10/25/38 Miss [
1703]'s letter to EC:
..., Michigan
Mr. Edgar Cayce
Virginia Beach, Virginia
My dear Mr. Cayce:
Enclosed is my physical history; I trust it is not too long.
I have typed it the third time, trying to get it to suit me,
a fact that show how I have slipped mentally, as I used to
write quite easily; no doubt it is yet much longer than you
want.
Yesterday I had my first treatment with the Wet Cell
Appliance. Mr. and Mrs. [...] [Mr. [
470] and Mrs. [
1100]
are referred to several times in her letter. GD] came
Sunday afternoon (grand people, they are!), and got the
liquid mixed. Wondering how I was going to manage by
myself, I invented the jacket with button holes for the
anodes. We had a good laugh when I showed the pattern of a
tight-fitting bed jacket; the material is very heavy cotton
flannel. I believe it is going to be just the thing. I
shall take it to the doctor to see that the right spots are
covered with the copper and nickel plates. It "happens," if
things do just happen, that one of my osteopathic doctors is
also Mrs. [
1100]'s - a fine young man, very much
open-minded, and interested in the Readings.
Sunday I finished a four-day diet of nothing but New York
purple grapes. I have enough to have three day again this
next week-end. I felt just grand this week, and was not
LIMP at all, though I had a cup of coffee a few times to give
me a lift afternoons. Mrs. [
1100] gave me your reply about
Coca Cola clearing the kidneys. I think I had a glass once,
to taste it, just as I ate clams and lobster once, with much
dislike. Seems strange the Reading would warn me about shell
fish that I never, never ate! A friend said you may have
contacted a subconscious strain in which a fling for the
flesh pots was evident, and that, maybe, I have inhibitions,
now! She knows how I dislike shell fish and most other fish;
raised in Iowa, I did not cultivate a taste for fish, you
see.
I am enclosing for your files some literature about the
blanket, the Magnecoil. It has been on the market
twenty-one years, and is used in sanitariums and by doctors
and in homes - wonder if any one has been directed to use it
in a Reading by you. It seemed to give me a lot of pep, and
relieved the plain in my back, and made up for sleep I did
not get taking health courses last spring.
From the frequent mention made in my physical history of bad
constipation, it seems strange the Reading did not mention
it or direct me what to do. I use only herbal laxatives,
and not much at a time. I did not find that the grape diet
helped, as I had to continue on laxatives and an enema at
night. However, I used lots of fruit all fall and perhaps
there is not much left, in matter of long standing, in the
colon for grapes to drive out, like a purge. No doubt these
letters are kept on file, hence I mention this. The odor
from cancer could not be much worse than that from stools
this fall, after the deep massaging in August, with little
elimination.
As to the use of carbonated water mentioned in the Reading,
as I have, rather, been using distilled water, Mr. [
490]
suggested it may be to raise gas; but, the gas I have is not
in the stomach, but in the colon, or, at least, too far down
to raise. The warning against artificial fruit drinks is as
unnecessary as the warning against shell fish, for I never
drink them; perhaps I have had a glass with friends once or
twice, or some flavoring in an ice cream soda; but I take
even these very seldom. I mention this, not to be critical
of the Reading, but simply as a matter of record for your
files, and as a case study. In fact, a comparison of my
physical history with the Reading shows it is highly
accurate! When I have a check Reading, I shall want
to learn how I got this catarrhal condition in times past,
as stated at the last of page one of my Reading [1703-1,
Par. 7]. Also, I want to know the meaning of this, in the
last of page two [Par. 15]: "...through the activity of
the mental self..." If I can know what activity of the
mental self is harmful, it will help me to overcome it,
I believe. Perhaps some of the extremely hard situations
I have been in the last six years is referred to.
I began taking the Codiron as directed October 16; and the
mouth washes October 11, the Lavoris mornings, the Listerine
at night. I am taking only raw salads at noon; it is
difficult to get the soup, unless I come home at noon and
make a vegetable broth from one of the several brands of
dehydrated vegetables, mixed with boiling water. Believe me,
I get plenty of undesirable attention and remarks about my
"diets" and "thinness" at school, from most every one. I
tell them my "doctor" is prescribing for me and just watch
results! I still have more pep than the most of them, and
never have any inclination to lie in the rest room during
school, as do very many of our 110 teachers. But, I guess
I live mostly on my nerve force, for when I let go to read
the newspaper I sleep! I no longer have spells of exhaustion
afternoons, teaching, since I left off meat and since the
elimination-alkalinizing diets of the past two years. I
verily believe, with the Reading and with Dr. Kolar, that
I starved off an early death, like my mother's, by measures
mentioned for the last two years.
