FEVER

NATURE'S OWN
HEALING PROCESS
(The Role of Heat in Nature Cure)

by

KENNETH S. JAFFREY

3rd Edition. Revised and Enlarged.

 FEVER
NATURE'S

OWN

HEALING

PROCESS

(The Role of Heat in Nature Cure)

By

KENNETH S. JAFFREY

3rd Edition. Revised and Enlarged.

Published by
KENNETH S.JAFFREY
9 Mandalay Avenue
Nelly Bay, Qld. 4819
Australia

2
 3rd Edition Revised and Enlarged.

No. 10 of a Series.

Copyright 1984.

This book is copyright. No part may be published without permission of the publisher.

STATEMENT BY THE PUBLISHER

The opinions expressed in this book are based on the naturopathic philosophy of health and do
not coincide with currently-accepted medical theories on health and healing. The publisher
does not claim that any advice given represents a "cure" for disease.

Printed by Prestige Litho, Morehead Street, South Townsville 2

3
 CONTENTS
PREFACE ........................................................ Page 5

THE PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE CURE .................. Page 8

FEVER, NATURE'S OWN HEALING PROCESS? ........ Page 12

THE HUMAN THERMOSTAT ............................... Page 15

MORE ABOUT FEVER ........................................ Page 17

NATURAL HEALING ......................................... Page 21

HOW DOES ILLNESS ARISE? ............................... Page 24

A PEEP INTO THE PAST ..................................... Page 25

IN CONCLUSION ............................................... Page 30

GLOSSARY ....................................................... Page 31

REFERENCES ................................................... Page 33

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 PREFACE

Why would a naturopath bother to write a book dealing with fever? Is it

necessary to know whether a fever is a disease process or a healing
process? I believe it is. I believe there is an urgent need for members of
the public, as well as practitioners, to be aware of the facts surrounding
the phenomenon of fever. I believe it is time that everybody was made
aware of the fact that fever is not a disease per se, but a normal natural
healing process. When this basic fact is understood, then the correct
management of a fever will be readily understood and its benefits
enjoyed.
It is known that about 400 articles dealing with various aspects of fever
have appeared in the English language in scientific and medical journals
over the past 100 years. It is possible that as many articles have been
written in languages which we do not have ready access to. Chapters
devoted to heat and fever have also been included in every textbook
devoted to human physiology and pathology. It is evident that the
subject has been analyzed and discussed at length. The literature
dealing with fever is voluminous, even though the average person knows
nothing whatever about it and it is apparent that very few practitioners
have given it more than a passing thought.
As has been observed so often, fever is generally believed to be a
"dramatic manifestation of disease". Fever is regarded in some cases as
a symptom of disease, and in others it is dignified by the title of a fully
developed disease worthy of its own name such as Typhoid fever,
Yellow fever, Scarlet fever, Malaria, etc.
How is it then that with such close study, experiment and research, so
little is understood about fever? I am not much concerned about the
misunderstanding of fever by the medical profession. Even though, as I
will show later, some illustrious medical authorities have not only
doubted the pathological nature of fever, but have even postulated a
beneficial role, the average medical practitioner still regards a fever as
an unfavourable symptom or a potentially dangerous disease. I regret to
admit that many natural health practitioners, herbalists, homeopaths,
chiropractors and osteopaths also misunderstand the true role of fever,
and attempt to abort it or at least to reduce its intensity to what they
regard as a "safe" level. This attitude is completely at variance with the
philosophy of natural healing.
Many natural health practitioners see a febrile disease as being
something which is inconvenient, painful and potentially harmful. This
approach is wrong. A fever may be inconvenient, it may be painful, but it

