5/16/35 EC's letter to Dr. Hildreth:
"I appreciate your letter of the 8th more than I can tell
you; I appreciate your giving me the background for your
interest in a work of this nature. While the time was short
that I spent with Dr. Still on his visit some years ago in
Kentucky, the most of it was spent in talking over many
things that had happened in the experience of each. Of
course, you can realize that during the thirty-five years
that I have been doing this work I have come in contact with
physicians of almost every school. A great many have shown
interest. More have said taboo. And quite a number have,
after years, come back and said 'We have found it worth
while.' That the information in the readings has more often
and more consistently suggested osteopathy than any other one
character of treatment, of course, is one of the things that
has caused many of the medical profession to question same.
Why it has done this I do not know, but we have quite a
number of osteopaths throughout the country who are very well
acquainted with the results individuals have obtained, even
when applying medicine and other local applications in
connection with osteopathy. Osteopaths seem more open-minded
and willing to cooperate with any school of treatment which
may help the individual. Just as our friend Dr. Frank
Dobbins of New York City said some weeks ago, 'When I have
forty-eight cases that come with the readings, and I follow
the treatments suggested - even though some of them are not
exactly as I have been trained to give them, and I see all
forty-eight patients get the results as 'promised in the
readings, then I have to believe something.' Or as Dr.
Gravett of Dayton, Ohio, said some years ago, 'When I see
seventy-five cases OSTEOPATHICALLY correctly diagnosed
through the readings, I know there's something to it.'
"Dr. Hildreth, I do hope that sometime we may have the
opportunity to each view personally the other's field of
activity. I would indeed deem it a privilege to be able
to go through your institution. And if you are ever this
way again, I do want you to stop in and see the amount of
data we have on hand, and the reports we have had from people
all over the country who have gotten results by carrying out
their readings - most of whom we have never met personally.
"From a recent letter from Dr. [...] (neuropath), I
understand that she has been unable to get her brother to
agree to come to your institution. Evidently he is at a
stage where he is hard to handle, yet not so far gone as to
enable them to feel that they can force him to come. I am
hoping, however, that she will succeed in getting him there,
and that you can thoroughly test on his case the information
which has been given for him through the readings. We have
had quite a number of cases of dementia praecox, but never
one thoroughly tested yet with the treatment suggested
through the readings; because the ones we have had have been
so closely allied with the medical profession that no
cooperation could be obtained in following any other mode of
treatment suggested. In a few cases we have seen people
removed from insane institutions by some sympathetic
physician administering some simple remedy outlined in the
readings, but these have been very few - and have been
scattered through the entire thirty-five years of experience
with this work. So, it is indeed a wonderful thing that
such an institution as yours exists. I'm sure Dr. A. T.
Still was happy, IS happy, to know that such an institution
exists - for the good it has done and may do for suffering
humanity.
"I assure you that I would be very glad to send you any type
data we may have, if you can find the time to read same. Or
if there are any questions arising in your mind as to any
phase of the work I am doing, I would be only too glad to try
and answer them.
"We are putting your name on our mailing list to receive
the little monthly Bulletin, which I hope you will find of
interest."
With kindest personal regards, and hoping to hear from you
again, I am, Sincerely, EC
5/24/35 Letter from Dr. Hildreth to EC:
"Your highly appreciated letter and literature came. I have
read with very much interest all you had to say. The facts
are, Mr. Cayce, I have been raised in an atmosphere similar
to that which you found in Dr. Still and as to belief and
liberality relative to the type of work you are doing my
mother and father were spiritualists for a great many years
before I was born before there was much known about that
phenomenon and they were steadfast in their attitude, even
through all criticism and ridicule heaped upon their belief.
"I am very sure you are doing a splendid work, one that is of
vast benefit to a great many people.
"Note what you say about Dr. Still's joy over the work at
this institution. He always stated when the time came our
profession could own buildings of our own and surround those
people with the right kind of an atmosphere there was a great
number of the mentally sick that could be cured
osteopathically and this institution here was in line with
his thought and his desire and his sons contacted this
property before I did and they selected me, or said they
would consider it if I would agree to take charge of it.
This was a source of great pleasure to Dr. Still and while
its establishment came so late in his life that he was never
able to visit us at Macon, only thirty-two miles from
Kirksville, yet he was vitally interested and frequently
sent for me to talk over our work here and always expressed
his delight over the fact we had this institution here where
we could offer our services to humanity along the line of
his discovery. There is no question in our minds not only
that he enjoyed this institution while alive but he is
equally interested in it now and happy over the results we
are able to produce.