Thank you many, many times for your help, and I surely
do appreciate the attention and kindness of Mr. [
490]
and Mrs. [
1100].
Very sincerely yours, [
1703]
A BRIEF PHYSICAL HISTORY OF [
1703]
From the first evidence of trouble to the Reading on
October 8, 1938, by Mr. Edgar Cayce, each being home
By Miss [
1703]
Earliest recollection, taking Rocky Mountain Tea, a Laxative
Tea. Need for same probably too much pasty food: pancakes,
warm white bread, baked beans, and mashed potatoes; also,
canned fruits with white sugar; little fresh vegetables
during winters, especially raw ones - I was Iowa-corn-fed!
Glasses at sixteen for nearsightedness. Had some of the
children's diseases, and sore throat every Christmas
vacation. Had scarlet fever at ten years of age. However,
attendance at school was excellent, missing only ten days
in twelve years - not absent or tardy the last seven, which
shows endurance, if not rugged health. Heart test show a
leakage.
College years were equally good days. The last year was told
to be very careful not to become constipated or my eyes would
get worse. (I was always constipated, and still am today.)
Had some days feeling badly this last college year, but could
not locate or isolate the disturbance - said I had everything
from dandruff to corns, which was more true than funny,
maybe, as an over-acid condition makes these symptoms and
causes worse things to take place in the internal organs,
so I am informed. One bad spell was in the right foot, which
was taped for two weeks for so-called rheumatism; there was
no medicine or diet prescribed then. This rheumatism was,
also, during a Christmas vacation, so I did not miss any
school all through college.
While teaching a year in northern Iowa, I lost my voice at
two different times, for quite a number of days; this was due
to marshy territory, so I was told. However, my food was not
right, as I know now it would make a very acid condition. I
have lost my voice only once since that time and have had few
colds or sore throat spells. The effects seems to have
turned inward. Also, I had my tonsils out in 1923, after
knowing they were bad for a year, but being at home,
supporting myself and father, aged, I did not want to annoy
him by an operation, nor have the expense till after his
death; I had to be treated for my blood for three months,
then, before the doctor would remove the tonsils, and I was
weeks recovering the use of my throat, and was left anemic.
After my father's death (my mother, though over twenty years
younger, passed on eight years before he did), I was employed
by a hospital association in St. Paul, Minnesota, as office
secretary. The work proved so difficult, I had a thorough
examination and was put to bed for anemia and sagged
abdominal organs, which were down four inches. Blocks were
put under the foot of the bed for this. After nearly eight
weeks in the hospital, in which time I improved little, if
any, physically, and mentally got worse with such an inactive
life, I walked out, with the promise to loaf a number of
weeks before reporting back to work, and also to wear a
supporting corset that had to be put on with a large thick
pad while I lay down with my hips elevated and laced as
tightly as possible, so not a muscle or organ could slip
down when I stood up. I wore this for months, till I needed
a fresh corset, when I decided it was silly to paralyze the
organs this way. The office was closed in the spring of
1925 and in the fall I came to ... to teach.
When I came to ..., I was very much run down; could walk but
a very few blocks without exhaustion. A pupil came to help
me correct papers and spoke of the healing her father gave.
I decided to see him and found that he said he could "see"
the lower limbs were very bad, with nerves twisted and full
of sore spots. He claims that an Indian "Guide" shows him
where to treat. He probably had magnetic healing power; I
went to him twice a week for many weeks and improved very,
very much; he treated more than an hour often and would
charge only fifty cents, for, otherwise he said he would
lose his power. At the same time, I took health courses
and lived alone and improved remarkably on right foods.
