Preventing deaths from influenza

Other measures can also be helpful in providing protectin from the flu

Death from influenza is always tragic. But it is particularly so when it occurs at a young age. This year an increasing number of influenza cases is being seen in emergency centres. And, as usual, thousands of North Americans will die from this seasonal disease.

But, are some dying needlessly? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. reports that, for the first time in 13 years, every state reports an increase in influenza caused by an aggressive virus.

Authorities stress that the best way to decrease the number of cases of influenza and deaths has always been to get a flu shot. Dr. Shobhit Maruti, officer of Health in Edmonton where deaths have occurred, stresses, “It’s never too late to be immunized as in 2018 this decreased the number of cases of influenza by 42 per cent”.

But, history has shown that, although being vaccinated against influenza can prevent or decrease the severity, it is not always totally protective. So what other preventive measures are available?

I have a high respect for viral killers, as one nearly ended my career as a surgeon. In 1950, in my final year at the Harvard Medical School, I developed poliomyelitis. I was in one of the great medical centres in the U.S. But, in the next 24 hours doctors could not stop my legs and abdominal muscles from being totally paralyzed.

How ironic that, if I’d been in a small town in North Carolina and treated by a family doctor, my paralysis could have been prevented. Equally ironic, none of my learned professors were aware of the doctor’s huge discovery.

Dr. Frederick R. Klenner was not a trained virologist. However, he was working in a ward of 60 polio patients. He decided to treat them with high doses of vitamin C for 10 days. Not one of the 60 patient developed paralysis.

This discovery was reported in the journal, “Southern Medicine and Surgery”, in February 1948. It’s appalling that it did not make headlines in the world’s newspapers or other medical journals. In fact, it fell on deaf ears, and even now is still largely unknown by doctors.

In addition, Klenner later proved high doses of C could cure other viral diseases, such as

pneumonia, encephalitis, meningitis, measles and chicken pox. .

Klenner’s research showed that in addition to an annual flu shot, vitamin C provides extra protection, particularly if you’ve been taking 4,000 milligrams (mgs) of C daily, long before influenza strikes. This keeps immune cells full of C to immediately fight the virus. So never forget the importance of this reservoir of C as infection immediately increases the need for more C.

Klenner’s message to doctors was simple. If a serious infection strikes, but the cause is unknown, doctors should prescribe large doses of C while they’re pondering the diagnosis. And just as small doses of painkillers will not stop cancer pain, neither will small doses of C stop viral diseases.

Ideally, for critical viral diseases, Klenner prescribed as much as 25,000 milligrams of intravenous vitamin C daily. But, this is easier said than done. He also used intramuscular injections and oral tablets. But this means swallowing large numbers of pills.

I’ve urged my family to never treat themselves if the flu virus strikes but before medical attention is available, to start taking 2,000 mg of Medi-C Plus or any other powdered brand of vitamin C, every two hours until loose stools occur. It could make the difference between life and death. These brands are available in health food stores.

My advice to readers is the same – and to get a second opinion.

So, go to the internet and type in “Dr. F. R. Klenner and Vitamin C”. Dr. Andrew Saul, an international expert on vitamins, has an excellent article about Klenner who should have received the Nobel Prize for his research. It’s tragic that many doctors remain unaware of his discoveries that could save lives.

Dr. W. Gifford-Jones is a syndicated columnist whose medical column appears in The Guardian every Tuesday. Check out his website, www.docgiff.com, which provides easy access to past columns and medical tips. For comments, readers are invited to email him at info@docgiff.com. He can also be found on Twitter @GiffordJonesMD.