5
is definitely not harmful. To the contrary, fever, if correctly managed, is
the greatest boon ever conferred upon suffering humanity.
The difficulty would seem to be that most people, including practitioners,
do not know what a fever is. They take it for granted that some people
develop a fever, but they do not understand WHY some sick people
develop a fever and they do not understand why normal people do not
have a fever.
They do not understand what a fever does and how it produces its
affects.
This book sets out to explain what a fever is, how it develops and what it
does.
In the past, attempts were made to employ fever which had been
artificially induced. In 1897 Dr. Coley treated various forms of cancer by
injecting the patient with Spirococcus sp. thus producing a fever. In 1927
attempts were made to treat neurosyphilis by inoculating patients with
malaria. Various experimenters tried to cure venereal disease and
tumours by deliberately inducing a fever. Some scientists have treated
lizards, goats, rabbits and fishes by means of artificially-induced fevers
but without convincing their colleagues of its value as a curative agent.
In recent years, artificial fever has been induced by means of diathermy,
short-wave and micro-wave electrical devices, vapour baths and hot-air
baths. Unfortunately, those carrying out these experiments have failed to
realize that fever cannot be used as an adjunct to other therapies. The
practitioners have, without exception, allowed patients to continue with
their unhygienic life-styles which had caused the disease in the first
place. No effort is made to remove the cause of the disease and little
effort is made to provide the normal biological requirements of the body.
And finally, no effort is made to provide the physiological rest which is so
essential if the feverish process is to proceed to its normal conclusion -
the restoration to health of the patient.
FEVER! An awesome word. Is it a morbid condition, fraught with danger,
or is it, as I claim, a beneficial healing agent?
The very mention of the word fever can strike terror into the heart of the
strongest man or woman, conjuring up visions of serious illness, pain-
racked days, restless and sleepless nights, prostration, delirium, profuse
perspiration and even death. Fever is one of our most dramatic diseases
because its symptoms are so readily observed, yet - as I shall try to
prove so grossly misunderstood.
Physicians from Hippocrates to the present day have studied fever, yet
most of the theses I have read seem to end with a question mark.

6
Questions such as: Can fever heal? Does fever serve some useful
purpose? Is it beneficial? Why and how does fever develop? What
controls our temperature? Is fever only a symptom of disease? Is fever
not a foe or enemy but a friend? Is fever really an aberration, a deviation
from normal or a disordered state of the body? Is fever something to be
reduced, stopped, suppressed, aborted or "cured"?
Your response to these questions will depend largely upon your
philosophy of health and healing, and what you have been taught from
early childhood.
I hope to show that the customary view of fever is tragically wrong.
Instead of regarding fever as a potential killer, we should try to
understand its true nature, its meaning and its function. If we can do this
we will not only lose our morbid fear of fever but will accept it simply as
part of the phenomena of life. Fever should not be regarded as a
harbinger of death, but as an integral part of the biological process of
healing.
Let us investigate how the human body controls its temperature, how it
raises it to fever pitch when the occasion warrants it. Let us try to find
the mysterious mechanism which maintains the human temperature at
the optimal level of 37 degrees Celsius.
I would like my readers to regard this book as a companion to my former
publication "THE CAUSE OF DISEASE" 1. The two are inextricably
interlocked for in order to fully appreciate the rationale of fever it is
necessary to understand the primary cause of disease. A
misunderstanding of the true cause of disease can lead to wrong
conclusions and erroneous practices based on a wrong approach to
treatment.
The reader must be prepared for a shock. However, it will be a shock
which will, I hope, be of benefit. On that provocative note I invite you to
read on. This is not the first time I have spoken on fever. This third
edition of my book represents a complete revision and enlargement of
the first edition which appeared in 1977.
Because this book is not intended solely for practitioners, but for every
member of the human race, it is written in the vernacular. The language
used will be simple and easily understood. I will avoid using technical
language as far as possible. Where a technical term is used it will be
explained fully.
In order to understand the role of fever in natural healing we must know
something about Nature Cure. As my discussion of fever and its role in
healing is based upon the Nature Cure system of healing it will be

7
necessary to preface my examination of fever with a brief statement of
the philosophy of Nature Cure.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE CURE

