12/09/43 Letter: "(1) I am now an old man, and possibly
nothing can be done for me, but I feel that I have a fairly
good frame on which to work to enable to live a few years
longer to see the end of this awful world war and the ensuing
peace, which may possibly be even worse... As stated in my
application for membership, I am 79 years old and feel it,
even though I do not have a wrinkle in my face. I have
little physical strength, and quickly tire. I can walk at
a fair gait, 6 to 8 blocks, going and coming, although once
in a while I have to stop and rest a few moments to sort of
catch my wind. I carry a cane, although I really do not need
it, but got into the habit after having an accident in Mexico
some years ago. (2) My blood pressure remains all the time
between 132 and 135 over 80, my pulse is normal generally,
but goes up considerably after a little exercise, also when
climbing one flight of stairs, which seems to be my limit.
(3) Have been having for several days 1/2 gramme of albumen
in the urine in one litre. I make the tests myself,
volumetrically, according to the Esbach formula, which is
quite exact for small quantities. The tensity, color and
odor of the urine are normal, as well as its being very
transparent. Of course, there may be other abnormal elements
in it I do not know of, as the test is only for the albumen.
For years there has always been a trace of this, but lately
it has increased to 1/2 gramme per litre, which has alarmed
me a little. (4) Have had a slight attack of coronary
thrombosis with slight attacks also of the accompanying pain,
angina pectoris, but have suffered from this every few years
for 25 years, but the doctors drive it away for a few years.
Am taking now Methanthin Compound tablets, made here, and
which seem to be almost a specific for this heart trouble,
being prescribed by a large number of doctors here. (5) My
worst trouble is what I call bronchitis, being quantity of
mucus which accumulates in the bronchial tubes, and which at
times is difficult to get rid of. Have suffered from this
for about 15 years, and none of the many doctors I have had
seem to be able to do anything for it. For a number of years
at the beginning, almost every time I tried to expectorate
the mucus seemed to be stopped in the larynx, closing the
valve and each time I felt sure I was choking to death, but
I never did, it finally became loosened and the mucus was
expelled. This continued until about 9 years ago, when a
doctor here prescribed Ammonium Chloride tablets, which I
have been taking 4 every day ever since, and I am able to
worry along quite well. But the doctors cannot tell me
what is the matter with me. They have experimented with
me, trying everything they knew, but without results. The
Ammonium Chloride loosens the mucus well. (6) In June of
last year I had a slight stroke, talked foolishly to the
women members of my family, telling them chemical formulae
and other foolishness, my hands trembled tremendously and
they phoned for the doctor, who came in a few minutes, gave
me some hypo shots and had a bed brought down from upstairs,
and had me given an alcohol rub and put me to bed and ordered
my grown daughter to sleep downstairs to look after me during
the night. The doctor kept coming for a few days and then
didn't come any more and in about a month I was about as well
as ever and he told me that doctors knew almost nothing about
these brain diseases, and he said I had one of them and it
was probably congestion of blood on the brain. (9) Have
lived in the tropics for 42 years, 7 years of which were in
Colombia, where I had yellow fever, and arrived at the black
vomit stage, and was told that not one in a thousand recovers
from the disease after that; I possibly recovered because I
had only an amateur doctor, all the other foreigners attacked
succumbed, but no natives. Also had dysentery and malaria
at times. Then I went to Mexico, where I lived for 35 years.
While there about 1905, had a bad attack of appendicitis, had
a splendid doctor, a Swiss, who told me I should be operated
on and have the appendix removed, I could feel it in my right
groin, it felt as large as a small corn cob and quite hard.
Asked him what would happen if it was not removed, and he
told me that possibly it might dry up and give me no trouble,
or else it might return in another year, when the operation
would be really dangerous. I took the chance and it never
gave me any more trouble. While in Mexico, spent most of
my time traveling all over the tropical part of the country,
doing engineering construction work, and for 18 years was
employed as manager of one of the largest sugar estates in
the country. Retired from active work in 1934 and have been
living home ever since. (10) Have been feeling for several
months now that I am slipping, and getting more feeble a
little, all of the time, but that the hour for my passing has
not arrived, if the proper measures could be applied to keep
me on this earth, which measures the doctors do not seem to
be able to apply... (11) Should you decide that my ailments
are due to old age only and there is nothing that can be done
for me, do not hesitate to tell me so... (12)...While this
doctor was ill, I have been prescribing for myself, using old
doctor's prescriptions, of which I nearly always keep copies,
and the doctor told me today that my condition was apparently
good. My blood pressure today was as usual 132, so I
apparently do not have any hardening of the arteries. This
is the blood pressure of a young man. (13) I cannot any more
run to catch a street car and do not try, I get out of breath
immediately and cannot climb any hills, however small nor
more than one flight of stairs, my heart and lungs go back on
me. About a year ago, I used to walk home from the doctor's
office, 1 1/4 miles without any difficulty, cannot do it
now. (14) I neglected to mention that each of the Methanthin
Compound tablets of which I take only 1 each day, contains
5 grains of Theobromine and 1/4 grain of Pheno-Barbital,
1 being a diuretic and the other a vasodilator, and it is
about the only thing that keeps me going. (15) Neglected to
mention that my weight remains stationary at 140 pounds, and
am a small eater and eat no fattening food as fat collects
around my heart, have a good appetite while I eat and sleep
well during the night and also doctors told me to take a
2-hour nap every afternoon. Have a curved spine, was born
with it, doctors have told me that it comes from my mother
who died of tuberculosis when I was 21 years of age. Haven't
a natural tooth in my head, but kept them until I was 63
years old."
