Non-Conventional Medical Treatment

How Three Canadians Got an Education about Medicine

DR SINGH CLINIC PHOTO

This analysis is about the non-conventional treatment protocols followed by people including doctors. The information shared hereby is valid, to the best of my knowledge, based on my research on their work.

Traditional and alternative medicines have been at loggerheads with each other since time immemorial. Time and again we come across cases in which “Western Medicine” repudiated non-conventional approaches of treatment of diseases; and, announced natural medicine as “moronic” at times. But that doesn’t stop strong willed people to pursue what they want to. And such people are declared heretics by some and messiah by others. This is only a matter of perspective.

One of the earliest examples is that of an ophthalmologist, Dr. W.H. Bates. he propagated his own theory, known as ‘Bates Method’, that vision can be corrected without using eyeglasses. He propositioned that the eye muscles, under stress, lose their ability to adjust according to the object of vision. So, according to him, if we relax these stressed muscles, the vision will return. Hence, no use of glasses. However, this theory did not go down very well with the practising eye-specialists. They believed that his treatment did more harm than good. This was because patients who believed in bates’ treatment did not undergo medical supervision even for emergency situations such as glaucoma. Consequently, his practices of palming, sunning, eye exercises and visualization of images were discarded by other doctors. Even though he had achieved success in treating some cases, the western medicine didn’t recognize them. However, some modernists, even today, claim that the Bates Method is effective in treating vision. Greg Marsh, a natural vision coach, for e.g., treated himself using Bates Method. He has even created a program called  ‘Reclaim  your  eyesight  naturally’  to provide training to lay people to benefit from it.

One of the modern-day examples is that of Rob Matthies, who the City of North Vancouver awarded, for his inventions. He has been in the limelight of controversies ever since he claimed to cure himself of chronic Lyme in a record time of 53 days. In fact, Lyme literate doctors, such as Dr. Ernie Murakami from B.C, was forced to retire early from the university where he lectured as a professor. He had been a general practitioner for decades and taught. He treated many patients suffering from Lyme disease by non-conventional methods and thus has been the target of the medical fraternity of B.C. Murakami was using antimicrobial drugs for longer durations than what the protocol says for chronic Lyme disease. This has led to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. to investigate him. They created so much pressure on him that he had to retire from the college. Also, his patients who were undergoing treatment had to be sent to the U.S.A. for better management of the disease. Needless to say, patients are heartbroken over his forced retirement. Dr. Murakami, however, says that he will always be there for them. He has ventured out to unite the doctors for the advancement of the patients. He says that, in times of crisis, people united for a common cause and this is going

to happen again in future.

Another case that draws attention is that of Dr. Jozeph Krop. His practice of alternative medicine to treat Lyme patients had him persecuted. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario held him guilty of sub-standard practice, irrelevant tests on patients and misdiagnosis of diseases. The irony here is that his patients were not the ones to complain. In fact, patient testimonials claim that he saved them from dying. His reputation among his patients and his successes eventually led him to be a free man. The College was not even able to cancel his license to practice. But it has not alleviated the mental harassment caused by these unjust accusations. Dr.Krop has vowed to raise his voice against the unfair attitude of the College against the doctors who practice complementary medicine. Matthies was working as a researcher-paralegal at the pro-consumer law firm when he encountered some of Krop's patients who had low immune cells in their body owing to mishandling of carpet glues in CBC buildings. During this stressful period, Matthies assisted and supported Krop in

small ways.

Since then Matthies has been researching about doctors who are ready to take alternate routes to treat diseases which were considered untreatable by western medicine. His DIY cure for Lyme was inspired by many others who were in search of alternate cure. Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez of New York City has been treating pancreatic cancer patients using dietary modifications and supplements and prolonging their life but other cancer specialists fail to recognize his genius.

Doctors have allegedly become so professional in their approach towards a patient that they care about the health of their patients later; and, their own finances, first. Here is the story from a doctor himself. And here is the one which forbids you from visiting a doctor for regular health check-ups since it can do you more harm than good. Home remedies are often discarded by modern-medicine advocates, even though the remedies have proven themselves time and time again. Here is one such good read on a natural cure.

Its high time we became smart consumers and have the confidence to question everything, even the methods of modern medicine. The goal of a doctor is to cure the patient. Whether it is by traditional methods, or alternative, or a combination of both, this judgment has to be best left to each healthcare professional, based on what's best for the patient.

Dr. Shruti Singh

Bachelor of Dental Surgery

CCS University, Meerut, INDIA. Graduated 2014