of the liver, intestinal stasis, chronic constipation, *hypochlorhydria and hyperacidity of the stomach juices are all favorably influenced by the internal use of sea water.

The drinking of this water is not only effective in the treatment of the diseases mentioned above, but is also appears to be strik­ingly effective in the treatment of all skin diseases. In support of this I cannot do better than translate the case history of a Dr. Ruzicka, Professor of Hygiene, which gives an account of this doctor's own astonishing cure of an intractable skin disease from which he suffered for over thirty years: —

"The critical condition of left leg, which four years ago led me seriously to consider having it amputated, was as follows:

The skin of the calf was surrounded by red eruptions, a con­dition known as lichen, which is a popular inflammation of the skin, of thirty years duration, that had defied all kinds of treat­ments. This presented a severe local appearance of an otherwise 'wandering' skin eruption over the whole of the body, which was very troublesome accompanied by itching, bleeding and festering skin patches.. An unexpected, sudden turn of events brought about a change in this tragic drama, which had such a poor out­look for me, in that, without any relation to the bad leg I under­went a regular, general cure by the daily drinking of sea water. And, wonders of wonders! After a week, I noticed a striking lessening of the itching and, partly, also of the hyperemia, and then later the eruptive rash receded more and more in a most remarkable manner and to such a degree that I feel quite well again as if by a miracle after thirty years. The extraordinary effect of the sea water evidences with great certainty, that my trouble was a deficiency disease conditioned by the lack in my system of substances found in sea water."

Thus it would appear that sea water contains practically all the "Biochemic remedies" "rolled up" into one single medium.

However, care must be exercised in its administration in accordance with the nature of the case to be treated, and especially the particular patient who is undergoing the treatment must observe his reactions, as sometimes unexpected side-effects are experienced.

• deficiency of gastric hydrochloric acid

These, however, are rare and are generally looked upon as a "healing crisis" which eventually lead to a cure. But not everyone can tolerate sea water in the same way. Side effects may take the form of stomach cramps or diarrhea or some other constitutional disturbances. In these cases the dosage—more of which anon—is to be reduced until complete toleration is achieved. It is desirable not to exceed the toleration dose of sea water in these cases.

The sea-water-drinking-cure achieves its fullest effect only by keeping to a certain diet which should consist mainly of

• raw vegetables in the form of salads and fruits
  
  
• foods rich in vitamin, such as whole meal products, etc.
  
  
• milk and milk products, yoghourt, little or no meat.
  
  
• no ordinary table salt must be taken. Flavour with sea water.

The duration of a sea-water-drinking-cure is several months. The success of the cure will be hastened and enhanced when ordin­ary table salt is completely avoided.

It is inadvisable to exceed the prescribed quantities of sea water, as this is likely to slow down the curative process.

The cure is to be conducted in accordance with the following regime.

Sea water is to be taken on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, then at 4 p.m. and again last thing at night. It is desirable to dilute the sea water each time with eight teaspoonfuls of mineral or tap water.

DOSAGE. 1st and 2nd weeks; 2 tablespoonfuls diluted as above three times a day.

3rd to 7th week; 3 to 7 table spoonfuls thrice daily diluted.

From the 8th week onwards; 8 tablespoonfuls thrice daily diluted.

Should the increased quantity not be well tolerated then the patient is to revert to the next lower dose, but without interrupting the cure.

DOSAGE FOR CHILDREN. Up to 2 years of age; 1/4 of the adult dose.

From 2 to 10 years 1/2of the adult dose. From 11 years on; Adult dose.

Whoever, for some reason or another, is unable to continue with sea water drinking, he can then use sea water in the cooking instead of ordinary salt. Sea water can very well be added to soups and salads. Sea water, however, should never be BOILED.

In regard to diabetes Dr. Bensch reported in 1949 that patients had repeatedly stated that after drinking sea water they had no need to keep to the formerly prescribed diet for this disease, because the sugar content in the urine had diminished and eventually had cleared up completely, and they felt physically fresh and better than ever as the result of taking sea water.

To sum up then: Sea water should be taken in the doses mentioned, but before drinking it, it would be advisable to pass it through a Berkefeld filter, obtainable from any chemist.

It has proved effective in the following diseases: stomach and respiratory disorders, tuberculosis, circulatory and metabolic dis­turbances, such as diabetes, nervous conditions, disorders of the uro-genital system, kidney complaints, all skin diseases, rheu­matism, gout, and it is helpful in cases of cancer. Salt water applied as compresses is a great cleanser and healer of sores, wounds internal and external ulcerations, and is very comforting and bene­ficial in cases of external cancers, e.g. of the breast.

It may be of interest for readers to learn that there is a firm in Bremen, Germany whose business it is to send ships well out into the Baltic sea for the purpose of collecting sea water from the depths of the ocean for bottling and distribution to hospitals and nursing homes for therapeutic use.

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