12/19/43 Letter: "...My elimination has been bad for
about 15 years, and have had to take laxatives and sometimes
cathartics, which condition I ascribe to my being such a
small eater... But, for quite a number of years I have
avoided laxatives containing drugs, considering them
injurious, taking only Petrolagar... which seems to give
me attacks of migraine but without any headache or other
symptoms. Then I change off to another remedy called, I
believed Askara, also inert...then again taking L/D Lax,
also inert... I stop these for a few days, but each time the
condition returns...sometimes, but quite seldom take some
Carlsbad Sprudel salts, as I imagine this moves the liver
somewhat. Have been using tobacco for about 40 years, in the
shape of chewing tobacco, have tried to stop it as it is a
disgusting habit, and have mentioned the fact to my doctors
who have told me to keep on chewing it for another 40
years... About twice a week I take some whiskey in the shape
of a cocktail or highball, or an old-fashioned, my present
doctor told me it was good for me, but I am not so sure it
is, at any rate it seems to pep me up a little. My sight
seems to be failing slowly, have to use a reading-glass to
read fine print, but can read ordinary newsprint easily.
With my glasses I have bad astigmatism when looking far
away...can read better without my glasses than with them. My
hearing is also bad, except when people are close to me...
My optometrist told me a few years ago, that I was threatened
with a cataract in one eye... Yesterday I imagined I was due
for another stroke, worse than I had last June a year ago..."
1/01/44 Letter: "...Shall endeavor to be relaxed and in the
frame of mind indicated... I must state however, that I may
not be on this earth at the time mentioned, as I have an
inner feeling that I am slipping a little more every week..."
5/17 and
5/19/44 Letters with questions submitted in
addition to those at end of 5233-1: "(1) When my time comes
to pass on will it be suddenly or will I have to undergo
much suffering? (2) Can you cure Angina Pectoris completely?
(3) My sexual power is waning considerably, can anything be
prescribed for this condition? (4) Can you prescribe a cure
for what I call Neuritis, which manifests itself on the right
side of my face, shortly after arising in the morning and
then, only when washing my face...? (5) This Neuritis
extends from my right ear along the upper jaw, almost to
my nose. I haven't a tooth of my own...and haven't had for
16 years... Kindly pardon my volubility in writing you so
extensively, but my faith in your readings is immense, and
the results for me are of supreme importance... I have
spoken to my M.D. about the approaching reading and asked him
if he would follow its directions to the letter. He replied
that if its directions were antagonistic to his medical
knowledge and he followed them, he would accept no
responsibility. So I have thought that you might know of
some reputable M.D., D.O., or D.C., somewhere near here..."
6/06/44 Letter: "I really regret bothering you with another
letter, but due to a change in my rheumatism, I thought it
best to advise you... The fear of arthritis is ever present
with me, as about a year ago, a wealthy lady relative of
mine...passed away..."
REPORTS
7/01/44 Letter: "...This reading was much appreciated by
me, as it was also by my family doctor, Dr. F. M. Farnham,
M.D., of ..., to whom I gave a copy of it. He remarked on
reading his copy, that he must take off his hat to Mr. Cayce,
as he finds his reading agrees with his opinion on my
condition at the present time, although he does not think it
necessary to follow all the instructions given, literally,
but when I start to follow said instructions, I hope to be
able to do so to the letter... And now regarding Mr. Cayce's
reading: It is true that I take but little physical
exercise... As to eliminations: I always have one every
single day, in a few minutes after arising and generally take
no medical laxatives at all, but do try to promote them by
natural means, such as taking some Kellogg's All Bran... The
stools are generally quite hard, but they are very regular...
Once in a great while...I take a dose of Carlsbad Sprudel
Salt, and in 1/2 hour the difficulty is over... As to the
irrigation of the alimentary canal...kindly tell me if the
total amount of water to be used will be one gallon or 4
quarts, plus the quart and a half for rinsing. This seems to
be a large amount, as the largest enema I have ever taken has
been not more than 2 quarts. And now as to the sweats and
massages. I have never taken a sweat in my life... I
suppose I can find places to get sweats... And as to the
massage, there are different kinds also, and I would ask you
how many of these should be taken... And then the last
paragraph of your reading...in my present financial
condition, I can hardly be expected to have a thing to give
to the needy, although I really like all kinds of people,
especially the ones called generally, the 'under dogs', and
meet every one with a smile and pleasant words, which is the
most I have to give them now. Then the reading's statement
that 'unless you have something to give, what right have you
to be in the way of others?' rather sounds as though it
might have been uttered by one of those few savage tribes,
who kill off their old people when they become too aged to be
of any further service to themselves or to anyone else, but I
cannot believe it was meant in that sense..."
7/23/44 Letter: "...My heart has been giving me some
little trouble...cardiographs show that my heart muscles
are weakened... My doctor prescribed for me a small dose
of digitalis derivative, once a day, and told me to keep on
taking 2 tablets a day of the Methanthin tablets, each one
of which contains 5 grains of Theobromine and 1/4 grain of
Phenobarbital. Since following this treatment I have had no
more angina pectoris pains... Then my other physician, who
is 73 years of age, and with quite a psychic sense, told
me that I could not take the sweats, as they are very
debilitating and hard on the heart... But as soon as I
can get around to it, I am going to take the treatments you
recommended... Not that I am desirous of living to a hoary
old age, and I am hardly desirous of living much longer any
how, since my wife has gone before me..."
9/09/44 Letter: "...My great difficulty is with my
doctor, an M.D., who is also a D.C., who says I do not need
any of the therapy treatments you recommended, but I am going
to take them as soon as I can get around to them..."
10/07/46 Letter: "...I have not followed all of the
instructions of the reading, as I have found a great
opposition from all physicians to following same, as they
preferred to follow their own systems, some of them being
regular M.D.'s and others D.C.'s, so I abandoned all of
them as useless to me..."
9/26/49 Questionnaire returned marked "Deceased".
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation