Vol. 3 No. 3 May, 1999
MERIDIAN INSTITUTE NEWS
Oral Gold Treatment
Gold is an element of many of the treatments in the Cayce readings, especially those for glandular and nervous system disorders. These disorders range from multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Typically, the readings prescribe gold chloride for use in the “solution jar” of the wet cell battery, a container inserted in the circuit containing a substance whose vibrations were being carried into the body.
Less well-known are the more than 140 readings in which Cayce recommended that the gold chloride be taken orally in very small amounts. Oral gold was prescribed for the same diversity of illnesses as vibrational gold, but less frequently. It appears that oral gold was a stronger medication, but it is not clear why the readings recommend it less often. A typical Cayce prescription was to prepare a one grain per ounce solution of gold chloride (the same strength used for the wet cell), and a second solution of two grains per ounce of sodium bicarbonate or sodium bromide. Once or twice a day, the instructions were to combine one drop of the gold solution and two drops of the soda solution in a glass of water and drink immediately. There were many variations on this basic pattern.
In conventional medicine, gold-containing drugs are used primarily as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and occasionally for other autoimmune disorders. First introduced in 1929, these drugs contain gold in an organic molecule with sulfur. One of these drugs, auranofin, can be taken by mouth. These gold drugs, however, are often rather toxic. Side effects can range from itchy skin to death from kidney or liver failure.
Historically, gold has been used much more widely. Gold chloride was a component of the “Keeley cure,” a well-known treatment for alcoholism in the late 1800s (the Cayce readings recommend gold in the treatment of alcoholism as well). Medical books from the late 1800s and early 1900s
mention gold chloride as a therapy for various conditions, sometimes identifying it as a “nervine,” a therapy for nervous system disorders. The first edition of the Merck Manual, published in 1899, refers to gold chloride as a treatment for tuberculosis and lupus, and to gold bromide as a treatment for epilepsy and migraine. The Merck Manual also lists gold under aphrodisiacs!
Surprisingly little work has been done on the role of gold as a natural substance in the body. The most interesting recent scientific publication is a study by A. El-Yazigi, a researcher in Saudi Arabia. He looked at the concentrations of gold and silver in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with brain tumors. He found that concentrations of silver were markedly increased in patients with malignant tumors. Interestingly, though there was no consistent relationship between gold and tumor vs. control subjects, for the single patient with pinealblastoma the concentration of gold was about twice the concentration for the controls or other tumor types. Since the pineal has such an important role in the Cayce scheme, it is worth exploring this finding.
While gold chloride is not commonly in use today, there are intriguing reports of the effects of another form of gold, colloidal gold. Colloidal gold is very fine particles of gold metal. Guy Abraham, a medical doctor in California, has shown that colloidal gold can be an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, without the toxicity of the organic gold drugs. In another study by Abraham and his colleagues, colloidal gold was shown to be of use improving mental performance, leading to a 20% increase in IQ scores! This is certainly consistent with Cayce’s emphasis on the usefulness of gold in rebuilding the nervous system.
Two people have shared with us their experience using oral gold chloride. One, a man in his 40s with depression, found that gold chloride made a positive difference in his mood state, comparable to antidepressants. Another, a woman in her 60s with essential tremor, a neurological problem, experienced substantial remission with oral gold therapy. In both cases, discontinuing the gold treatment after a few weeks resulted in a reappearance of the symptoms. Resuming the gold treatment led to improvement.
We are cautious about gold chloride at this time because of uncertainty about the safety, but enthusiastic about the possibilities for healing. In the very small doses recommended by Cayce (less than 1/20 of the typical daily dose of gold for arthritis), there is probably little toxicity, but nothing is known about the effects of long-term use. We would very much like to hear about the experiences of anyone who is using oral gold in the treatment of any disorder.
References
Abraham, G. E., & Himmel, P. B. (1997). Management of rheumatoid arthritis: rationale for the use of colloidal metallic gold. Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, 7(7), 295-305.