"I note what you say about dementia praecox and relative to
Miss [...]'s brother. We will be very glad if we can serve
them. There is no way to know other than by trial what can
be accomplished for him, but a trial is certainly worth
while. We are deeply grateful to you for your attitude. We
are grateful we can offer to those poor individuals whose
lives if they must live to the end insane, which is worse
than death, a chance to get well. Don't misunderstand me, I
appreciate fully your good words and your interest in our
type of work but over and above my own benefit and my
profession's comes first the glory of helping some body
get well who has been pronounced incurable.
"I presume you are well acquainted with conditions relative
to dementia praecox, or rather the fact there is no treatment
for it so far as the old system is concerned; hence, if we
can establish, as we are, a percentage of cures great enough
to interest the reading public perhaps the time will come
when the whole world can recognize that insanity may be cured
through osteopathic treatment or some similar method.
"As to the attitude of the old school men relative to our
work and yours, it does not bother me any because I know it
is based on prejudice. It is too bad the whole medical world
could not extend their right hand to any and all avenues that
offer more and better results in the cure of dementia praecox
and in the cure of disease.
"Like yourself I would be happy if I could meet you and have
a long talk and visit and I assure you should we travel east
anytime again we will try and make that opportunity. We
would be happy to have you visit Macon, see and know for
yourself of our work and our results. It is very fine of
you to take the time you do in writing me such interesting
letters. By the way, I am well acquainted with Dr. Gravett
of Dayton and consider him one of my real friends. The facts
are I know a great many osteopaths throughout the length and
breadth of the land and only hope I can return at least in
part to you in a way that will help you personally for the
good things you say and do for our profession."
With good wishes, I am, Sincerely yours, A. G. Hildreth, D.O.
11/17/35 Letter from [
885]'s sister to Gladys Davis:
"I've been intending to write you for some time. I've had 2
readings for my brother, [
885]. They described the state but
in last 2 months we have had an interesting diagnosis by Dr.
Moore, neurosurgeon in Birmingham.
"[
885] was in operating room 4 hrs. - subdural hydroma and
much atrophied hemangioma was removed. [
885]'s response and
come back has been marvelous tho' he has been out of hospital
only one month but changes in his state and improvements are
more than expected in this time. He is very happy over his
improvement.
"I wanted you to know of this as it was not mentioned in
readings and wanted you to know of his splendid improvement
since removal of this cranial pressure which has been extant
at least 20 yrs.
"Regards to all. Am rejoicing with you over Mrs. [
394]'s
improvement."
Yours in health and service, [...]
1/12/36 Sister's letter: "My brother is much improved in
health but still has problems. Dr. Moore - his surgeon in
Birmingham - gave him so much relief that he thinks he is the
only doctor. I would like to have another reading for him
if I could get him interested first, as he is one patient
who has his own ideas. I would, at that time, like to ask
questions about the head surgery... I'm wondering if a
personal contact with my brother might not help him to have
more faith in the reading - possibly to be willing to
cooperate. [Her reply to GD's inquiry: "I do not know of a
Year Book for Neuropaths. Dr. T. T. Lake, Robt. Morris
Hotel Bldg., Philadelphia, might know. Dr. Guy Cheatham,
Presbyterian Bldg., Nashville, Tenn., has a partial list -
Dr. Elise Stone, Montgomery, Ala. Since the war our schools
have been torn up. I do not know an address west of the
Mississippi River."]
8/21/36 Letter to GD told of brother [
885]'s recent death:
"He had complete relief at once (and no return) from the
pressure, and he was so grateful. He got rid of many other
bad symptoms and improved so much. His body developed, etc.
He was on a 6 month convalescence. But he continued to have
occasional convulsions on going to sleep or waking. He died
in one of these convulsions. It was so hard. God only knows
how much he suffered in his struggle to get well. His death
affected me much. Of course there must have been some
atrophy and it is possible he might never have gotten over
the convulsions. I cannot of course tell you all, but
imagine at least 20 yrs. of pressure - the sub-dural hydroma
was the size of an egg, and then there was much hemangioma.
"I have wondered if Mr. Cayce can give Life Readings for one
who has passed on. I've wondered what they would show of
previous soul appearances. I remember our conversation of
about ten years ago." [GD's note: I met Dr. [...] at that
time and we talked about EC's work and particularly the Life
Readings.]
7/60 In Dr. W. H. Pahnke's breakdown of 96 cases of epilepsy
from the Edgar Cayce records, Case [
885] was classified in
Group 1. He said: "There is a good possibility that this
was epilepsy because neurosurgery in this case revealed a
sub-dural hydroma and hemangioma. No help was derived from
the treatment described in the reading."
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation