OLD ONTARIO REMEDIES
1922:
RENE CAISSE
ESSIAC
SHEILA SNOW EXPLORES THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING
THE FAMOUS CANCER FORMULA, 'ESSIAC'
Controversy and intrigue still continue to shroud Essiac, striking a
chord of anxiety in the hearts of the seriously ill who have staked their
lives and expectations on the promise of its healing properties. Yet its
clandestine quality gave the remedy its power. Had its secrets been
revealed early in its long history, would it have made such an impact on
the lives of many Canadians? For those new to the story of Essiac, here
is a brief summary to date.
Rene Caisse was a Canadian nurse who was borm in
Bracebridge, Ontario, in 1888. While working in a norhtern Ontario
hospital in 1922, she noticed the scarred but healed breast of an elderly
patient and questioned her about it. Some years earlier a Toronto doctor
had diagnosed the breast to be malignant and a mastectomy was rec-
ommended. Instead, the woman accepted the offer of a herbal tea
prepared by an Indian neighbour believed to be of the
Ojibwa tribe, also known as Chippewa- The nurse asked for and received
the Indian herbal remedy which she later modified.
That professional curiosity began a quest that was to last until her death
at the age of ninety in December, 1978. Her life became one of turmoil
and frustration, joy and high hopes followed by bitter disillusionment,
much adulation and reverence by patients who recovered, and endless
questioning by sceptics and some members of the medical profession.
When Rene's aunt, after using her remedy for two years, fully
recovered from an inoperable stomch cancer with liver involvement two
years later with her remedy and other terminal patients also began
to improve, physicians put their signatures on two petitions (1926 and
1936) requesting that Nurse Caisse, be given the opportunity to treat
cancer cases in a larger way. Both were tumed down by Ottawa's De-
partment of Health and Welfare. But word of Essiac's medicinal virtues
kept spreading. Dr. Frederick Benting, hailed as the discoverer of insulin,
offered her access to is laboratories at the Universitv of Toronto
for animal studies if she would temporarily give up her practice at the
Bracebridge clinic. She rejected his offer because the lives of her patients
depended on Essiac. Even the Ontario government became involved in
1938 when a bill was introduced to legalize Essiac as a remedy to treat
terminal cancer patients, but in a close decision the legislature turned it
down by three votes. Today the spirit of this magnanimous lady still lives
on with many questions left unanswered about the recipe she perfected
and called 'Essiac' , simply by reversing her maiden name 'Caisse'.
THE SECRET FORMULA
Rene never wanted the general public to know what ingredients were
in the formula or how to prepare it. Her main concerns were that they
would make it incorrectly and that exploiters, once apprised of the herbs
in it, would put out specious facsimiles that lacked the healing
properties of Essiac. She feared that the very simplicity of the remedy
would cause many persons to question its ability to alleviate or cure such
a formidable disease.
Perhaps this is why she was persuaded to hand over her beloved
Essiac to the Resperin Corporation in 1977 for the sum of $1.00. This
group, which includes several physicians on its board of directors,
may have been her last hope of convincing the Canadian government to
set up trial studies on terminal cancer patients across the country. The
studies would be properly documented with authentic diagnoses as
well as detailed reports about the progress of the patients. Her dream of
having Essiac recognized as a legitimate cancer therapy would then be
fulfilled, while proof of its efficacy would permit the Resperin group to
successfully market it.
Unfortunately, this has not yet occurred. Cancer patients may still
obtain the decoction from Resprerin's Dr. Hugh Wilson who lives in Orillia,
Ontario, by having their doctors submit written requests through Health
and Welfare Canada. However, during the years since Rene's passing,
some doctors have failed to turn over their patients reports so Resperin
has fallen behind in keeping up with its records. Only word-of-mouth
accounts and hearsay evidence portray improvement and some
recoveries, while a number of dying patients spoke of reduced pain with
little or no need of pain-killers, a sense of peace and a clear mind.
Thus belief in Essiac remains alive.
Soon after Rene's death a new product emerged on Essiac scene
called 'Easy-Ac' , a decoction made by Gilbert Elondin of Hull, Quebec.