But, being a teacher, socially inclined, when I got to
feeling so much better, I gradually went the way of the
herd. I had two trips abroad and suffered from sea sickness
very, very much and was ill after returning home; had
lumbago badly at one time. For many years, my back had
bothered me, so I found myself doing less and less, to favor
it. I had become so much disgusted with medical doctors in
St. Paul, I have never been to any since, but have had
treatments at various times for severe foot trouble and
pains in back and shoulder from osteopathic and chiropractic
doctors. This past year, my feet have been the best for
years; I am wearing Ground-gripper and Cantilever shoes and
walk lots with little fatigue or pains in my feet.
The past three years, I have felt myself slipping fast. My
color was terrible, till I left off meat fifteen months ago
and ate very much less sugar and starchy foods and more raw
and/or little cooked vegetables and fruits. This had been
during the menopause, but this phase of my physical history
is as nearly normal as any virgin woman probably has these
days. I have often said, "It seems as if my battery has run
down." A year ago last spring, in 1937, I took a health
course and decided to right-about-face in my diet. I took
eliminative baths, eliminative diets, and about eliminated
myself. One friend said she would not give ten cents for
me then, I was so weak and thin. That summer I went to
MacFadden's Physical Culture Hotel for five weeks. The first
two, I had nothing but three pints of fruit juices a day and
went down to 96 pounds. The come-back diet was milk and
little fruit, with vegetables, raw and cooked, but not much
starch, as the examination showed a diabetic condition, the
first week; cleared up in that time. I decided, after two
weeks on fruit, to give up meat if the kidneys were at all
bad, as it seemed they must be; the health lecturers all seem
to agree that meat is a load on the kidneys. After returning
home, I continued having osteopathic treatments and massage,
such as I had had at Macfadden's. It took me a long time to
get any weight.
Though no doctor said I had arthritis, it seemed I had the
symptoms, so, in the spring of 1938 I got the Magnecoil, a
magnetic blanket, with the extra pieces for my back. This
stimulates circulation. I took two fifteen-minutes
treatments in it night and morning from March through June,
1938. I felt lots better, but was more constipated. Folks
said I looked fine, and my back surely was much less stiff
and painful. Doctors say I have a bad curvature, and I
figured out that probably the rheumatism was pulling the
joints out of place, so the Magnecoil would take out the
toxin with the increased heat applied and the improved
circulation. This is probably what happened and the toxins
and waste got into the colon, which, being sluggish, let
them be absorbed back into the blood stream. In July I took
an elimination diet to clean out the colon, if possibly, and
get more waste from the tissues. This was no doubt
accomplished, but one day I became aware that there were
spots before my eyes - the poison had evidently gotten
there, in a stagnant place - and there it is yet today,
getting worse daily, and making me highly nervous!
During the summer of 1938, I visited the Dr. Kolar in
Wichita, Kansas, noted painless-bloodless surgeon, for an
examination; he reported the organs of the abdomen sagged
very much and tied down with adhesions, with a tendency for
cancer, which only my careful diet had stalled; the colon,
he said, was tied with adhesions, and gas pockets were back
of the tiny openings left; the glandular system was almost
ceasing to function. To cure me he wanted me in bed after
his operation for four weeks, at $510, neither of which
requirements I could meet. In the first place, he did not
give me enough assurance that the organs would stay up when
I got up - his secretary said, later, I should have six
months to recover, at least; also, he wanted me to eat meat
and as I had improved so much in complexion without meat, I
decided he would have to wait for me as a patient 'til I had
built up more assimilative power, to KNOW the muscles would
recover elasticity and the stretched-out ligaments would
sluff off the waste and snap back into place, to hold the
sagged organs up. He said two ligaments were already
calcified, so would never be normal again in those parts.
From Wichita, I drove to Butler, New Jersey, thinking to get
compresses on my eyes at the Dr. Lust [Benedict Lust, N.D.]
sanitorium, in the two weeks I had left of summer vacation.
I had NO compresses, but daily sunbathes in the nude, as at
MacFadden's and daily naprapathic treatments after various
kinds of tub and cabinet and sitz baths. The deep massage of
abdomen stirred up more waste and no attention was given to
bowel elimination, other than my own methods. I had a cabin
with no bath; result, I arrived home with hemorrhoids! The
examination by the doctor there, by Iriology, indicated a bad
left kidney; this kind of examination showed no trouble in my
back like arthritis and no bad condition in the eyes.
However, the doctor said my back is as stiff as a timber,
and accepted it that I have rheumatism, and advised a
no-starch diet and lots of sun.
