But here is no way of arriving at any exact proportions of the poison for many times owing to conditions of temperature, that is, when the water is near freezing the chlorine present becomes much more concentrated in amount it congeals into pockets and the water is much more saturated with the gas.
Boiling chlorinated water does not destroy the chlorine or its baneful effects, it merely effects a chemical change giving a dilute solution of hydrochloric or muriatic acid, whose terrible effects have already been related.
But getting back to the small dose and its effects, I want to quote from an eminent allopathic authority, Doctor August Bier of Germany, the discover and advocate of the irritation theory of disease and its cure. In speaking of Hahnemann he says that, “he condemns large doses of medicine since they readily produce aggravations. The doses should be so small that the primary action (the aggravations of the symptoms, or as we now all it, the reaction) is minimum or absent”.
It took us many years in our work with irritants to appreciate that fact. We learned to be cautions after several cases of chronic and sub-acute arthritis suffered a terrific aggravation due to large doses given in other quarters, which in short time made hopeless cripples out of previously fairly ambulatory patients. While we used according to my judgment fairly small doses we still shared the prevailing opinion that it was essential for our therapeutic measures to produce at least considerable local (threshold reaction) or even general reactions.
After considerable experience with a very large series of cases, A.Zimmer pointed our definitely that our doses had still been very much too large; more and more he adopted a method which approached Hahnemanns laws very closely to say the least.
“Hahnemann warns against the giving of even smaller doses too often or for too long a period; such procedure is just as injurious as too large a single dose.
We noted the same when injecting irritants, it may lead to the severest destruction designated by Schittenhelm as body protein cachexia. No doubt the irritant therapy as advocated by us, is a form of homoeopathy in the original sense of Hahnemann. It is interesting to note that it was not homoeopathy which led to our theory about irritants, but reversely the irritants led us on to homoeopathy, hence no one can accuse us of prejudice.
This is a small quotation from a masterly paper read before a large congress of physicians.
It will profit any physician of any school or belief of medicine to read it. As is original and ultra scientific and above all entirely free of prejudice.
Most of all many of our faltering brethren in homoeopathy will be wonderfully strengthened in their faith if they can assimilate even a portion of its contents, for verily homoeopathy is being actually rediscovered before our eyes in this splendid thesis, my quotation was made mainly to show that even some old school authority entirely endorses the homoeopathic professions and principles; viz.: that small doses of an irritant or drugs given too frequently or over a long period may produce very disastrous results.
A short while ago in New York City and also in Chicago, clinics for the treatment of coryzas and catarrh with chlorine gas were given, I believe, under the auspices of the City Health Department. In Washington, D.C., this idea originated. I believe the Public Health Services was sponsor for it. It was broadcasted and printed in the newspapers about the wonderful cures that chlorine gas was making and a great public interest was awakened.
But shortly the New York clinics discontinued these treatments as being injurious to the general health of he patients; even though the catarrhal symptoms were mitigated too may damaged hearts resulted and it was discontinued. We heard very little in the newspapers about this damage, and another medical failure was allowed to quietly pass on.
I do not know whether Chicagos Chlorine Clinic is still doing business or not but I believe not; in would be interesting to hear Doctor Bundesens reason for its disuse.
Recent years we have heard about the wonders of radiums therapeutic power especially in cancer, but the recent investigations among the workers in radium, teach us another story-a horrifying, appalling tragedy.
Those once radiumized, never really recover even from the lightest imaginable doses. Medical science as exemplified by the dominant school knows no antidote or relief for these victims. Ant its vaunted curative qualities are among the most dismal disappointments that ever afflicted the medical profession.
These things are cited to show how easy even so-called experts and recognized medical authority may be deluded and mistaken just as well as we ordinary mortals. And too many times because of a deep unbending prejudice of mind they confirm themselves in error and lead both themselves and their victims to destruction. We are not here to impugn motives or doubt the sincerity of many of the advocates of this theory of water chlorination, but we do challenge their judgment in this matter because they are too prejudiced to inform themselves from every angle.
This subject is one fraught with so much importance and fate to so many individuals present and to come, that we feel it our duty to try, even in a humble way, to awaken public sentiment to a state of enlightenment that will bring about free discussion from various angles together with careful and proper investigation to ascertain the truth of this stupendous problem.
Stupendous, because the lives and health of millions are involved. In our midst today there is already a steady increase of chronic intestinal troubles including cancer and heart disease without any other cause except the constant irritation of chlorinated water.
Our pneumonias are assuming a more virulent form than formerly. Common colds are much more difficult to cure. Chlorine may not be the sole factor but it is chief offender both before and after the infecting organism.
Before infection body resistance is lowered by it and after infection additional toxemia is added to overwhelm the economy and prevent vital reaction toward recovery.
Friends, we appeal to all of you in the name of suffering humanity and as a preventive of untold suffering to rouse yourselves and your neighbors to the dangers of the scourge born of ignorance and perpetuated and nourished in prejudice.
If you value your health or that of your dear ones you must enlighten yourselves and others and organize and sweep this threatened menace from the earth for all time.
The question might come up, what protection do we have if chlorination of water is suspended? Simply boil your drinking water! Doctor Bundesen in his bulletins, advises that to be done frequently.
Chlorination of water has been credited with a marked decrease in typhoid infections. But it is entirely due to better drainage and sewer systems which with simply boiling the water, makes us safer than at present and incomparably less in danger from the point of poisoning.
In his book The Collected Works of Arthur Hill Grimmer, Grimmer spoke out against the fluoridation of water and vaccinations. Grimmer wrote prodigeously, Gnaphalium, Homeopathic Prophylaxis and Homeopathic Medicine and Cancer: The Philosophy and Clinical Experiences of Dr. A.H. Grimmer, M.D.