In 1977 he watched his wife, mother of three young children, recover
from a lymphosarcorma three months after she began taking Essiac
directly from the nurse. Today she is still free of cancer and her family
devoutly believes in the remedy. When Rene refused any offer of
financial remuneration from Gilbert, he returned to paint her living
quarters and do some necessary repairs on the house which had been
neglected because of her more pressing preoccupation with patients. Few
if any people had ever offered help of this kind and the nurse was
touched hi generosity. A bond of trust formed between them and some
believe she may have taught him how to prepare the recipe for his wife
in order to forgo the extensive travelling to Bracebridge every second
weekend.
THE COURT CASE
As word spread of his wife's recovery, people came to Gilbert for
help, and when demand for his product increased, he quit his trade to
work full time making the decoction. In due course he filed dutifully
for a Drug Identification Number (D.I.N.) from Health and Welfare Canada
but was told that since Easy-Ac was considered to be a food, there would
be no need of a D. I. N. In 1988, however, health inspectors closed
down his small operation and filed a suit against his company for
advertising Easy-Ac as a cancer remedy and for failing to obtain a D.I.N.
Apparently the health department felt that if it cured anything, it
should be labelled a drug. After two years in court, Easy-Ac was
considered by thejudge to be a food, and some slight charges and small
fines were assessed.
While this court case was going on, something else was also taking
place that was to make Essiac a household word again in both the United
States and Canada. In 1988 Dr. Gary L. Glum, a chiropractor in
Los Angeles, Califomia, rekindled interest by publishing a book titled,
'Calling of an Angel', termed "the true story of Rene Caissc and an Indian
herbal medicine called Essiac. " It updated the article published by
Toronto's Homemaker Magazine in 1977 'Could Essiac Halt Cancer?'
'Throughout his work Dr. Glum asserts the authenticity of the formula and
in a special video details what he claims to be the Essiac recipe.
>From the large amount this dried herbal mixture produces, we believe it
is the recipe Rene used in, the 1930's when she prepared the remedy in
her Bracebridge clinic for hundreds of patients and quite conceivably
the one passed along to the Resperin corporation for its clinical studies.
We owe a large debt of gratitude to Dr. Glum for having the courage
to take on this enormous responsibility -no small task!-at great personal
financial expense, time and energy. It would be impossible for anyone
bent upon revealing the Essiac recipe to imagine beforehand just what
kind of reactions it might stir up. Presenting it to the world at long last
has been like opening 'Pandora's Box'. Whether it will be a blessing or
a curse remains to be seen.
DR. GLUM'S RECIPE
The four main components of Dr. Glum's recipe are:
1) 1 lb. (16 oz. by scale weight) of powdered Sheep's Sorrel
(Rumex acetosella). This is a wild perenial miniature of garden sorrel. It
must be green in colour and have an aroma of sweet grass.
2) 6 1/2 cups (52 oz. in a kitchen measuring cup) of cut Burdock
Root (Arctium lappa). This should weigh about 1 1/2 lbs. if it is quality
material gathered from the first year roots of this biennial. Fresh
burdock toot has a distinct aroma.
3) 1/2 cup (4 oz. by scale weight) of the Slippery Elm inner bark
(Ulmus fulva), also in powdered form. It is best to purchase this because
the novice could kill a tree by stripping off bark carelessly in the
spring. Sometimes the commercial product is adulterated with inferior
flour or other starchy substances which create a gravy-like decoction, so
beware. The powder should be light beige.
4) 1 oz. of Turkey Rhubarb Root (Rheum palmatum). This must
be purchased because its natural habitat is in China and Tibet. Rene
preferred this variety to the common rhubarb because its medicinal
properties were stronger and the taste less bitter. It is yellowish-brown
in colour.
QUESTIONS ABOUT ESSIAC
Numerous interpretations of this recipe being passed around are
raising rumours, doubts, and questions which always seem to surface
when anything unorthodox is introduced. I will try to clear up some of
these with the following questions and answers, but do so with
considerable trepidation as, no doubt, my answers will spark even more
questions.
