From: ahurd@sol.UVic.CA (Albert Hurd)
Subject: Re: ***Medical Advise Needed***
Originator: ahurd@sol.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. CANADA
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 93 04:49:33 GMT

In article 461 in misc.health.alternative,  Louis B. Del Boccio
(statz@uumeme.chi.il.us) writes

    A friend of mine who needs some medical info asked me to post an
    article for her mother. Two doctors told her that her mothers leg
    has to be cut-off . And she was hoping that someone could help.

    She needs to know " How to un-clog and restore an artery located
    below the Knee.......OPEN TO ANY-METHOD !!!  A.S.A.P.

    
I would suggest that the person concerned make a determined effort
to locate a doctor trained to administer EDTA chelation therapy.

Assuming you know nothing about chelation therapy, here is a short
history. EDTA is a chelating agent which is universally used in cases of
metal (esp. lead) poisoning. In the early 50's many naval workers were
exposed to lead when repainting old ships.  Some of them who had
circulatory and heart problems began to show marked improvement. This
started a train of research into chelation therapy which led to a lot of
published research from 1950 thru 1966. In particular, in connection
with your problem, Dr. Alfred Soffer, then director of the
Cardiopulmonary lab at Rochester General Hospital, along with Drs.
Rubin, Chenoweth and Spencer, published Chelation Therapy (Charles C.
Thomas, Springfield, IL, 1964), in which they conclude that
atherosclerotic peripheral disease appears to be *benefited by repeated
administration of chelating agents* and is *particularly effective in
patients with diabetes whose lower extremities have been affected by
reduced circulation*.

In the late sixties the heart-lung machine was developed, making
open heart surgery possible, and almost overnight chelation was
dropped by most physicians as a treatment for circulatory problems,
and they will probably tell you that the technique doesn't work and
is potentially dangerous. But a few doctors carried on. Now there
are approximately 500 physicians in the US who have successfully
treated well over 500,000 patients (approximately 7 million
chelations). It seems to be 75-80 percent effective, based this
very large base of clinical results (not double-blind tests, but
that might not concern your friend as much as it does others on
this newsgroup).  The treatment is accepted in thirteen countries
including New Zealand and Switzerland, and in 44 states. I have
heard that it is the treatment of choice in Denmark, but haven't
been able to confirm that.

A lot of work should be done to find out how chelation works, but
it is probably connected with free radicals, now thought to be
implicated in heart disease, cancer, and ageing.  A recent issue of
Scientific American has an article on ageing which mentions
chelation therapy. Incidently, it can take up to three months for
the positive effects to be apparent.


For more info, you might want to read the (rather popularized and
adversarial) book Forty Something Forever by Harold and Arline
Brecher (Healthsavers Press,P>O> Box 683, Hearndon, VA 22070) where you
will find a list of chelating physicians, and a lot of references.
Arline Brecher can be contacted at (703)471-4734 or 437 7264. There are
four or five other books on chelation, most written by chelating
doctors. More info can be obtained from the Americam College of
Advancement in Medicine, 2312 Verdugo Dr., Suite 204, Laguna Hills CA
92652 (tel (714)583-7666), an association of physicians who have been
setting standards for chelation and training doctors.

Good luck,
                                                 Albert Hurd
                                                 ahurd@sol.uvic.ca
Newsgroups: sci.med