    
Dr. Ingrid Naiman (Ingrid)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2000 - 01:31 pm: | |
Marg asked about the strength of preparation to use midway in the process.
There is no simple answer to this question.
If one starts with a full strength bloodroot salve (30-60% zinc chloride), the odds are that no escharotic at all would be needed by the fourth day. If one were used, it would probably be in tiny amounts after the eschar detaches. This would be indicated if there is evidence of remaining malignancy once site inspection is possible.
If, however, one started with a Pattison methodology (goldenseal), the strength of the salve would be increased each day, almost in homeopathic measure. However, the site would gradually be less sensitive so numbing would offset much of the pain associated with the more prevalent bloodroot approach.
In a modified Pattison technique, a little bloodroot paste and/or zinc chloride is added to the enucleating ointment to give a jump start. The advantage of this method is that patients who are psyched up to persevere in the process are dealt a heavy blow in the beginning which moves the process along; but when the next application is used, it is milder so compliance tends to improve. More importantly, the method becomes more precise once the shift is made to goldenseal.
I do want to emphasize that in my experience, the decision to switch to goldenseal has to made very early in the process. If a patient starts with bloodroot and then aborts the process because of pain, it is almost impossible to initiate a satisfactory goldenseal treatment. Moreover, I would say that the same might be true where other methods have been used that entail scarring.
For instance, patients who have used Iscador repeatedly over many months or years usually have scarring and escharotic treatment is less effective if not ineffective in these situations.
Others have used Issels or Govallo vaccines, administered directly into the malignant area. It is possible that repeated injections in the same general region add to the scarring, but it is also possible that these treatments produce reactions with the malignancy similar to that initiated by bloodroot and that scarring is a consequence of the reaction and/or calcification of the material that cannot escape? |