This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the office of the Association, Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 6th day of May, 1944, in accordance with request made by self - Mrs. [5057], new Associate Member of the Ass'n for Research and Enlightenment, Inc.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Gussie W. Millaway, Stenos. At a place on

River, 4 1/2
miles from a
town called
..., La.

TEXT

1. GC: You will go over this body carefully, examine it thoroughly, and tell me the conditions you find at the present time; giving the cause of the existing conditions, also suggestions for help and relief of this body; answering the questions, as I ask them.
2. EC: Log cabin near here. Yes, we have the body here, [5057].
3. As we find, the body is very good in many respects, and yet there are disturbances which cause a great deal of anxiety at times. Owing to the great amount of strain put upon the resistances which should be a portion of the body-forces, the vital energies are consumed.
4. These as we find arise from a condition that arose from intestinal flu, so that the activity of the lymph circulation through the alimentary canal causes a form of inflammation in the colon and in the lower portion of the jejunum. This inflammation is the source or the cause of the temperature that arises at times.
5. We find that there is produced gradually a form of anemia and this makes a weakness in the structural portions of the body, as in the feet and limbs especially, and a tiredness through the whole of the abdomen, and soreness across the areas where there is the division in the upper and lower portions of the abdomen.
6. In making applications we would first begin with this: Have prepared for the body this as a compound: Make a Fusion of Wild Ginseng. This should be made in sufficient quantity, which along with the other applications will alleviate the disturbance, and unless there is a great lack of consistency in the diet or activity, alleviate the condition entirely. Preparation: Put 5 drams of Wild Ginseng in a pint of distilled water. Let this come to a boil, and boil until, when this is strained, there is only one-half pint. This will be rather strong, but is needed in this particular case.
7. Then make a fusion of this: Use 2 drams of Wild Ginger in 4 oz. of distilled water. Let this come to a boil, and boil until there is only 2 oz. left when strained.
8. Add these together and then add 4 oz. Essence of Lactated Pepsin, and 1 oz. of grain alcohol.
9. This should be taken, in the beginning, 1 tsp. every four hours for two days. Of course don't arise at night to take this, but if awake during the night take a dose, but not oftener than four hours apart. [See Dr. D. H. Fogel's modified formula for general use, 5057-1, Par. R4.]
10. Do apply over the whole abdomen, at least once a week, crushed grapes. These should be used with the hull and the seed. The pack should be at least one inch thick and let this remain on until it has almost dried out from the body heat, which would require four to four and one-half hours. Make this pack sufficiently large to cover the whole abdomen. Put the grapes on gauze.
11. Prepare this also in a fusion: Put 1/4 oz. of alum root in 4 oz. of distilled water and let come to a boil, then strain. Be sure the alum root is crushed. Add to this, 1/2 oz. of simple syrup and take 1 oz. of grain alcohol or rye whiskey and add. This is only to be taken, 1 tsp. when there is cramping through the alimentary canal or colon. [See GDT's memo 3/12/68 under 5057-1, Par. R8.]
12. Two or three days after this has been taken, though, take an irrigation to remove the inflamed fecal forces in the colon.
13. In the matter of diet: Beware of too many starches; a small quantity of sea food, fish, fowl and lamb; not too many vegetables, and these to be of the tuberous and bulbous nature.
14. Occasionally have a good relaxing osteopathic treatment.
15. By the time all the fusion of Ginseng and Ginger are taken, we should be rid of the trouble.
16. Ready for questions.
17. (Q) What causes the smothering feeling I so often have?
    (A) Weakness from the lack of quantity of blood and general weakness.
18. (Q) What brings on the attacks?
    (A) The congestion through the alimentary canal produced first by this colitic condition that exists through the colon, especially at the portion of the jejunum. Do as indicated and we should rid the body of this disturbance.
19. We are through with this reading.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to Ass'n File
    Copy for indexing

BACKGROUND

1. 7/20/43 Letter: "...I have just finished reading THERE IS A RIVER. I have no words to tell you of the marvelous feeling it has given me. I know it is the answer to my prayer for help, not only physically, but spiritually...
   "...Here is my trouble: Ever since an operation for appendicitis in 1915, I have had the most terrible and persistent dysentery. I have been to dozens of doctors; no one has correctly diagnosed or treated me with any success whatever. I have 4 daughters, and often family complications which force me constantly to push my depleted strength beyond its limit. Please tell me what I do to secure a reading. I have always felt that some day I would get help from such a source. My interest in psychic phenomena has always been intense... Please tell me just what the Life readings are and how obtained..."
