Ellen White View: When and How to use Drugs
[Sharing this article to understand Ellen White View on Drugs and When and How to use]
Ellen G. White Question and Answer File, No. 34-B-2, Dr. S.P.S. Edwards letter to F.D. Nichol, November 24, 1957, as quoted in Review and Herald, July 7, 1983
Elder F.D. Nichol
Editor of Review and Herald,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Brother:
I have just read the second article on the "Use of Drugs" as printed in the review of November 21. As I read the statements in regard to the use of QUININE, the following story came to me, and I decided to send it to you as it might help someone.
From 1904 to 1909 I was Medical Superintendent of the Tri-City Sanitarium at Moline, Illinois. Being located on the Mississippi River there were many cases of malaria. Because of Sister White's statement about the use of QUININE, I refuse to use it myself or give it to patients. With physiotherapy we were able to control the symptoms of malaria, But could not cure it. Most of those living along the river took QUININE daily as they ate their breakfast. The QUININE, in the doses usually taken, did no more for the patients than our physiotherapy treatments did. It was palliative only. Several of our doctors discussed the matter and decided that if one or two large doses of QUININE were given so as to saturate the blood, we could destroy the parasites in the blood and cure the disease. I tried it on a severe case of Tirtian Malaria. The Patient was given 20 grains of QUININE the night before his chill was due, and he was put to bed with cold to his head. The next morning, two hours before time for the chill, he was given the same dose and immediately put in a continuous hot bath, and kept there till two hours after time for the chill. He did not have a chill then nor after, and his blood showed no signs of parasites. The hot bath caused him to sweat the QUININE out of the system so he had no bad after symptoms from the QUININE. This was repeated in many cases and never a failure.
Sister White Visited the Sanitarium sometime after this experience, and in course of our visits, i told her of my use of QUININE. She Said in substance: "This is different from what I refer to in my Testimonies. Like using Ether of CHLOROFORM for surgery, you use one or two doses to kill the cause and do not continue to dose the patient day after day as is done in so many places. It is the repeated drugging that I have condemned."
In 1901, I was at the St. Helena Sanitarium. One day W.C. White came to my room and handing me a letter said that Mother had received this letter and which me to answer it, telling the story I told her at Moline about the use of QUININE. The letter was from Elder J. E. Fulton in the South Sea Islands. He stated that workers and members were dying of malaria. Because of the statements in the Testimonies, they were not taking QUININE, and the hydrotherapy treatments were only palliative. "Tell us what to do." In my answer, I told the Moline story and gave advice as to after treatment. I took the letter to Sister white and, after reading my answer, she took her pen and wrote a P.S. across the bottom of my letter as follows: "If QUININE will save a life, use QUININE. Ellen G. White." The letter was sent at once.
Fifteen years after that, I met Elder Fulton at a camp meeting in California, and he handed me a much-worn envelope. On opening it, i found my letter of 1901 with P.S. by Sister White. Said Elder Fulton," That letter has been my constant companion and has saved many lives."
So far as I know this has never been told publicly. I have told it to those who have saught advice about drugs and their use, mostly doctors. I think that the copy without the P.S. is in the files at the vault. I am glad to see the statement about use of DRUGS. Excuse mistakes as an old man is sure to make them.
God Bless you in your ministry,
(Signed) S.P.S Edwards, M.D.
[Courtesy: "All About Herbs, Charcoal, Medications, and Drugs A Spirit of Prophecy Compilations" by Dr. Vernon Sparks, M.D. p.172]