Q: How can we be sure that Dr. Glum's recipe is the correct one?
A: The four herbs in Dr. Glum's recipe are also present in Essiac.
Rene often emphasized in the 1970's that only four herbs were being
used and this today is still the decoction that continues to help people.
Rene's motto, which her patients firmly believe in, was, "If it works,
don't change it."
Q: How much Essiac can be made out of the entire dried mixture?
A: Remember, as stated before, this amount was for a large-scale
production to treat hundreds of patients in a short period of time. One
might want to experiment by with one quarter of this recipe.
Once the herbs are mixed well, the kitchen measuring cup can be used to
find out just how many eight-ounce cupfuls are in the mixture. Each
decoction makes up at least twelve 16-oz. bottles of Essiac. One quarter
of the dried recipe should provide an eighteen month supply for one
person if he were to take one ounce of Essiac every single night.
Powdered herbs tend to lose their medicinal properties faster than
cut or whole plants so it is wise to replenish your stock every year when
possible.
Q: Do we weigh the eight ounces of dried mixed herbs on a scale?
A: No. Rene only used a kitchen measuring cup and filled it up to
eight ounce line. If this amount were measured on the scale the
decoction would be much stronger.
Q: Is the herb being sold today as Sheep's Sorrel a substitute?
A. The samples I have received from many outlets in Ontario and the
United States appear to be an inferior quality of an undetermined herb
which may or may not be related to the Sorrel family. Since this is
the primary herb in Essiac, one must become thoroughly acquainted with
its appearance, aroma and taste.
Q: Are Dr. Glum's directions for taking Essiac correct?
A: Dr. Glum obtained his directions from a physician who treated
patients with Essiac under close supervision, so the dose is stronger than
the one Rene recommended. Here are her instructions:
1) Take one ounce of Essiac with two ounces of hot water every
second day at bedtime, on an empty stomach two or three hours after
supper.
2) Do not eat or drink anything for at least one hour after taking
Essiac.
3) Continue the treatment every other day for thirty-two days,
then take the treatment every three days.
4) Always keep Essiac refrigerated but never in the freezer.
For the novice this is a trial and error experience; nobody becomes a
cook overnight. It should not be attempted when a life-threatening
situation is involved because the desperate run to any available
source for herbs they may know nothing about. The complete mixture is
sold in many stores but how can one tell if the powdered herbs are
correct and of good quality, or how old they are or if the
amounts of each are accurate? Why waste precious energy, time, money
and even the mixture itself if it proves to be inferior?
The routine for making the recipe may be simplified with practice.
Understand that no two decoctions are exactly alike as any chemist will
confirm. Don't be concerned about the number of bottles you get
out of each decoction because various things affect the amount of liquid
that will be absorbed by the herbs. Rene used one quart (32 oz.) of local
spring water. (Never use treated tap water!) for one ounce of mixed herbs
(measured in the kitchen cup, remember?) Once people are comfortable
about cooking this brew, they may want to harvest the Sheep Sorrel plant
and Burdock Root.
MANY BELIEVE ESSIAC HAS HELPED THEM
Essiac is not a hoax or a fraud. To hear experiences described by the
patients themselves cannot help but convince observers that dramatic and
beneficial changes definitely took place in many but not all of those who
received the remedy. Although the focus on Essiac has been as a cancer
treatment, it alleviated and sometimes cured many chronic and
degenerative conditions because it cleanses the blood as well as the
liver and strengthens the immune system. It will continue to remain
controversial until opened-minded an dedicated scientists and
even lay researchers unveil and explore the unknow essences that create
Essiac's healing magic.
ABOUT SHEILA SNOW
Sheila Snow has devoted much of
her life to an investigation of the Essiac
formula. Recently she was invited by the
Consumer Health Organization of Can-
ada to address its annual convention in
Toronto on this topic. She has now pre-
pared a small book for the layperson: The
Essence of Essiace. Publication is expected
later this year.