2. 8/08/43 [5057]'s letter: "...Since writing you I have had rather a bitter blow. The medical specialist to whom I was going for diagnosis informed me that there was nothing that could be done for me; that I would be wasting money to go to any more doctors, and that my trouble would become progressively worse. I am enclosing the blank which I have filled out for a Physical reading in the hope that it will not be too long before I can receive help from you. I earnestly desire it and have the utmost faith in your ability to use this power. I would like to have a Life reading..."
3. 8/31/43 [5057]'s letter: "...Would it be possible for me to have an earlier reading if I could come to Virginia Beach? If this is not possible, I shall have to wait until May. I shall follow the instructions given. I would very much like to have a Life reading too... While the doctors cannot either cure or alleviate my trouble, I shall not give up, and will look forward to help next May..."
4. 4/28/44 [5057]'s letter: "...I understand that the date for my Physical reading is May 6, and the date for the Life reading is May 7. On those dates I shall be in the country about 4 1/2 miles from the town of ..., La., at a place on the ... Road called ... The name is over the gate. It is a log house in the woods on the ... River. Will this address and description be sufficient? The questions I would like to have asked are as follows: (1) What is the true cause of my terrible intestinal trouble? (2) What can be done to cure or alleviate it? (3) What is the cause of the temperature? (4) What about diet? (5) Why do I have so much pain in my feet? I await my reading with anticipation and confidence that I shall find help..." [The additional questions submitted are at end of 5057-1.]

REPORTS

1. 2/23/45 [5057]'s letter: "...In regard to the amount which I have deposited with you for my Life reading which was cancelled due to Mr. Cayce's death, kindly deduct the following publications and send them to me with the balance: Monthly Bulletin, Intestinal Fever, Meditation, Auras..."
2. 3/22/50 Questionnaire sent.
3. 5/11/50 Reply to Questionnaire:
   "Diarrhea and fever pains recurrent since June 1915." Condition: "severe." Physician's Diagnosis and treatment: "surgery 3 times, no result. Sporic-intestinal obstruction..." Duration of treatment: as outlined in the reading - "as prescribed," results "failure." Have since 1950, had trouble diagnosed as Amebiasis and Undulant Fever. Am being treated and cured at last..."
4. 10/18/52 GD's note: Dr. D. H. Fogel (M.D., heart specialist), after studying several other cases from the Edgar Cayce files on colitis, including 5237-1, 5215-1, 340-23, 5178-1, 5000-2; 5280-1, told me that the Ginseng formula should be made available to A.R.E. members for this dread disease of chronic ulcerative colitis. Dr. Fogel's comment: "There is no known cure for it. Edgar Cayce says intestinal flu causes this."
   Dr. Fogel then proceeded to write out the 5057-1 formula for CHRONIC ULCERATIVE COLITIS, modified only as to directions for usage with additional regimen, as follows:
   Make a fusion of Wild Ginseng.
   Prep.: (1) Add 5 drachms of Wild Ginseng to a pint of distilled water. Let it come to a boil and boil until there is only 1/2 pint left, after straining same.
   (2) Then make a fusion of this: Use 2 drachms of Wild Ginger in 4 ounces of distilled water. Let this come to a boil and boil until there is only 2 ounces left, after straining.
   (3) Add (1) and (2) together, and add to them 4 ounces of Lactated Pepsin and 1 ounce of grain alcohol.
   Directions: (1) One teaspoon after breakfast and at bedtime for 10 days, and leave off for 5 days, and repeat cycle until medicine is gone.
   (2) Massage spine with peanut oil at least 3 times weekly.
5. 11/14/59 Mrs. Pat Kerr (Florence I. Kerr)'s letter, from "Mulberry Lane" R.R. 1, Locust Hill, Ont., Canada: "...After suffering with colitis for 30 years, I used the 5057 compound as recommended by Dr. Fogel and I have been completely relieved of the disturbance. Since taking the medicine I have not had an attack, although prior to this time the condition had been chronic..."
6. 2/15/60 Mrs. C. C. (Beula) Wiseman's letter, from Merrill Apts. #206, Longview, Washington:
   "...You may be interested to know that our family physician and an osteopath are both cooperating on the chronic colitis cure, so am hoping for results. As both are watching with interest to see what happens. Both were equally ignorant of any curative properties of any of the treatment, but I talked both of them into cooperating..."
7. 1/25/62 Mrs. Wiseman's letter: "...Thought you would be interested to know that I seem to have completely cured my colitis with your colitis cure. Can now eat any raw foods, and have been eating immense quantities of nuts without any ill effects..."