As the Reading by Mr. Cayce says, "The insistent and
persistent activities, in the attempts to use influences
and forces through diets and other applications, have been
efficient in STAYING the disturbance;..." I might mention
that other than the above named applications, namely various
baths, sun baths, Magnecoil, treatments by osteopathic,
chiropractic, and naprapathic doctors, and massage, I have
had at home for the past several months mineral tablets
of many varieties and brands, some land and others sea
vegetation, to alkalinize the system and feed the glands;
two makes of electric juice machines, to extract the juices
of carrots, celery, etc., and to mix powered soy products,
to save all the energy possible in digestion. However, it
seems I can not assimilate the food. Of course, I have eaten
heartily and even leave a meal craving "something." Over a
year ago, I got an outfit for making distilled water, as it
seems to be used with good results in a certain well-known
sanitarium at East Aurora, N.Y. I also purchased a sun lamp
last winter, as we have much dark weather here winters, and
I always feel depleted then. But, with my duties in high
school, I cannot find time to use all of these things daily,
get discouraged, and even slumped when it seems I do not do
more than break even. I lead quite an active life. At times
in the past, outside affairs have been VERY distressing and
perhaps they have reflected on the physical. I am restless,
and fall to sleep when I relax to read; I sleep well all
night.
To close this, with a look into the hopes for the future, I
trust that by following the Reading I can get rid of this bad
condition of floating spots and film over my eyes; that I can
eat a satisfying meal with enough starch to give energy,
without burning up nerve forces, without gas in the bowels;
that I can go in weight from the present 103 pounds to what
I was in 1927, i.e., 127 lbs.; that my body will have heat
enough in it so I will not feel chilly and not be ashamed to
shake hands with others or to touch my pupils; that I will
not have any more aches in my back, or neck at the back; that
that I will have no more spells like last winter when about
deaf with mucous in the passages, cleared out by finger-tip
surgery; that bowel elimination will improve about 100% so
I can forget about laxatives and enemas; and that the blood
will heal cuts, burns, and bruises as it should, and not take
weeks, and that it will circulate so as to take out the
soreness in some joints, as one in a finger of the right
hand, for instance. Of course, I want my hair to stay brown
and my nails to cease to break off and my muscles to be
resilient and my heart not to pound going upstairs! In
fact, I want, with most every one else, to grow old
gracefully, and not rot out with some disease or stiffen in
the spine ready for a wheel chair! IF the body is renewed
every seven years, and I know of no better hobby than
seeking health. I have studied spiritual healing with
several teachers and believe in it heartily; but, at the
same time, I believe we are of the earth and have to live,
if we can find out how, in conformity with the laws on the
physical plane. I have studied the pros and cons of going
without meat, and believe it is better to go without it from
both the physical and spiritual viewpoints. Many remarkable
cases are cured without meat; for instance the noted Dr.
Jackson. I believe in "Seek and ye shall find," and that my
seeking health brought me to the Reading by Mr. Cayce. May
my following the instructions bring me to the place where I
am again able to concentrate and memorize and go on with
studies and music and writings, which have been dropped, one
by one, the past twenty years, and may the results inspire
others to obtain Readings and regain vim, vigor, and
vitality.
11/25/38 [
1703]'s letter to EC:
Mr. Edgar Cayce
Virginia Beach, Va.
My dear Mr. Cayce:
Perhaps it would be well for me to make a report, now that
a month has gone by since I began following my Reading. Last
Sunday, a recharge of the Wet Cell Appliance was made and on
Monday I began having the pine-oil steam-fume baths, with a
massage of the oil prescription given in the Reading. Today
I had the second treatment in my own apartment rather than go
out these cold days. I weigh 99 1/2 pounds, now, nude, and
have not much resistance to the cold, especially after a
treatment like this. At home, I can go to bed and relax,
too.
During the month, I have kept up taking the Codiron as
directed; I have not been quite so consistent with the
alternate fruit and wheat cereal breakfasts. I seem to
crave fruit. For four days at a time, twice in October,
I had nothing but New York Concord grapes and grape juice.