CLOSE-UP ON THE ESSIAC CONSTITUENTS
Of the four plants which were purportedly suggested by the Ojibwa
Indians to Rene Caisse, only two, Arctium lappa and Ulmus_fulva have
any recorded use by the Native people anywhere in North America.
In fact, they are the only two indigenous plants. Rene must have added
Rumex acetosella and Rhewn palmatum on her own initiative.
Arctium lappa has a well established tradition on many continents for
use as a depurative or 'bloodcleanser'. Mills calls it 'a general alterative
remedy appearing to exert a cleansing effect on the tissues as such' and
being a 'diuretic and mild laxative'. In moderm herbal practice, it is used
primarily as a dermatological remedy, said to 'move the body towards a
state of integration and health, removing such indicators of systemic
imbalance as skin problems and dandruff. (Hoffman) A poultice is also
applied to wounds and ulcers.
But because of its action as a bitter, there is certainly stimulation of
the digestive system and of the liver. James Duke records Shemluck's
contention that the Chippewa used the root of Arctium as a, 'blood
medicine' and Virgil Vogel notes that the Ojibwa used the root as
an anodyne, stomachic and tonic.
The native use of Ulmus fulva as a poultice for hard tumours and
swellings was observed by Samuel Stearns and recorded by Virgil
Vogel.(2)
There is also some mention of its use in spitting blood from the lungs.
This is, of course, a sign of one form of cancer. However, according to
the BHP, Ulmus is a demulcent, emollient, nutritive and antitussive and
although it is specifically indicated for gastric and duodenal ulcers
because of these soothing qualities, one can see little reason to assume
that it would have much more than an palliative action in a cancerous
state.
Rumex acetosema is a European alien 'traditionally used for fevers,
scurvy and inflamaution. The fresh leaves poulticed (after roasting) were
used for tumors, -and wens (sabacious cysts). The leaf tea was
considered a folk remedy for cancer, according to Duke. 3 There is,
however, no modern scientific evidence of this and its use by modern
herbal medicine is virtually unknown. Due to its high oxalic acid con-
tent, this species should be avoided if one is suffering from arthritis or
kidney disease.
(McIntyre)
Rheum palmatum Radix contains anthraquinone glycosides and
sennosides which act as laxatives and, in larger doses, purgatives. In
China, Rhubarb is an important ingredient in many prescriptions to treat
high fevers. According to McIntyre, it should be avoided by persons
suffering from arthritis, kidney disease or urinary problems and during
pregnancy. It is likely to be of benefit for someone suffering from
constipation, which is a common complaint among cancer patients.
Given these actions, it is not impossible to accept that such a
combination might have some benefit for some people suffering from
some types of cancer. And there is certainly little reason to believe
that, if taken according to the originator's instructions, there is much
possibility of harm or injury resulting.
TREATING THE WHOLE PERSON
However, any 'formula' for cancer makes a mockery of modern
scientific phytotherapy. Research has moved forward a long way since
Bracebridge,,e in 1922. We now know that cancer patients, even if
taking chemotherapy or radiotherapy, can benefit enormously from herbal
treatment.
There are many more efficient herbs to help the liver cast off accumulated
toxins. We now know of plants capable of boosting the immune system,
plants which have been shown to inhibit metastases, plants which
have an anti-tumoral effect and still other plants which work directly as
cleansers for the lymphatic system. The danger of limiting oneself to a
single 'formula' to treat cancer is this: there are many forms of
cancer and they affect 'the body and its systems in many different ways.
By receiving personal attention from a trained professional herbalist, there
is a much greater probability that appropriate herbs can be chosen which
are especially suited to the particular sufferer. Moreover, the wholis-
tic herbalist is committed to looking beneath the symptoms, to correcting
the faulty or destructive diet or lifestyle which underlies the body's final
protest, to working with the patient in all aspects of his mental
and spiritual struggle: in short, to treat the person as a whole, not the
disease entity.
Because of our obsession with a formula, we may well have overlooked
this aspect of Rene Caisse's work.
K.S.
REFERENCES
I Snow, Sheila. 'Could Essiac Halt
Cancer'. [Ed.]