8. 7/08/65 Article in the Ledger-Star:
   Your Health
   Prescriptions for Colitis Depends Upon the Type
   By PETER STEINCROHN, M.D.
   Dear Dr. Steincrohn: Is colitis always due to an infection? - Mrs. F.
   Comment: I can understand why many people believe it is. After all, whenever we see "itis" at the end of a word we associate it with inflammation caused by infection. For example, "appendicitis" means inflamed appendix; "cholecystitis" means inflamed gall bladder, etc.
   Nevertheless, there's a tendency to use the term colitis loosely. It is not always due to infection.
   For example, there's what we call "spastic colitis," usually due to nervous influences. We find it in tense, nervous people. They don't know how to relax. They suffer from constipation; either because they don't eat enough roughage, don't take time to answer the bowels signals for evacuation, eat on the run, don't get sufficient sleep, drink too much, smoke too much, etc.
   There's no specific cause. But it isn't really an inflammation that's the cause. Treatment is directed to overcoming some of the predisposing causes I've just mentioned: sedatives, freedom from laxatives, proper diet, etc.
   A relatively rare form of colitis in this country is due to infection with amoeba, sometimes called amoebic dysentery. Some patients become infected with it while traveling in far-off countries where it may be prevalent.
   Then there's a colitis which probably is due to allergic reaction to food or drink. Large amounts of mucus are passed in the bowel movements. Latching on to the offender and removing it from the diet often overcomes this type of colitis. (It's not as simple as it sounds.)
   A common and stubborn form of colitis is ulcerative colitis. Diagnosis is confirmed by X-ray studies and, especially, by proctoscopic and sigmoidscopic examinations by lighted tubes, of the lower bowel itself. The examiner can see the ulcers and often treat them locally with medications.
   The usual symptoms are bleeding and mucus in the stools. These patients, too, may be nervous and tense. Treatment is not only directed to the bowel itself, but to a way of life compatible with relaxation and philosophic acceptance.
   Some severe cases of ulcerative colitis require surgery. This chronic condition tries the patience of both patient and other treatments help many other patients.
   If your doctor tells you that you have colitis, you can see it makes sense to ask him, "What kind do I have?" You will then be in a better position to understand your ailment and know what is expected of you to help overcome it.
9. 1/17/66 Mrs. David D. (Edith W.) Pierson's letter, from Westside Road, Woodbury, Conn.: "...Is there any procedure for reporting to A.R.E. when any of the Circulating Files have actually been used by a physician and the treatments been beneficial? I am a Registered Nurse, and due to the use of your files on Colitis, my son has been under the care or treatment of Dr. Fogel of Stanford, Conn. [to whom GDT referred me 8/18/65]. The improvement has been marked in six months from the prognosis of a GUARDED POOR, to possible COMPLETE RECOVERY.
   "Needless to say we are more than pleased, and would hope our experience might possibly help others. As our physician said, 'there is no uglier disease to treat in children than Ulcerative Colitis.'
   "With prayers for the continued work of the Association..."
10. 3/07/68 Mr. Sylvester H. Cain's letter to A.R.E.: "...In the Circulating File on colitis 'Alum Root' is mentioned but when I ordered it from Meredith's Drug Store they told me that was a 'misnoma' [misnomer]; can you define it for me and tell me where I can get it? Thank you..."
11. 3/12/68 Memo from GDT, Secretary of A.R.E.: The Xerox copy below is made of a definition in a very old medical dictionary [Gould's Medical Dictionary; Copyright 1916, revised ed., by P. Blakiston's Son & Co.]. I find that alumroot is an herb and not a chemical, and should not be confused with the other just plain 'alum' references in the Edgar Cayce readings.
    Mr. Ingram at Ingram Pharmacy, Va. Beach, tells me that he has never heard or it or used it in all the years that he has been a pharmacist. He thinks it will be hard to find through any druggist.
    Perhaps some of the crude drug firms, such as Kiehl Pharmacy, 109 Third Ave., NYC., or Indiana Botanical Gardens, Inc., Box 5, Hammond, Ind. could furnish information. If you have any success in tracing it, we'd appreciate hearing from you about it. [OR, the reading may have referred to the "feathered alum, occurring in a fibrous form" according to the second definition below. Who can tell? Notice that BOTH are ASTRINGENTS.]
    [Sections from the dictionary:]
    "alumroot. The root of Heuchera americana. Its properties are due to gallic and tannic acids. It is very astringent. Dose of the fluid extract 10 - 20 min. (0.65 - 1.3 cc). Also the root of Geranium maculatum, a mild astringent."
