Psychiatrists complain that permanent or even beneficial results in their field are obtained too slowly by present day methods, taking on the average from one to three or more years and only too frequently not at all. When the methods and therapy of this system will be used in the treatment of mental diseases, the good results will be doubled or even better, and they will be obtained in much less time than is required at present, with a great saving of time and money to both the state and the patients.
In a large percentage of these patients it was found on close questioning that almost invariably the mental condition would start with a severe nasal infection, which was merely an extensive sinus infection. In many cases the mental troubles started subsequent to a severe cold, followed by an uncontrollable purulent discharge from the nose (sinuses). This is particularly true of the more maniacal (violent) and the depressive (melancholic) forms of mental diseases.
This system favors the physical basis theory as the explanation for mental disease as against the Freudian theory of pure psychic or sexual injury. There is direct, physical (chemical) injury which causes mental diseases, due to the injury of the poisons (toxins) from the person’s common foundation of disease on the nervous tissues of the brain and the deficiency in oxygen due to the same cause. Both these are always intensified by the eating of bad food. The psychic injury theory which is the basis of the Freudian system does not enable us to obtain successful results rapidly, nor of a sufficiently satisfactory percentage. The physical theory is again principally explained on focal infection and deficient oxygenation theory with the point of lowest resistance in these cases being the brain. Better expressed, as the harm caused by a pronounced common foundation of disease affecting chiefly the brain. The repeated harm due to the constant eating of bad food will invariably be found to be an important precipitating and intensifying factor. The correctness of the physical basis theory will quickly be proven to be either right or wrong by the use of the methods of common foundationing in the mentally ill. Results should be obtained with definiteness and encouragement. This cannot be said of the psychic or Freudian theory. The exponents of the Freudian and older schools always demand a great deal of time in which to accomplish the rather small percentage of results obtained.
Again the admonition must be remembered that when using this system, it is best not to wait until the case has reached the terminal or hopeless stages, but to administer treatments at the very beginning of the disease. Certainly such simple therapy can do no harm, and judging by analogy, we have a right to expect happy results. In view of the fact that this work has done so much good in such a multitude of diseases of every variety, it should at least be given a fair trial in these sad cases.
Illustrative case: A woman, 40 years old, mother of eight children. Her mental illness dates back 14 years. She was taken with a maniacal, depressive type of in-sanity, obsessed with religious ideas. The patient was in good physical condition, no syphilis. The patient would be taken with these mental attacks about once every year, which would last for many months. She was committed twice for two years. She would be unable to sleep; could not attend to any of her household duties; was neither interested in nor could take care of the three children she retained in her custody. The patient had lost her will power; she firmly believed that she was unable and incapable of doing the simplest things, or attending to any of her household duties. She would sit quietly for hours unable to force herself to attend to or do any of her work. Continually worrying and complaining of divine punishment for insufficient religious attention. She was greatly depressed and melancholy. She was given the nasal antisepticizing treatments daily, starting with 1-5000 strength and gradually working up to 1-1000 by the end of the second week. The diet was extremely carefully supervised and it consisted of the simple diet of this system. Within the first few days after this treatment was instituted, the patient was able to sleep, she was much less conscious of or annoyed by her religious ideas. She soon began to take an interest in her household duties and was able to perform them at the end of the third week. Her interest in her children returned. It was interesting to note how the slightest indiscretion in the diet would set the patient back, but soon to improve when this dietary error was corrected. For instance, if she would eat fresh untoasted bread, she would not feel so well mentally; or thickening her carrots with flour would have the same bad effect; hence it is evident how important it is to follow strictly the rules of the simple diet. A slight cold would have the same effect.
This patient had lost her entire power of willing; she was unable to force herself to do anything. Her will power returned quite quickly under the use of the antisepticizing treatments and the simple diet.
This patient had been complaining of hot flushes with which she had been suffering since her first attack of this illness. These hot flushes disappeared soon after the use of the antisepticizing treatments, and have never returned since. The patient had no desire to attend to her household duties ; this desire returned very quickly and strongly under the treatment. Patient complained of a sensation of fear which was constantly present in her abdomen. This also disappeared soon after the antisepticizing treatments were started. The right ear was very deaf, unbeknown to the patient. Good hearing returned very quickly to this ear under the use of the antisepticizing treatments. The pupils of her eyes reacted very poorly to light, but became much more active after the treatments were started.
Within six weeks after the antisepticizing treatments were started, this patient returned to work.
The Usefulness of Common Foundationing in Early Cases of Insanity
Illustrative case: Young lady, age 17 years, was sent home from school. Personal characteristics had been changing recently. There was loss of interest in her work; she would become decidedly angry on the slightest occasion. At home she would remain quietly absorbed in reading for indefinite periods of time, expressionless, taking no interest in her surroundings. She would become quite angry at the presence of her youngest brother who, she thought, was a stranger. Sleep was poor and disturbed ; appetite poor, constipated.
Under the daily administration of the antisepticizing treatments her disposition quickly changed for the bet-ter. She was not so easily aroused to anger. She began to take an interest in home life. Her smile re-turned. She slept better, and in every way appeared happier and more contented. Parents were made hap-pier ; they were no longer so greatly worried about the welfare of their child.