Abraham, G. E., McReynolds, S. A., & Dill, J. S. (1998). Effect of colloidal metallic gold on cognitive functions: A pilot study. Frontier Perspectives, 7(2), 39-41.
El-Yazigi, A., Al-Saleh, I., & Al-Mefty, O. (1984). Concentrations of Ag, Au, Bi, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Se in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with cerebral neoplasms. Clinical Chemistry, 30, 1358-1360.
Merck’s Manual of the Materia Medica. (1899). New York: Merck & Co.
HRRC Assessment Center
The Health and Rejuvenation Research Center (HRRC – a division of the A.R.E.) working closely with Meridian Institute staff, has created an assessment center specializing in noninvasive evaluation procedures. Based on the Cayce philosophy of attending to individual uniqueness, the center will feature a broad range of diagnostic techniques which closely parallel the Cayce readings.
For example, Edgar Cayce strongly emphasized the importance of the blood. Typically, a Cayce reading begins with an analysis of the blood. One reading observed that “. the day may yet arrive when we take a drop of blood and diagnose the condition of any physical body.” (283-2) The HRRC Assessment Center will offer blood microscopy in which a drop of blood is analyzed. Darkfield microscopy (live and dried blood analysis) is a technique that illuminates minute elements of the blood for detailed analysis of overall patient health.
Cayce also sometimes noted that certain areas of the body were prone to temperature variations which could be linked to patterns of disease. Computerized Regulatory Thermography (CRT) measures the temperatures of various parts of the body associated with organ and visceral function. Two sets of data are collected. The first set of measurements assess the skin temperature of the body as adapted to normal room temperature. A second set of measurements assess the body’s reaction to a controlled cooling of the environment. The comparison of these data sets provides information about the organism’s ability to self-regulate. In this way, we can gain insight into focal areas of disease.
Nervous system incoordination is another common problem discussed in many Cayce readings. We are using a Heart Rhythm Instrument that measures heart rate variability and compares sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system functioning as a measure of nervous system coordination. Heart rate variability assessment is an increasingly popular means of evaluating nervous system coordination.
Edgar Cayce often stated that abnormal spinal reflexes can produce illness in the visceral organs. Computerized Segmental Electrography (SEG) measures the body’s ability to regulate its physiology through spinal reflexes. Because of reflexes that exist between the skin and inner organs, minute electrical impulses can be used to assess biological fluctuations and rhythms that are often linked to functional problems in the body.
A variety of psychometric instruments will be used to assess physical, mental, and spiritual functioning. The Cayce Comprehensive Symptom Inventory (CCSI) consists of thirty scales and over 200 items (signs and symptoms) representing pathological patterns described in the Cayce readings. For example, Scale Six focuses on a condition that Edgar Cayce called “torpid liver.” This scale consists of nine symptoms which the readings specifically linked to “torpid” or sluggish liver. Some of the CCSI scales (such as hypothyroid or calcium deficiency) are found in many symptom inventories. Other scales (such as “lacteal duct adhesions” or “high hepatic circulation”) are distinctive to the Cayce material. The CCSI is administered via a computer program which automatically generates statistics and graphics.
Other psychometric instruments used at the center include an “Approach to Life” scale to measure psychological and spiritual qualities mentioned in the Cayce readings and related sources. A standard personality inventory (Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis Profile) and the RISO Type indicator (based on the Enneagram) provide additional insights into the psyche.
A package of these assessments is being made available to health professionals seeking additional assessments for their clients and to the general public. For more information on the HRRC Assessment Center, contact Deborah Thompson, R.N. at (757) 496-6411, or email her at hrrc@are-cayce.com
Breast Cancer Survivors
Judith Sherbenou is writing a book about breast cancer survivors with a focus on spiritual growth, attitude or diet changes, etc. If you would like to participate in her survey, she can be reached at:
Judith Sherbenou
505 Cypress Station Dr. #5716
Houston, TX 77090
(281)444-7426
happygo@swbell.net