    OR:
    "alum (AL'-UM) [ALUMEN, alum]. Any one of a class of double sulphates formed by the union of one of the sulphates of certain non-alkaline metals with a sulphate of some alkaline metal. The standard (or common commercial) alum, the official ALUMEN (U.S.P.), is the aluminum-and-potassium sulphate, AlK(SO4)2+12H2O. It is a powerful astringent and styptic, and is also extensively used in the arts. a., alumina-, a mixture of alum and aluminum sulphate. a., aluminum-, an alum composed of a double sulphate of aluminum and another radical. a., ammonia, the same as the standard, except that the potassium is replaced by ammonium. It is official in Great Britain, and is extensively used on account of its cheapness. What is known as CONCENTRATED or PATENT alum is the normal aluminum sulphate (ALUMINI SULPHAS, U.S.P.), which is not a true alum. a., ammonioferric (FERRI ET AMMONII SULPHAS, U.S.P.), is strongly styptic, and is useful in leukorrhea. Dose 5 - 10 gr (0.32 - 0.65 Gm). a., burnt alum dried by heat; a spongy, pulverizable substance. It is used as an astringent and on fungous growths. Dose 5 - 30 gr. (0.333 - 2.0 Gm). Syn., CALCINED ALUM; ALUMEN EXSICCAIUM; ALUMEN USTRUM. A., feather, a., feathered. 1. Alum occurring in a fibrous form. 2. Asbestos. A. - hematoxylin, a purple stain for tissues, obtained from an alcoholic solution of hematoxylin by addition of an aqueous solution of potash alum. a., potash, a., potassa, a., potassic, a., potassium, an alum containing potassium, particularly ordinary alum, or aluminum-and-potassium sulphate. a., potassioferric, is similar to ammonioferric alum. a., soda, double sulphate of sodium and aluminum; it is too soluble for ordinary uses. 1. -whey, a preparation obtained by boiling 2 dr. of alum in a pint of milk and straining. It is used as an astringent and internal hemostatic in wineglassful doses."
12. 3/15/68 Sylvester H. Cain's letter to Indiana Botanical Gardens, Inc., P.O. Box 5, Hammond, Indiana: "...Can you tell me where I can buy 'alumroot'. Perhaps you supply it. If so, kindly tell me how much it is per ounce (or some other measure). I appreciate your efforts..."
13. 3/19/68 Reply to above letter: "We have alum root to offer at 50 cent and $1.00 per box or 55 cent and $1.10 postpaid."
    See Source File Key #5057 for a "LIST OF PLAIN BOTANICALS" price list, which included a listing for "ALUM root or CRANESBILL, cut or pwd.", re Rdg. No. 5057-1.
14. 7/19/68 Letter from Mrs. Ann Milano to Dr. H. J. Reilly (see complete letter in re other ailments under 243-29): "...Another Cayce remedy, 5057-1, has also helped my husband. It was wonderful of you to obtain it for him. Since my husband came to see you last August he has been improving all the time - hasn't taken any drugs whatsoever. It is a miracle! After all, he has only been sick for twenty years! The doctors discovering only four years ago that it was colitis! It was all due to your therapy, colonics and the Cayce remedy, that put him back on his feet. He threw away all his medicines, and was he happy!!..."
15. 1/17/71 Letter from Jack Bray, A.R.E. Member, 370 Cottage St., Whitewater, Wisconsin, 53190: "...Last March I came down with a rather bad case of colitis. My doctor put me on a low residue diet, which didn't help much, except, of course, it reduced the amount of waste matter, though not the diarrhea character of it. The mucous secretions were also still present.
    "I obtained the Colitis file from the A.R.E. and read it. I was not immediately able to get all the herbs in the forms needed, but was able to buy powdered Ginseng from a Witchcraft store in Madison. This I took in the following manner: I boiled water twice a day and made a Ginseng tea by using 1/2 teaspoon of powdered Ginseng and some sugar, letting the brew cool off for 5 minutes or so, so that it was cool enough for drinking. Powdered Ginseng (Korean type) cost $5.50 per ounce.
    "Anyway, after a few days my stool became solid. The mucous secretions seemed to become less also, though they still existed.
