Gerson reactions are a sign that all is well

As a recovered Gerson patient with long experience of coffee enemas, I wish to correct the misinformation contained in your description of the Gerson therapy (Alternative treatments for bowel cancer, vol 10 no 4).

The flu like symptoms, diarrhoea and vomiting only occur during flare ups or healing crises and are, in fact, a favourable sign of intense detoxification.

Coffee enemas, if used correctly, do not cause colitis, infections or any other problems. Patients undertaking the therapy are either trained in enema techniques by a Gerson practitioner or learn them from Dr Gerson's book. The British Gerson Support Group has published its own Little Enema Book to promote good practice.

As for the myth about people dying from coffee enemas, a grand total of two such cases was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (vol 222, no 14) in 1980. Both subjects had been seriously ill before starting to take coffee enemas. One had metastasised cancer throughout her body; the other took a horrendous number of enemas, enough to kill an elephant.

"We are unaware of any other deaths attributed to this treatment", the two medical authors of the report conclude. Beata Bishop, London......