2 Vogel, Virgil J. American Indian
Medicine. New York: Ballantine Books,
1973 by arrangement with the University of
Oklahoma press.
3 Duke, James A., & Foster, Steven.
Easter-nlCentral Medicinal Plants. The
Peterson Field Guide Series. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990.
0
M, y
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z HOLISTIC SIUCVMB 5/18/93
'Lea Vetter Multiple recipients 5/18/93 Enclosure file: ESSIAC.TXT
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From: Bonnie Williamson <b_willia@LIFESCI.LSCF.UCSB.EDU>
Subject: possible sources for essiac tea
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I hope this is helpful
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I got this info from misc.health.alternative
possible sources for essiac and detailed recipe and instructions for use
>From misc.health.alternative Thu Apr 21
From: delisle@eskimo.com (Ben Delisle)
Subject: Re: essiac?
Well, There is a product that you can get called
'Flor-Essence' herbal tea blend, which is Essiac.
It is made in Canada and imported into Washington
State (United States) by Flora Inc, Lynden, Washington 98264.
I am looking at a bottle of a prepared product as I type.
I have seen an Essiac Newsletter arround here too.
I have a file on it as well (a magazine article and the first
chapter of a book called 'Calling of an Angel' By Dr. Gary Glum.)
>From misc.health.alternative Thu Apr 21
Subject: RE: Cancer (ESSIAC TEA)
Below is a Recipe for Essiac Tea. This is a tea that has shown to
do wonders for cancer patients. The recipe is from the interview with
Dr. Gary L. Glum. If you are interested in getting the entire
article finger me at STEPHENSC@128.172.69.253 or you can do a veronica
search in Gopher for it.
Also [flame shield on] if you wish to purchase rather than concoct,
this product can be ordered in the US & Canada from Enrich International
as Native Legend Tea. If you are interested send me email at
STEPHENC@PCMAIL.CBIL.VCU.EDU. [flame shield off]
ESSIAC
Supplies Needed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 or 5 gallon stainless steel pot
2 gallon stainless steel pot, with lid
Stainless steel fine-mesh double strainer
Stainless steel funnel
Stainless steel spatula
12 or more 16 ounce amber glass bottles
with air tight caps (not childproof caps)
2 gallons of sodium-free distilled water
Essiac Formula
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 1/2 cups burdock root - cut
( Arctium Lappa )
16 oz. sheep sorrel herb - powdered
( Rumex Acetosella )
1 oz. turkey rhubarb root - powdered
( Rheum Palmatum )
4 oz. Slippery elm bark - powdered
( Ulmus Fulva )
Preparation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Mix Essiac formula thoroughly.
2. Bring sodium-free distilled water to a rolling boil in a
5-gallon pot with lid on. (Approximately 30 minutes at sea
level.)
3. Stir in 1 cup of Essiac formula. Replace lid and continue
boiling for 10 minutes.
4. Turn off stove. Scrape down sides of pot with spatula and stir
mixture thoroughly. Replace lid.
5. Allow pot to remain closed for 12 hours; then turn stove to full
heat for 20 minutes.
6. Turn off stove. Strain liquid into 3-gallon pot, and clean
5-gallon pot and strainer. Then Strain filtered liquid back into
5-gallon pot.
7. Use funnel to pour hot liquid into bottles
immediately, taking care to tighten caps. Allow bottles to
cool; then tighten the caps again. 8. Refrigerate. Essiac contains
no preservative agents. If mold should develop in the bottle,
discard immediately.
CAUTION: All bottles and caps must be sterilized after use if you
plan to re-use them for Essiac. Bottle caps must be washed and
rinsed thoroughly, and may be cleaned with a 3% solution of food
grade hydrogen peroxide in water.
Directions for use
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat four tablespoons [ 2 oz. ] sodium-free distilled water in a
stainless steel pot. Add 4 tablespoons of Essiac ( shake bottle first).
Mix and drink.
Take at bedtime on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours after
eating.
Chris Stephens...........
**************************** End ESSIAC Document ****************************