This diet, along with the other fruits and vegetables, with
so little starch, seems to have kept me "eliminating" a
lot. I have kept a diary and find that many days I have had
congestion in the lung area and last week was very hoarse
for a couple of days. At this time, I resort to my Magnecoil
and U-Coil that comes with it, to stir up circulation, so
the waste will not settle, and every time I have come out
of these healing crises without a fever or having to miss
school. There have been aches in various places, but on the
whole I have felt very peppy and able to work. I get quite
hungry, and have been eager for my raw salads at noon. I
have come home for them about half the time, to get variety
not at school; also my own dressing without vinegar and a
cup of one of the various brands of soups from dehydrated
vegetables, that come in powdered form, to be mixed with
boiling water.
The most serious condition that I do not find the Reading
mentions, but that almost drove me to get a Check-Reading, is
the defecation from the bowels, that is so bad an odor -
cancer could not be worse, I believe. I wonder how I will
ever get a normal movement with the numbers of enemas and
much laxatives I have had to take! I use Inner Clean,
Isolax, Tim, and Peri-lator. There is lots of gas from the
bowels, especially when lots of fruit is used. From health
literature, this is to be expected. I think I crave the
fruit for the sugar in it, for energy food. I eat no bread
at all, and of course, nothing else made of flour. Also, I
limit my intake of fat; this ought to give the liver a rest
and a chance to slough off the catarrh; also the kidneys.
The Isolax and Peri-lator I take to keep bulk in the bowels.
Upon experimenting, I find I do better, with less bloating,
on a meal with no liquid. This means I shall try to get my
soups and drinks between meals. I have used coffee, with a
bad conscience, so today had none, and shall wean myself from
it, as anything that my Self bothers me about, through my
conscience, I feel is not good for me. Also, coffee is habit
forming, and I do not want to be a slave to it. One noted
health doctor wrote me last week that coffee interferes with
renal action, also; so it would seem that, along with meat,
for which the human body was not built, with its much-too-
long colon and intestines, the Reading when checked may have
some explanations to make. I do not like drinks that are
cold (my body is much too cold all the time), so I have had
no coca-cola and have not found it convenient to have
carbonated water. If the latter is necessary, another
Reading may tell me why. Since what I have done in the past
two years has STAYED the inroads, I have to use my best
judgment as to the exact things I have done to STAY them;
the diet, meatless and no coffee and with natural foods,
along with the Magne-coil, must be not too bad! So, in an
emergency, I still use the Magnecoil, to break up
congestion; and, since the stools are so very bad, meat is,
of course, out. With the splendid results a friend has had
on only raw foods, and the good feeling I have on my raw
meal at noon, I wonder if I, too, might do well on more raw
meals. I use some nuts and soy bean products for protein
instead of that in meat.
The spots are still before my eyes; the soreness in the
middle finger of the right hand is less severe; the veins
in my hands are less prominent, showing congestion somewhere
is down, and the blood can flow more freely. There is less
coating on my tongue. Today I had a bad session with the
dentist: had two shots so he could work on an upper molar;
a piece came off it night before last. I truly hope I am
assimilating enough calcium to save my teeth! I took calcium
tablets last summer, but with the sore middle finger, decided
the calcium was not being distributed and quit taking it and
also other mineral tablets. I try to drink freshly made
vegetable juices instead, for both the minerals and vitamins
and for the liquid, instead of our city water.
I seem to sense no activity from the Wet Cell Appliance,
but last Sunday evening I was suffering from gas and bloat
more than for a very long time and the treatment with the
Appliance at bed time relieved me, showing the power in it,
of which I am not conscious. The tight-fitting jacket, also,
proves to be putting the plates in the right spots each time.
Since the Reading prescribes wheat, I am using a tablespoon
of wheat germ a day, on my fruits or salads, especially on
the days I do not use the cereal of cracked wheat. I have
already used it for the oil and vitamins in it. I also use
Dr. Jackson's Meal and Kofy-Sub for the iron in it - see
enclosed leaflet. I mention it for, as this is a matter of
record, it is well to make a note of my food intake, for with
feeling as badly as I do, and still so much pep, the paradox
would not otherwise be explained, perhaps.
