Calling of an Angl: Rene Caisse and Essiac Tea--11by Dr. Gary L. Glum
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CHAPTER ELEVENWhen I first learned of Rene Caisse's work with Dr. Charles Brusch three decades ago, I thought it would be too good to be true that I might be able to locate him and persuade him to talk with a stranger about his use of a cancer remedy that was not accepted by the American Medical Association-and that might make him a source of controversy. How wrong I was. The Brusch Medical Center is still in operation and still one of the largest medical clinics in Massachusetts. It has a staff of about 40, most of them specialists, and Dr. Brusch-now in his late 70s-is still involved on a part-time basis. Dr. Brusch took my first long-distance phone call. When he was actually on the other end of the line and I began to explain who I was and what I wanted to ask him about, I was expecting the same kind of guarded-even fearful-response that Ralph Daigh and Paul Murphy had gotten from the three doctors in Bracebridge. But the moment I mentioned Rene Caisse, Dr. Brusch reacted with enthusiasm. It was as if I'd said the magic word. He was thrilled that after all these years someone was finally going to tell her story-and present to the public the available information about Essiac. In my first phone call to him, we talked for an hour and a half. He was happy to reminisce about Rene Caisse. "She was just a young women when she started and she died at 90," he said. "That three-story clinic of hers was jammed. In this little town , she picked up 55,000 signatures. People raised such a fuss that they had to give her permission to treat cancer." I asked what she was like as a person. "She was a kind, gentle, stocky woman," he said. "She was remarkable, a real saint." When she arrived in Cambridge, he said, she was still relying primarily on intramuscular injections of Essiac in her treatment. But he worked with her to refine the formula so that the injections would no longer be necessary. They could rely on the oral treatment, merely drinking the tea. "We worked it out," Dr. Brusch said, "and found out that there was too much by injection. You couldn't give it as often as you should, so we changed it over to sticking mostly with the liquid form." I couldn't believe how outspoken he was on the subject of Essiac. At one point, he said to me without any hesitation in his voice: "I know Essiac has curing potential. It can lessen the condition of the individual, control it, and it can cure it." As far as Dr. Brusch is concerned, after being involved with Essiac since 1959, that is a well-established matter of fact. That the cancer establishment has ignored Essiac and still does not include it on their list of accepted cancer treatments doesn't change that fact one bit for Dr. Brusch. I asked him about the tests on mice conducted by Sloan-Kettering in 1959. He remembered them, quoting from their memo that he had received: "Enclosed are test data in two experiments indicating some regressions in 180 sarcoma of mice treated with Essiac. With these results, we will wish to test enough more that I should ask if you can send more material." But Sloan-Kettering, Dr. Brusch said, wanted the formula as part of the deal. "They said to her, `You'd better send us more material and the formula:" I asked Dr. Brusch: Why, after all these years and all these cases, have the governments and pharmaceutical corporations and cancer research institutions failed to give Essiac the serious research-and application-it so obviously deserves? Dr. Brusch was reluctant to draw conclusions. It was the one moment in our 90-minute talk when he hesitated, when I got the feeling that he was holding back. I could tell Dr. Brusch was wrestling with himself as he spoke, his cryptic remarks an attempt to communicate without really saying what he believed. But even with his best attempt to be polite and avoid criticizing anyone, here is what Dr. Brusch had to say: "The trouble is....all these centers that have gotten a tremendous amount of grants and done tremendous amounts of work, you don't seem to see much difference....These other companies, I can't understand.... Sloan-Kettering, they tell you there's a recession in the growth of the carcinoma and keep wanting medicine, well, there's some merit to it. "You've got to wonder. Is it for mercenary acts? A lot of reports have been written about cancer and all and always a hope of getting close to it, but....we don't get anywhere. "The medications you can buy now-well, the action of that medication, a lot of it, isn't good....But they're making a great penny on it. Why should they go ahead and-I don't know It surprises me....But now-I don't know A lot of people are getting large sums." But as soon as the conversation returned to the blessing of Essiac, Dr. Brusch's enthusiasm and openness returned. "I know the stuff works," he said to me. "It's very inexpensive. You can get a gallon of the stuff for about $40, transportation and all. Just try and get radiation and chemotherapy-and see what it'll cost you. "And it (Essiac) works! If it doesn't cure them, it will help them. There are no side effects. They're just herbs. There's no addition of preservatives or anything at all. You can continue using your other medications-heart, blood pressure, anything you want. There doesn't seem to be any reaction at all. "If they (the patients) can go 11 or 12 years when they're told they're going to get two years, and the lymphs clear up and they do fine and gain weight-why don't they give it a try? "Rene's the one who carried the tradition over from the Indians to us, and it's worked better than all the (other) traditions that have been handed over. It helps. It helps." Dr. Brusch encouraged me to continue my research and said that whenever I could get to Boston, he would be happy to meet with me and share some of the case histories of people he has treated with Essiac over the years. There were a few, in particular, that he was proud of and who had given him permission to discuss their cases publicly. They, too, wanted to do what they could to help by waiving the confidentiality of their medical records. Then he mentioned that he included himself in that group. In 1973, Dr. Brusch said, he had had cancer. He had three operations. "I had the Essiac," he said, "and so I was able to take it and I'm still taking it now And I had a test done a few months ago, and I've been negative." He said he was convinced that Essiac had played an important role in keeping him free of cancer. Not long after our phone conversation, I called Dr. Brusch and asked if this would be a good time for me to see him in Cambridge. He said yes, and invited me to spend a Saturday afternoon with him at his home. He would have his files ready for me. I think he was as excited about the opportunity to tell his story as I was about the opportunity to hear it. On a lovely New England autumn day, I drove along the Charles River, then through Harvard Square, which was bustling with activity, as always, and past the colonial homes with their rich history. A plaque in front of one identified it as the home of the poet Longfellow A few blocks away, on a quiet, tree-lined street of two-story houses that date from the l9th century was Dr. Brusch's home of the last many years. Dr. Brusch and his wife, Jane, greeted me at the front door. They're a handsome couple. Jane is probably in her 40s, a warm and gracious woman. Dr. Brusch is distinguished looking, with a full head of gray hair, a warm smile and an alert twinkle in his eyes. On a Saturday afternoon he was wearing a well-tailored dark suit and tie. I smiled at that. I was charmed that the doctor would dress formally to greet someone who'd just arrived from southern California. But the formality was only in his clothes. I was quickly made to feel at home, a welcome guest. Dr. Brusch gave me a tour of his home and told me a bit of its history. Hanging on the wall in a hallway was a photograph of Jack and Jackie Kennedy with Dr. Brusch. The dining room table was covered with files and papers that Dr. Brusch had collected from the Medical Center to go over with me. We sat at the table and Dr. Brusch told me a bit of his own history as a doctor. As a practicing MD for more than 50 years, he had long been interested in nature's ways of healing the ill. Many years ago, as a supplement to standard medical techniques, Dr. Brusch had studied the curative powers of sea kelp and various herbs. He had also studied the value of nutrition in preventing and treating illness. So he was not inherently hostile in 1959 when he first heard about Rene Caisse's cancer treatment that was based on an herbal formula. After seeing the results on the patients she treated, he knew that Essiac had value. No question about it. After Rene returned to Bracebridge, Dr. Brusch continued to receive Essiac from her and give it to patients who had no other hope. He found that Essiac worked better on people who hadri t had radiation treatments. It did work on people who'd had radiation. Not as fast and not as well-but it helped. Then we got into the specific case histories. Knowing that many in the medical establishment-of which Dr. Brusch himself is a respected member-scoff at personal testimonials, no matter how impassioned, and accounts of cures that can be dismissed as anecdotal, Dr. Brusch made it an important point that he wanted to read some of his own carefully documented cases into the record. He had with him the medical papers-the lab reports and such-that supported every statement he made. There were two cases in particular that he regarded as difficult, if not impossible, to deny. The first was the 1975 case of a man named Patrick "Sonny" McGrail-who had been mentioned in the Homemaker's article in 1977. Dr. Brusch had known him for years. "One day he called me up," Dr. Brusch said, "and he told me, `I've got something wrong with my stomach: I said, `Well, come on over, Sonny.' I found out he had a swelling and a lump in the lower part of the esophagus. I said, `Sonny, you're going to have to have a little surgical treatment here."' McGrail was operated on at New England Baptist Hospital. The surgeon told Dr. Brusch that the diagnosis was esophageal cancer. After the operation, McGrail was given radiation treatments. Reading from his case file, Dr. Brusch said that McGrail's weight dropped to 109 pounds. "He called me up and said, `Will you please see me? I'm going to die. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I'm losing weight. I've got severe pain. I'll be dead in two years."' Dr. Brusch told him to come on over. "I had the material all there, the Essiac, the powder and liquid we used to make it up. I kept giving him that, and I loaded him up with the vitamins and nutrition. He improved right along, went up to 125 pounds." Years later, McGrail's surgeon wrote in his hospital report: "Mr. McGrail is doing well and essentially asymptomatic and looks better than he has over the past couple of years. He saw Dr. Brusch one week ago and everything was fine with his checkup. On examination, head and neck are negative. Lumps are nice and clear. Heart sounds are fine. Abdominal examination is unremarkable.. . We are delighted with his progress." On February 15, 1979, Patrick McGrail wrote to Dr. Brusch: "This is a note to let you know what Essiac has done for me. I was operated on on February 2nd, 1975, for esophageal cancer. After about hve weeks my doctor that operated on me put me on radium treatments. I had 11 treatments in 11 days and I lost 12 1/2 pounds. I kept losing weight after that from 156 to 109. Lost my appetite, could not sleep and was very weak. "Dr. Brusch gave me a bottle of Essiac to see what it would do for me. I was just using it one week when I started to improve and put on weight. I went from 109 to 130 pounds in six months, and the pain eased. That will be two years ago, February l9th. "I used to take one ounce of it every night before going to bed. Last November the doctor could not get it, so when I stopped taking it, I started losing weight again. No energy If Dr. Brusch did not give it to me, I would not be alive today. I do hope that it will soon be available for cancer patients." That note had been written eight years earlier. I asked Dr. Brusch what happened to Patrick McGrail after that. Dr. Brusch pulled out a letter McGrail had written to him just a few months earlier, on May 11, 1987: "I am still being treated by Dr. Brusch for my cancer of 11 years and am doing good. When I was operated on, they said I would not live two years. The Essiac worked wonders." I asked Dr. Brusch for his own personal comments about the McGrail case. He said simply: "It was the Essiac that does the trick. That's one case." The second case was much more recent-and even more dramatic. This one involved a man named Ross Nimchick. Along with Nimchick's case file-which contained all the supporting medical records-Dr. Brusch had a written account from Nimchick detailing every step of the way in his own words: "June 15, 1986. I, Ross Nimchick, came down with a cold and loss of voice. My glands were swollen and I noticed a lump near my left collarbone and in the groin area.
"June 23rd: Appointment with Dr. Clinton. He examined the lump and gave me
a prescription and had me go for blood tests. "June 25th: Blood tests
taken at Holyoke Hospital. "July 7th: Dr. Clinton recommends a biopsy "July 2lst: Biopsy completed at Holyoke Hospital. "July 30th: I called Dr. Clinton's office for the biopsy report. Dr. Akers told me I had malignant lymphoma and to contact Dr. Ross. "July 30th: Stitches taken out from biopsy operation. "August 6th, `86: Dr. Ross examined me in her office. She measured the nodes, took my height, weight, and had me go for more blood tests. Dr. Ross said I was in the third to fourth stage of lymphoma.
