TVM for Autism
May 15th, 2009
A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a piece she had read on an autism “biomed” forum. In it, a parent was asking about using hydrochloric acid for “digestive problems” in her autistic child. Apparently, her “alternative” medicine provider had suggested it and this mom wanted to know where to find hydrochloric acid that wasn’t “contaminated”.
Now, my friend sent this to me in the spirit of “Have you ever heard of such nonsense?” However, as I read it, I was pretty sure I had heard of this before, but in a very different context.
Going to my bookcases, I quickly found A Textbook of Practical Therapeutics by Hobart Amory Hare (MD, BSc), 5th Edition, published in 1895. On page 205, Dr. Hare writes the following:
In dyspepsia due to faulty gastric secretion, as in typhoid fever, and in gastric indigestion accompanied with fermentation, this acid is of service. In combination with compound tincture of cardamoms, it is of value in intestinal indigestion. (See Indigestion.)
The acid is best used in the form of the of the official dilute acid {Acidum Hydrochloricum Dilutum, U.S. and B.P.), dose 10 to 30 drops in water.
In the sick stomach and gastric distress following an alcoholic debauch, 20 drops of the dilute acid in water are often of service.
[Note: this book is also available on line.]
Amazingly, this appears to be identical to what the “alternative” practitioner was recommending over one hundred years later.
As I read through Dr. Hare’s text, I had frequent episodes of deja vu. Arnica, flax seed, cod liver oil, oxygen (but not hyperbaric oxygen - that came later), saunas (sweating out the “toxins”), colonic irrigation, even acupuncture - all of these “alternative” therapies were discussed at length in this book. And although Dr. Hare curiously omits mention of them, homeopathy was also very popular at the same time (having been invented by Hahnemann in 1796), and chiropractic had just been invented by D.D. Palmer at the time this book was published.
I gradually came to realize that many of the “alternative” therapies for autism - and much of “alternative” medicine in general - would be better described as “Traditional Victorian Medicine” (”TVM”, for these fast-paced times). It only seems appropriate to recognize the debt that current “alternative” practitioners owe to the far-sighted healers of that bygone era and acknowledge that so many of today’s “alternative” therapies were, in fact, “mainstream medicine” during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901).
And besides, look what the word “traditional” has done for the marketing of “Traditional Chinese Medicine”.
The term “Traditional Victorian Medicine” becomes even more appropriate when you consider that medicine during Victoria’s reign was also largely based on the personal beliefs and “experience” of influential physicians - as is current “alternative” medicine. Neither the visonary healers of the Victorian Age nor the modern “alternative” practitioners are the slaves to “data” or “clinical trials” that “modern” physicians are.
Additionally, physicians in the Victorian Era spent much more time with their patients, since there was little else they could do. In these respects (and many more), current “alternative” providers are much more similar to physicians of Victoria’s era than they are to modern physicians.
As Dr. Hare’s text points out, physicians of his day rountinely observed patients recovering from serious illnesses with the help of the remedies contained therein. Even venesection (”bloodletting”, to the uninitiated) was known to be of great help in “extreme” cases, although Dr. Hare laments even then that younger physicians of his time were turning away from this invaluable treament and would come to regret that decision.
Just as the “Traditional Victorian Medicine” practitioners of today have their “testimonials”, Dr. Hare describes how people in the Victorian Era often got “better” after being treated with sandal-wood oil for their gonorrhea (p. 319) or lead acetate for dysentery (pp. 235 - 236). In this light, the anecdotes of autistic children today ”recovering” after (or in spite of) being treated with HBOT or chelation similarly vindicate the use of those therapies.
Remember, too, that when “Traditional Victorian Medicine” was originally practiced, people were much healthier than the sickly, toxin-loaded, pill-popping, latte-swilling populace of our age. Whereas today the life expectancy at birth in England is currently a mere 79 years, people back in the ”Golden Age” of “Traditional Victorian Medicine” could expect to live to the ripe old age of 47 years (in 1901).
It is only fitting that the “Brave Maverick Doctors” (BMD’s) treating autism with “alternative” therapies should acknowledge that they are following in the honored footsteps of Dr. John Watson in their practice of ”Traditional Victorian Medicine”. After all, the Victorian Era was a time of great heroes and these BMD’s are certainly considered heroes by many (thay are also, some might add, practicing “heroic medicine“).
So, all of you “Bave Maverick Doctors”, you “DAN!” practitioners, you “alternative”, “CAM” or “holistic” therapists, be proud of your roots - call it what it is:
Traditional Victorian Medicine
Something to think about, isn’t it?
Prometheus
Filed under: Autism Practitioners, Autism Treatments
May 15th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
“Traditional Victorian Medicine”
Ha ha! I love it.