A friend urged me to consult a Dr. Walter J. Hodson for my
bowel difficulty. Dr. Hodson has compounded a "pudding"
taken evenings that contains the bacillus implanted in the
colon from the mother in the first few days after birth (if
breast fed). The claim is that this bacillus is killed out
with our wrong foods from putrefactions and fermentations,
and that normality cannot be regained until this bacillus is
restored. I took the "pudding," called Chex, last spring for
three weeks and had a terrific time with canker sores in my
mouth. The reason, I was told, was that cankers were the
form of nature's warning and elimination before. It is true
(I missed mentioning it in my history) that I had cankers
lots and often and very sore, as a child and frequently as
an adult. However, I felt that Chex was stirring me up too
much and quit it. Now, I told my friend, I would not take
anything so radical as long as I am trying to follow the
Reading. However, as I recently read that the noted Dr.
Kellog says the reason the Quints have all had their tonsils
out is because they missed getting this bacillus from the
breast right after birth, so their foods have caused
auto-intoxication, especially being meat fed! Perhaps a
Check Reading would not be amiss, quite soon, to see if
anything is given to aid this bad and serious condition of
my bowels, soon!
Enclosed is a contribution of $5.00 for the fund for a place
to preserve the Readings and Records. Soon, I hope to have
both the other Readings, but feel that I should like to have
a Check Physical Reading first, and as soon as it seems
advisable from this Report. Since the Reading stated I
would feel results in three or four months, I do not want
to be impatient; however, I am deeply concerned about the
continuation of a seeming spoiling of my food before it is
eliminated, for I believe this is absorbed and cannot help
but keep me poisoned. There would seem to be a sort of
cesspool at present, which something a Check Reading might
clear up, with an explanation and/or prescription for
something, maybe even this Chex, called this because it
checks anto-toxemia. So, I am also enclosing ten dollars
for a Check Reading, to be given whenever you think, after
reading this, it should be given. You know, no doubt, from
the experience of others, the value of such a check reading.
In case I should continue as outlined, keep the ten dollars
for the Check Reading in another month or two, or in case I
should get alarmed, as I did with the bad lung condition
last week and came nearly doing so; i.e., wiring you for a
Check Reading.
Thank you again for your helpfulness and kindness and may
much good continue to come from your Work.
Very sincerely yours, [
1703]
Please note all I've said about a Check - Reading.
Stools are very black, even now. I am off the black
grapes, so I wonder if blood is escaping, as I've read
that hemorrhages (internal) make black stools.
5/04/38 [
1703]'s letter to EC:
..., Michigan
Mr. Edgar Cayce
Virginia Beach, Va.
My dear Mr. Cayce:
Thank you for the appointment for December 12,
4-5 P.M.,
E.S.T., which is satisfactory. I shall be at home then.
Enclosed are some questions, and I hope each can by answered,
as I have tried, this evening, to cull those I want most to
know about.
Last week I received a notice about your being in New York
City and I wrote a friend, Mrs. [
2305], to go to the meetings
December 6 and 12, if possible. However, from your letter,
and making December 12 the date for me, possibly these plans
are now changed. I also wrote her about the Broadcast this
afternoon, which did not come to ... I am sorry to say.
Before long, I want to send you parts of a lesson that I have
in a two-year course from a Coptic Priest of Egypt. What is
in it about the forces for foods is an interesting check on
my Reading; it came since the Reading. I, too, should very
much like to meet and talk with you; I planned to visit in
Washington, D. C., Christmas, and call on you; but, now, I
see I need to stay home and take care of myself. Thank you
for the kind remark about the help I might be to you; well,
I'll have to get a Life Reading and see if we are perhaps
both formerly from Egypt. In fact, I should like to give
my Self a Christmas present of such a Reading, if you can
arrange for one the last week of December. I felt very
strongly attached to Egypt when I was there in 1930.
Last Wednesday I had a test (physical) with an instrument
called an Itisometer; the lady paid $600 for it and it proved
the (yours) Reading 100% all right in my case. There is
another you probably know about called the Pathoclast, which
I have not yet experienced, used for making physical tests.
For the records (as I have a question on it) I might say I
have had, in the past two, and the other evening a third,
experience as if I left the body. I should like to know if
these are heart attacks or psychic experiences. My heart,
last summer on a new graph machine, checked rather well; that
is, nothing to be alarmed about at all.
Thank you again and again for your service and good letters.
Cordially yours, [
1703]
12/12/38 See
1703-2.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation