Corrosive Cancer Salves (Escharotics) Stephen Barrett, M.D. Many salves, pastes, poultices, and plasters have been applied directly to tumors with the hope of burning them away. Zinc oxide, bloodroot, and several other herbs are common ingredients. Some marketers claim that corrosive agents can "draw out" the cancer. In recent years, scientists have found chemicals that can destroy certain superficial skin cancers. Except for these, however, corrosive agents are worthless against cancer. Corrosive salves are often referred to as "escharotics" because they produce a thick, dry scab called an "eschar" on the skin. Their use to treat cancer dates back hundreds of years, perhaps even to ancient times. Their use was fairly common during the 18th and 19th centuries. If a tumor is confined to the superficial layers of the skin, it would be possible to burn it off with a corrosive salve or paste. Unfortunately, products capable of accomplishing this can also burn the surrounding normal tissue and result in unnecessary scarring. For superficial cancers ­ for which the cure rate with standard treatment is nearly 100% -- it makes much more sense to use standard methods that can destroy the cancer with little or no damage to the nearby tissues. The idea that products applied to the skin "draw out" the cancer" beneath them is preposterous. Furthermore, even if a product could do this, it could not influence cancers that have spread (metastasized) to distant regions of the body. The cancer salves marketed to the public are not regulated by government agencies in the United States and Canada. Thus it may not even be possible to know what is in them. People who use such products without benefit of medical consultation run additional risks. Untrained individuals may incorrectly conclude that a growth is cancerous when it is not. In addition, skin cancers that can spread should be medically investigated to see whether they have done so, and some of these require extensive treatment even though they might not look dangerous to the naked eye. The danger of using "black salves" is illustrated by the experience of Ruth Conrad, an Idaho woman who consulted one of the state's many unlicensed naturopaths in 1984. While seeking treatment for a sore shoulder, she also complained of a bump on her nose. The naturopath stated that it was cancer and gave her a black herbal salve to apply directly. Within a few days, her face became very painful and she developed red streaks that ran down her cheeks. Her anxious phone call to the naturopath brought the explanation that the presence of the lines was a good sign because they "resemble a crab, and cancer is a crab." He also advised her to apply more of the black salve. Within a week, a large part of her face, including her nose, sloughed off. It took 3 years and 17 plastic surgery operations to reconstruct her face. During a deposition, the naturopath stated that he had obtained the salve from a woman in Mexico and that he didn't know who had manufactured it. The picture shows the extent of the injured area. Herbs are wonderful if used correctly.i don't recall zinc chloride as being an herb,but thats besides the point.Teepi you elegant as usual.Thanks.
I'm a bit of a herbalist so I love topics about herbs. I don't believe the story about the womans nose. It's too far fetched.
1st it says the manufacturer was unknown which makes that particuler argument weak.There could have been lye or anything else in the that mixture.Though i believe the story i don't believe it was done with a "reputable" salve.However these salves do contain zinc oxide as a key ingrediant which is not an herb.
Seems this guy was a bit far-fetched...cancer is not a crab. The zodiac sign for cancer is a crab because of the constellation resembling a crab. If I were to go to an herbalist I would have to check them out extensively. I do use some herbs on a regular basis. But I did extensive research on them before starting a regime. Any Doctor I would go to I would also check out and make an appointment to interview them before ever submitting myself to their scrutiny. There are a few questions I would ask of each . There are weirdo's and crack-pots in every profession and job field. As far as the article that Gate posted goes, of course there are arguments to every side of every thing. It is up to us as consumers to gather all the info we can and make an informed decision. There are things I agree with atomatically because of knowledge I already possess or because of "gut" intuition, because of my spirit. There are things that I find hard to believe and I have to go look them up and find out for myself whether I believe it or not. Nothing surprises me though. And one thing I know for sure....I will never know everything. But I keep an open mind, there are discoveries everyday, and nothing is impossible. I have had miracles in my life. Love to all of you, teepi
With the use of herbs and gettting them where they need to go, Herbalist use what we call carriers. They carry the herb where it needs to go, or holds it in place to do it's job. In Homopathic herbs, they usualy are mix with Vodka, as it is pure and does not interfere with the properties of the herb and works as a preservitive. There are also some vitamins that mix, like Clacium and Vitamin D. The D carries calcium where it is needed in the body. Zinc Oxide is used in black salave as a corrosive to eat through the skin and make it possible for the cancers to be pulled to the surface and eventualy slough off and heal over. Lye is harmless to the skin. I use it to make soap with. And Lye has been used in soap making since soap came to be. When you go to a Nutrapath for healing you should always check them out just as you would anyother doctor's quailifacation. As for the lady and her nose, That was her doing. She did not do her Homework on Black salve befor she used it on her face. If it is true at all. I have seen ones use black on their scalps to rid skin cancers. They did leave small holes where the cancers were, but the healed over with only a slight scar. This lady however looks to me like she spread it all over her face. You only use a dap, sometimes a pinhead will do the job. And I would also like to say that one thing does not work for every body as we are different in chemistry make up. Enviroment, location, jobs and what foods we eat are all a factor. When a client comes to me for help I do Iridology on them, when I find a weakness in their system I Muscle Test them for which Herb,Oil or method will work for that person. I also give them a computer print out of each herb and what it does. I muscle test them for the herbs, the amount and for how long the program will last. When the program is done I do Iridology on them and muscle test them again, to see if there needs to be any changes in the program. If there are any changes I adjust the herbs as muscle test for the amount and add or take away what is needed or not needed any more. I use Books, Charts, Cameras and at times I test saliva and urine for PH. I use a computer program to run the numbers through and the program sends out a full body chemistry and vitamin levels in the body and what is lacking to keep the body in ultimate balance. A little on my trainning. For 25 years I stuided Herbs. I did my own research and I tested them on myself. My first inspiration was Edgar Cayce. I belive I was 17 when I started stuiding Cayce's methods. In 75 I became interested in Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet because my daughter was born with CF a lung and dijestive disorder. I later came across a book called Handbook of Unusualy and Unorthodox Healing Methods by J,V, Cerney. In 82 I took my daughter to Boulder Coloardo to see Hannah Kroger at her sanatorium. I worked with Hannah for three months on my daughter and got her on some of Hannahs Remodies. Amy improved. I became interested in Nutrition and went to Fullerton JC and got certifed in Nutrition. I rambled around the USA going to this healer and that, learning as I went. In 1990 I hooked up with Ruby at the house of sunshine in tyler tx. Ruby is an Indain woman that became an Iridologest and later became a Nutrapath. I stuided under Ruby and her staff for several years and did so well that Ruby asked me to come work with her at the clinic. I was Ruby's assitant, I was truely Blessed. After a few years I went out on my own and opened an Iridology clinic and herb shop in my area. I did well, then my daughter's disease got bad and I had to go homebase where I could take care of her and her babies. I lost Amy in 2000 but I contenued to do healing work over the internet. The reason I'm sharing this with you is to clairfy that I have been trained and I do know about what I speak. I don't throw up URLs because I don't get my imformation over the internet. Altho there is tons of info on the net about herbs and healing I get my info first hand from the healers themselves. Missy Teepi is love incarnate and I apperciate her right down to her toes. She has experienced both sides of healing and trys to keep the peace. Bless her heat. As I am growing into my cronehood I feel time is short and my patients grow weary. I don't mean to come off as a know it all or coldhearted. I just don't have a lot of time to argue and it makes me feel like I am on the defencive 24/7. I have not come here to debate the subject or the pros and cons of natural healing. I am just here for the ones that need some direction on what to use for their dis-ease. I do not diagnose or prescribe I mearly suggest a natural substance to help bring nutritional balance to the body. I am Certified/Quailified to do what I do. I do promote herbs because they are safer then drugs in MHO. I have never harmed anyone with what I suggested for them to use. They still come back.. I feel this thread was aimed at me and that is why I am addressing my intentions here. I closed the Cancer Pulling Thread because it had turned from something beautiful into a battlefield. This drains my energies and keeps me from my work. Even tho I may not LIKE LIKE LIKE what is being said to or about me, I still LOVE LOVE LOVE the bro or sis that says it to me. In closing I would like to add that I am HUMAN and have HUMAN Emotions. I get happy or sad, I can get glad or mad. I cry, I bleed and I feel for other humans, and at times I've had to fight. I don't like to fight, but I will defend myself and my mission. Gate68 has been following me around and disrespecting me for my life experience and my proffession. I don't know why he dogs me so, but that's his choice I suppose. There must be a lesson there somewhere. As Teepi has said, there is good at looking into and questioning, but to constantly persue someone just to harrass is uncalled for and annoying. And it's against the sites rules. So I ask you again Gate68 to leave me in peace as that is how I come, in peace.
I do love the people here. The forums have been a refuge for me and a comfort when Larry was gone all week and I was alone out here in my woods. The people I've met here mean so much. I abhore verbal sparring, and for years I was involved in it. I got out of that relationship and am in a far better place in my head and in my enviroment. I stay out of any heated argument here that does not affect my gut or me personally. Calm Arguing is a good thing. It helps get people out of their stagnation, it gets them thinking, it changes views, it forms new ideas etc, However when it turns personnal, it hurts someone. And it hurts people who may not even seem to be involved. There are thousands of people who view these forums but never type a word. And I have gone to other forums and did not participate because of the in-fighting. I am sad when things get so out of hand that the participants can't find their way back to the original point because the heat has been turned up so high and tempers have reared their whacky little heads. Everyone has opinions and everyone deserves to be heard. But when it digresses into meaness....its mean. And that is one thing that I can't understand, life is hard enough without meaness being thrown into the mix. This is not directed at anyone in particular, as I am not involved in that part of it, but I know how points can be turned into personnals, it happens in any group, but when it does, we just really need to repect that we just all don't think alike and we all have different vantage points when approaching a situation. As far as the woman who lost her nose....I know that treatments also do not affect people the same, and as Mary said, there are other factors that have to be considered. I have gone to doctors who asked me about symptoms, reached for their script pad and started writing...without asking me anything about the way I live, what I eat, what stress factors I deal with, what other meds I'm on, etc. Thus as I said I would interview anyone before they ever laid a hand on me. There are other testimonials all over about people who have used cancer salves with great sucess. As I said also...we have to do our homework before putting our trust into anything that will affect us in such a big way. There are also people who have beaten Cancer in a more convetional way...ie: chemo, radiation therapy, drugs, etc. Soooo....it all comes down to....who ya gonna call? teepi
This thread was aimed at the use of black salve and other home remidies being used on others instead of tested medical practices in the fight against a life threatening illness nothing more.I don't follow you around.My first argument with you was actually with your son,who i felt was praising violence.You jumped in.This is the second time we've crossed over an issue.Why do you take it so personal.Like i said before this is not about you. peace
As far as the woman who lost her nose....I know that treatments also do not affect people the same, i'm giving in to that one,like i said the salve was from an unknown manufacturer which is a whole different argument.My point was in the first three paragraphs basically saying the stuff might burn off a mole but that was about it.It was worthless internally.I believe what was used on her face wasn't a true "black salve",but a more caustic mix containing who knows what.I said maybe lye.Maybe i should have said lime.In my argument i should have deleted that part for as i suspected it only caused confusion but i didn't want to compromise the article.Love to all.peace
my parents beautiful dog Boydog had a skin cancer on his belly...reasonably common for light skinned bully dogs..anyhow we weren't sure what it was but the vet took a biopsy, well the biopsy triggered it off and kaboom...the cancer grew at an extrodinary rate and he quickly died from it as there was not a lot to be done for him. I am wondering if the same thing might happen to people if you interfered with a skin cancer? I have heard that it might but am wondering if anyone can say yay or nay either way on the matter for sure. Thanks for all the posts by the way guys on this subject...I think it is good that alternative viewpoints are argued out here in public and enjoy reading all of your ideas on the subject.
I am happy to see this toning down. Thanks all. I have never had cancer, I have lost my mother to the disease. If I did have it...not exactly sure what i would do, but I know that I may become desperate at a point and willing to try something totally unconventional in order to save my life and prevent pain. Heck I still can't get over the fact that penicillan comes from MOLD!!! But I think its so cool that it was there for us. Aspirin comes from WILLOW trees????? Oh SO COOL!!! What we need is here for us.....naturally. Its when we fuck with thenatural order that things start getting nutty. Love to all of you, teepi
There is a lot of propaganda against herbs from the pharmaceutical companies, who want to sell high priced medicines. To me, herbs are much more gentle on the body with no side effects. Right now I'm drinking catnip tea with hyssop and I feel so calm and peaceful. It's almost as good as a smoke. Better really, no paranoia. :H
I like to use herbs for numerous things. From fleas on my dog to regulating my moods. Also some of you know exactly what my all-time fave-o-rite herb is.....lol. HOWEVER....there are some that can be toxic if taken by the wrong people and if taken in doses that are too high. Jill, who was having a nice cup of herbal tea that contained hyssop, could be in harms way if she drank too much because hyssop is a convulsive, it also has an abortive property, so pregnant women have to be careful with it. Catnip is cool though..unless you are allergic to it. Ephedra is a common herb used in weight loss...but can be lethal if taken in high doses, or by someone with a heart condition. So it is important to know what you are ingesting. Most herbs to be harmful have to be taken in ridiculous doses so in most cases there is no worry. Heck, even licorice candy can be dangerous to people with hypertension. It increases salt retention and depletes the body of potassium. But that is real licorice..g.glabra. The candy made in the US mostly contains that delicious artificial flavoring...lol
Bruce Lee died from smoking too much herb.It must be true i heard it on Paul Harvey.Yep,"brain cancer",Paul said.Soooo... pass the black salve and gimme another hit.Life goes on.peace
Well I didn't know hyssop was a convulsive teepi, but I only have a teaspoon about once or twice a week. I just had catnip and lemonbalm tea tonight. I drank it in the jacuzzi which had epsom salts and geranium essential oil in it. I feel very relaxed now.
Jill you have inspired me, that last post sounds great ! Teepi I share in your joy of life ! Shameless Heifer thank you for the prayer of great good !
Jill, thats fine sweetie, drink it myself....and the catnip/lemonbalm..mmmmm..mellow city. I grow beebalm and make alot of tea with that. Its just I was making a point that there is enjoying things that are [ut here for us, and then there is over doing it or not being in tune and listening to our bodies. We have to educate ourselves about what is healthy for us and what is healthy in small doses but can be harmful in large quantities or if we suffer from certain conditions. I love licorice...but too much is harmful if you suffer from high blood pressure.... As far as the tea goes, most would have to drink gallons in a short time to suffer any adverse effects....but if you do have a history of health problems...doo some research before ingesting anything out of your norm... Ah....this is my first post here today and I noticed the little number next to my age has gone up a notch.....can't believe its all flown by so fast... Gosh,its been a trip...
Did I miss Tepi's B-Day :-((.. {{{{Happy Birthday Tepi }}}} as late as it may be. Love and Brightest Blessings to you and Larry.