Interestingly, I remember reading in Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English’s For Your Own Good that part of the reason homeopathy *WAS* so popular back then was because mainstream, “heroic” medicine was so risky, and also didn’t often cure the disease. Homeopathy sure wasn’t any more effective, but at least it wasn’t going to kill or maim you *AND* fail to cure you.
Kinda weird that an alternative medical system whose appeal largely derived from its relatively risk-free nature now goes hand in hand with dangerous stuff like chelation.
… or hydrochloric acid for that matter. Eek!
May 15th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Thanks for a great chuckle.
And that’s a great find.
Joe
May 16th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Great post..very interesting. I have done a little reading on Victorian medicine…some of the treatments are very funny-especially for women.
May 16th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Some people never grow up. The sCAM practitioners are rooted in old idealogy, now so aptly named TVM. I always picture the movie about Dr. Kellog, The Road to Wellville, when I read the AoA and other websites.
Do you have one of those medical library book series where they reprint the old medical texts with lovely binding? My father had a collection, and I now have some of his books, mostly the OB/GYN ones, but some by Osler and Lewis, and other well known historical physicians. I wonder if the book you mention is among those. I will have to look.
May 16th, 2009 at 9:45 am
This made me laugh out loud. What about TVM pediatrics though? Certainly childhood mortality in 1901 England at about 40%, is nothing compared to today. And I’ll bet childhood mortality due to infectious disease is way up, isn’t it?
May 16th, 2009 at 11:59 am
What does the book have to say about mercury? Other books from that era say it was the standard cure-all.
May 16th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
And I thought that the basic contents of the stomach were Hydrochloric acid, and pretty strong at that, anyone who has gastric reflux and wakes up feeling like someone is trying to dissolve there esophagus cold tell you that. I can’t see how adding more of it helps anything?
May 16th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Daedalus2u;
Dr. Hare’s book has extensive sections on the use of mercury and arsenic for treatment of a variety of diseases. Mercury was considered a first-line treatment for syphilis, prompting at least one Victorian cartoonist to quip, “A night with Venus and a month with Mercury.”
Laurentius-rex;
The concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is about 0.1 M. I couldn’t find out what the concentration of “standard” dilute hydrochloric acid, but the amount recommended seems pretty small. I doubt that it would be of any help except in cases of achlorhydria of the stomach.
Although textbooks of the time don’t mention any worries about esophageal or stomach irritation from hydrochloric acid, they do recommend that the patient rinse their mouth with water after using, to prevent erosion of the teeth.
Prometheus
May 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Excellent stuff P
I still haven’t got my brain adjusted to the fact some parents are using Hydrochloric Acid. I mean, thats, like Hydrochloric Acid!!!
May 26th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Acidum Hydrochloricum Dilutum is 10 % HCl, about 3 M. Pretty good cleaner for grout, no idea why anyone wanted to ingest that so.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Mu,
Thanks for the information!
In TVM, the prescription is for a few drops of HCl in a glass of water, which dilutes it beyond the dangerous level. However, if parents are simply being to to go out and get hydrochloric acid and give it to their children, how long do you think it will be before some parent gives it undiluted.
By the way, I stopped by the local hardware store - it’s available in concentrations of up to 35%.
DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!
Prometheus
June 6th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Awesome. Hopefully soon we’ll regress to jars of giant* leeches as a treatment for all ills.
IIRC 35% is about the strongest practical concentration of hydrochloric acid. Much above that it starts to evaporate rather quickly, which isn’t a good thing. Either for the usefulness of the chemical, or anybody who happens to be standing nearby…
OTOH, I managed to find 98% sulfuric acid at my local hardware store, sold as “extra strong drain cleaner”. I wonder what sort of ailments that would be good for?
* seriously, have you /seen/ medicinal leeches? They’re frickin’ huge!
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
Excellent post! I’ve often suspected a lot of ‘alternative’ medicine is just old medicine some people haven’t grown out of yet, and you’ve found a great example.
It reminds me of a book I found at my parents’ house. My father was brought up in a family of ‘nature-care homeopathists’ and has an early 20th Century naturecare homeopathy handbook. When I finally give in and go over to the dark-side I think I might publish it. I think with its ‘traditional’ selling point it might make a mint, and at least the advice (lots of veg and garlic, plenty of exercise and fresh air) is a lot less barmy than most of the current fads. The vinegar rub-downs sound a bit smelly though…
December 19th, 2009 at 12:50 am
it’s interesting to learn how many “holistic” treatments are just Victorian artifacts with a new coat of paint. thank you for the interesting view. it seems that we just keep going around and around with discredited “remedies,” despite all research. i wonder why this is true?