"August 8th: Bone marrow test done in Dr. Ross' office. "August l8th: CAT
scan done at Holyoke Hospital. "August 28th: I discuss my condition with Dr. Brusch and we go over the vitamins and Mr. Croft's daily food intake program. "September 3rd: I begin to take my vitamins and start on the food program. "September l2th: I begin to take Essiac. Two ounces mixed in two ounces of warm water. All water I am drinking is purified by reverse osmosis. "October 2nd,`86: Dr. Ross examines me and she has a blood test done. I no longer notice any sweating and I feel stronger. I am still on my vitamins, food diet and Essiac. "December 2nd: Dr. Ross examines me and I have blood tests completed. No treatment needed, although white blood count up to 25. l. Dr. Ross wants me to come in for blood tests January 3. "End of December,`86: I caught a cold and felt weak. I have increased my vitamin C. The nodes under my armpits have grown slightly and the nodes near my groin have remained the same. "January 3rd,`87: Went in for blood tests but no exam by Dr. Ross. Dr. Ross informs me over the phone that my white blood count has increased and that next time she may have to start me on medication. I have discontinued my diet and begun to eat pineapple, take vitamin B-6 and I increased my intake of broccoli. "February 3rd,`87: Dr. Ross examines me and has blood tests done. I have gained two pounds. White blood count has dropped slightly. I have noticed my nodes have decreased in all areas. I have decreased my vitamin C to one gram, my vitamin B-6 to 100 milligrams per day. During February, I noticed my nodes going down about 50% . I feel in good health and I am no longer tired. "March 2nd,`87: Dr. Ross examines me and has a blood test taken. White blood and red blood count are normal. Dr. Ross said they must have made a mistake and ordered another blood test taken. Same result. Nodes under my left armpit are no longer there. Nodes under my right armpit have gone down 95 % . Nodes on both my groins have decreased in size by about 95%. My neck has only one node left, and that is also decreased by about 95%. I feel in excellent health. I am continuing with my vitamins and two ounces of Essiac and two ounces of warm water." Nimchick's statements are verified by the official hospital records in Dr. Brusch's file. Then Dr. Brusch read a letter he'd received from Nimchick, dated May 30, 1987: "I just wanted to send you a brief note to say I am feeling great. I am continuing my vitamins, food program and two ounces of Essiac daily. As I look back to last fall of `86, I remember how tired and weak I used to feel. But today I am strong, full of energy and back to my old self prior to having lymphoma. "I have enclosed a picture taken last December, which shows lumps under my chin. This is the only picture of myself. I have also enclosed my latest report from my blood test of April 27th. My next test is June 22nd,`87, which I will forward to you upon completion. "In closing, Dr. Brusch, your program with Essiac has returned me to 100% health with no further lymph nodes and a normal life again. I look forward to talking to you soon after my next report. Sincerely, Ross Nimchick." With cases like that in his files after almost 30 years of personal experience with Essiac, Dr. Brusch is frustrated and unhappy at the lack of attention it has received from medical authorities. But he has no plans to give up his public praise of Essiac.
Why? Because he's convinced that Essiac has too much value to humanity to
allow it to disappear. "I don't say it cures everything," Dr. Brusch told
me. "But it's the only thing I know so far that can do the work as well as
this. That's why I feel so good about this stuff. I know: The stuff
works!" The day after my meeting with Dr. Brusch, I left to visit Bracebridge again. Mary wanted to introduce me to some of the people in town who had known Rene and had their own personal experiences with Essiac. I'll always be grateful for what those good and generous people in Bracebridge shared with me on that trip. Introduction I 1 I 2 I 3 I 4I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I 11 I 12 I 13 I 14 All of the events and characters depicted in this book are non-fictional
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