    "I was finally able to get Ginseng in root form and also Wild Ginger (Canada Snakeroot) from the Indiana Botanical Gardens ($1.00 for 1/2 oz. box of roots). I mixed up the 5057-1 brew and began taking it. About 3-4 days after commencing this cure, all colitic symptoms disappeared, mucous secretions discontinued, the size of my colon went from about 1/2 inch to the normal 1 and 1/4 to 1 and 1/2 inches, the periodic pains in my abdomen stopped, the stool became solid, the zebra-like dark and light color of the stool turned a normal color.
    "I took a little over 1 teaspoonful twice a day for 10 days. Then I ceased taking the medicine, as per Dr. D. H. Fogel's instructions (10 days on, 5 days off). The 3rd day off some of the colitis symptoms came back, but not nearly so strong as before. I am now on the 4th day of the 'off' period and suffer few if any colitis symptoms. I will remain on the 10-5 treatment until the medicine is gone.
    "This is rather amazing. My doctor couldn't do anything. All he could do was to finally say, 'It's probably neurogenic.'
    "I understand that some medical men classify Colitis as a neurosis.
    "Also, whatever value there is in Ginseng, it (the chemical activity) apparently must be brought out through boiling over a period of time. Just steeping the powdered root in boiling hot water for a few minutes is not enough.
    "Thank you very, very much. Yours truly, Jack Bray."
16. 9/78 Report from A.R.E. Member, Vincent C. Belton, Seaford, NY: "My introduction to Edgar Cayce was a very negative, 'What junk are you reading now?' as my dear wife, Kay, nine years ago, received MANY MANSIONS by Gina Cerminara through the mail from my cousin Amy. Since then many good things (and a few sad) have happened to me and my family.
    "Having always been interested in health and physical appearance I started, as a young man, in body-building to taking vitamins and minerals and presently am doing yoga. March of 1961 I started running, increased from one to two miles per day; after about eight years I started to go downhill. I finally stopped running after struggling to run five hundred feet before becoming exhausted; that was August, 1976.
    "Within a month I started passing blood in my stool. Refusing to believe anything could be seriously wrong with me, I did not confide in anyone. I did not consult my doctor; I guess I was afraid.
    "In February, 1977 after deteriorating so completely I could no longer keep it from Kay or my doctor, I went for a barium enema; the findings were ulcerative colitis, incurable and fatal unless there was an operation to remove the colon. I refused this ultimatum and went to a nutritionist who we were fortunate to know; he stopped my diarrhea through the use of an intestinal purificant, intestinal cleanser, a special diet, and fresh vegetable juice. This put me back on my feet but that's about all.
    "About this time another book EDGAR CAYCE SPEAKS came into my home.
    "After reading MANY MANSIONS and using the information in EDGAR CAYCE SPEAKS, Kay, seeing that I was very much interested in Edgar Cayce, brought home THERE IS A RIVER by Thomas Sugrue. After reading this, I was totally convinced the Edgar Cayce way was the only way for me to go, both physically and spiritually.
    "Virginia Beach seemed like a dream come true that August 28, 1977 when we entered the Headquarters of the A.R.E. and asked to join. We went through the library although we didn't know how to use it, we managed to get some information. When we got home I sent for the medical file on Ulcerative colitis. I received the file in September, read the article especially, #[5057]. We went to a health food store on Long Island, C.V.V. in North Massapequa and acquired all the ingredients we needed to make up the Ginseng Fusion and the Alum Fusion.
    "Parts of the therapy could not be followed exactly, but my wife did everything she could to help me; massage, grape packs and castor oil; enemas with the salt and soda then Glyco-Thymoline, and my special diet.
    "With Determination we proceeded.
    "...[See part of this report filed as a supplement to 333-7 in a report on hernias.] July I noticed my stool had returned to normal. (Although I had no showing of blood for at least five months the stool just wasn't the correct size or free from mucus.) It is now October. Since then I have had a normal bowel movement every day - Incurable!!?; Only alternative!!?; operate?; are our doctors so narrow-minded, stiffnecked that someone, something could be more right or learned than they, or has money and self become the greatest obstacle.
    "I've discontinued the Ginseng formula. I'm back to my right weight and am feeling great.
    "...[See part of this report filed as a supplement to 944-1 in a report on phlebitis.] All in all, as I look back over the series of events in the last two years, I thank the good Lord for all that has happened to me. I know I've become a better man, closer to my heavenly Father, with more compassion and love for all and less negativeness toward myself. I have so much more work to do in all areas although I have come a long way in two short years. - thanks to Edgar Cayce and the books on so many subjects pointing me in the right direction.
    "...I would like to thank all the dear and dedicated people at A.R.E. whose hard work has made available the information for us who see the tremendous value in the readings. Every file sent for was to help someone and to find what I have."

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation