Group III. Asthma

I have put a considerable number of cases on a purin-free diet, with the almost constant result of a temporary - sometimes prolonged - improvement, and after a few months a more or less severe relapse. All of the cases manifested a distinct and decided improvement for a few weeks or months after the adoption of the diet, but, with one exception, after a time - in one case as long as two years - they began to lose strength and weight, develop anaemia or rheumatism, or some other ailment indicating a lowered vitality. The exception was a young lady aged twenty, who had suffered from asthma for many years, and who for eighteen months after adopting a purin-free diet had complete freedom. Then the attacks recurred, although less frequently, and, thinking she could be no worse, she added a little animal food to her dietary. This, however, made the attacks much worse, and she is now again on a purin-free diet with comparative freedom from asthma. It is quite possible that the youth of the lady is in her favour, and for this reason she may find salvation in a purin-free diet.

It will thus be seen that my experience of the purin-free diet in asthma is very similar to that in epilepsy, and that an initial improvement was almost invariably obtained, but after a fairly definite period a recrudescence took place. I can hardly resist the conclusion that the explanation of the improvement from the diet is somewhat on a par with that due to a change of climate, and probably both are brought about by metabolic stimulation. When the metabolism flags, toxic products reappear and lead to a return of the malady. The cause of asthma is probably varied, but is closely bound up with the pneumogastric nerve, and it is hardly to be wondered that change of air and change of diet should both bring about temporary amelioration of the condition.

Group IV. Neurasthenia. - I have notes of two cases of this condition. In one, although the diet evidently suited her admirably, her neurasthenic condition was no whit better after eighteen months, whilst the other, and a third case that was reported to me, broke down at the end of nine months, and both were compelled to indulge in the luxury of a rest-cure before a return to health was assured.

Group V. Variable. - Of isolated cases the most remarkable are the following: -

1. A young lady who for nine months had attacks of cyclic haematemesis. Every fifteen or sixteen days a violent vomiting of venous blood occurred, upon which no amount of medication or attention to the laws laid down by three eminent physicians made the slightest impression. As a last resource I persuaded her to try the purin-free diet, the result being a brilliant cure. At the end of a year, however, she was thinner, weaker, anaemic, and tired of life, and had the greatest difficulty in compelling herself to eat anything at all. The addition of 6 or 7 ounces of animal food to her diet soon caused an improvement in her health, but with increased appetite and indulgence the attacks returned, with less frequency. She is now quite well so long as she adheres to the smallest possible amount of a mixed diet.

2. A lady who suffered from some peculiar form of ulcerative skin disease from childhood. All sorts of medical and spa treatments were tried without effect, and when she started the purin-free diet she had a large number of active ulcerative patches, besides being covered with the scars of old ones. In five months after adopting the diet she was quite free from active disease of the skin, and only regretted that there was no chance of eradicating the scars. At the end of twenty-two months - that is, seventeen months of freedom - another ulcerative patch appeared, and since then a good many more have broken out. She, however, adheres to the diet, because she has come to like it.

3. A lady, aged thirty-two, who had muscular pains and slight swellings in the joints occasionally. At the end of eighteen months on the diet she could report little betterment as to these discomforts, but had lost weight, become anaemic, and was quite tired of life. Nine weeks after adding a moderate amount of animal food she had recovered her usual strength and weight.

Two patients whilst on the diet developed glycosuria, which soon disappeared on cutting down the starchy food.

Another case is remarkable, not only from the fact that he is one of the few who have persevered in the diet, but also because, on a diet of uncooked fruits and nuts, he has rid himself of the most annoying indigestion, phobias, and irritable weakness, despite the concomitant of inveterate constipation, which is quite a common feature amongst vegetarians. When three or four years had elapsed, however, this gentleman had a breakdown in health, but after undergoing a rest-cure on a vegetarian diet with plenty of milk, he attained a condition of vigour to which he had been a stranger for many years.