In the 1940s, a multitude of articles appeared in the American literature detailing a novel treatment for infection. This treatment had a cure rate of 98 to 100% in early and moderately advanced infections, and approximately 50% in terminally moribund patients. Healing was not limited to just bacterial infections, but also viral (acute polio), wounds, asthma, and arthritis. Recent German literature has demonstrated profound improvements in a number of biochemical and hematologic markers. There has never been reported any toxicity, side effects or injury except for occasional Herxheimer type reactions.
As infections are failing to improve with the use of chemical treatment, this safe and effective treatment should be revisited. (Int J Biosocial Med Res., 1996; 14(2): 115-132) |
Ultraviolet (UV) light has been known for decades to have a sterilizing effect and has been used in many different industries for such a purpose. Almost all bacteria may be killed or attenuated by ultraviolet rays, but there is considerable variation in the rapidity of their destruction. Those which live in the body are most easily affected, while those in nature adapt to the action of sunlight and become relatively resistant to irradiation.[1] LTV-sensitive bacteria have not been shown to become resistant and toxins have been found to be very unstable in the presence of UV irradiation (Diphtheria, tetanus, and snake venom are inactivated by ultraviolet rays).[2]
At the turn of the century, Niels Finson was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on UV rays and various skin conditions which showed a success rate of 98% in thousands of cases, mostly lupus vulgaris.[3] Walter Ude reported a series of 100 cases of Erysipelas in the 1920s, claiming a nearly 100% cure rate with UV skin irradiation.[4] Emmett Knott pioneered the irradiation of autologous blood on dogs before treating a moribund woman with postabortion sepsis in 1933, who was thought to be untreatable. With his treatment of blood irradiation, she promptly recovered, resulting in more research and further development of the "Knott" technique.[5] The technique involved removing approximately 1.5cc/pound, citrating it for anticoagulation, and passing it through a radiation chamber. Exposure time per given unit amount (1cc) was approximately 10 seconds, peak wavelength of 253.7nM (ultraviolet C) provided by a mercury quartz burner and immediately re-perfused.[6]
By the early 1940s, UV blood irradiation was being used in several American hospitals. Into the late 1940s, numerous reports were made about the high efficacy for infection and complete safety of UV blood irradiation. With the emergence of antibiotic therapy, the reports suddenly ceased.
In the ensuing years, German literature demonstrated the effectiveness of UV irradiation in vascular conditions. Additionally, more thorough observations of significant improvement in many physiologic processes and parameters have been reported. |