All over the world there are individuals and societies devoted to the
promotion of the principles of natural health. They teach that the way to
achieve and maintain good health is by living in accordance with natural
law and rejecting everything unnatural and harmful in the environment.
Natural health is divided into two separate but related subjects - Natural
Living and Natural Healing.
What is Natural Living? Natural Living covers everything in our lifestyle
which makes for good health such as nutritious foods selected for their
suitability quality and freshness, ample vigorous exercise alternating with
relaxation, rhythmic diaphragmatic breathing of pure unpolluted air,
exposure of the skin to direct sunlight, hygienic personal habits which
ensure cleanliness, and the adoption of a state of mental poise based
upon confident, positive and constructive thoughts. These are the main
factors which constitute a natural life-style.
What is Natural Healing? Natural Healing covers the means whereby
those unfortunates who have neglected their health to such an extent
that they are suffering from ill-health, may be able to restore themselves
to normal good health by the employment of a system known as Nature
Cure.
It is unfortunately true that there is a great deal of misconception as to
what Natural Healing actually is. Parallel with the growth of interest in
Natural Healing there has developed what has been called "Alternative
Medicine". Misconception has grown to such a degree that many people
(including some practitioners themselves) seem to believe that the two
systems of healing are identical. Today, we find many practitioners who,
while adopting the title of Naturopath, are employing drugs, medicines
and occult devices which bear no relation to a natural system of healing.
It appears that many people are under the mistaken impression that
herbal extracts, vitamin pills, mineral tablets, empty boxes and electrical
devices of all kinds may be employed as aids to natural healing. In
recent years it has become the custom to assume that any treatment
which has not received the sanction and blessing of orthodox medical
science must necessarily be a natural one. This is not so. Natural
Healing is quite unlike any other system of healing in every way. It is
diametrically opposite to all remedial systems.

8
The art and science of Natural Healing (variously called Nature Cure,
Naturopathy, Natural Hygiene and Natural Therapy) is based upon three
fundamental principles :
1. Every disease is produced by a cause. The first essential for the
treatment of any disease is to remove the cause.
2. Every living organism has certain minimum essential needs. These
needs, which are the normal requirements of the organism, must
be met in disease as well as in health.
3. Every living organism needs periodic rest in order to enable it to
recuperate after its normal activities. Extra rest is needed after the
organism has been injured or becomes ill, in order to conserve
vital energy.
This is the basis of all healing. Healing depends upon the removal of
causes, provision of the body's biological needs, and conservation of
energy.
It must be obvious to all thinking people that not a single phenomenon
occurs without a cause. Phenomena do not happen "by themselves".
Whatever happens is produced by something which preceded it. Nothing
arises from nothing. Every phenomenon or happening has its own
source which produces it. This is called its CAUSE. A cause is therefore
something which produces an effect or result. It is something which
brings forth other phenomena. That which arises or comes about as a
result of a cause acting is called an EFFECT or action. The effect always
comes about as a result or consequence of the operation of a cause.
We can state this more accurately by saying that there is a cause-and-
effect relationship existing throughout all of Nature which shows that a
phenomenon, called a cause, invariably produces another phenomenon
called an effect, and this is called the Relation of Cause and Effect.
Every organism (including man) is built to operate efficiently from birth to
death. This is called HEALTH. When the organism fails to function
normally we call this DISEASE.
There is always a cause behind every disease. No disease ever arose
by itself. Something always caused it. The causes of disease are known.
Diseases are caused by accidents or by the operation of something
adverse in the life-style or environment.
A good life-style is one in which all the body's normal needs are met. A
faulty life-style is one in which one or more of the body's needs is
missing or impaired. For instance, one of the essential needs of man is
suitable food. If the food is unsuitable or deficient in quantity, disease

9
can result. Lack of food and unsuitable food are therefore potential
causes of disease.
When disease is present, the sensible procedure is to remove the
cause, to restore the body to its normal condition, to supply its normal
needs and to provide sufficient rest to enable it to conserve and utilize its
vital energy. If we do these things we will ensure natural healing.
The human organism is a self-healing one. It will heal itself if these rules
are obeyed, providing that the injury has not been serious enough to
prevent healing. If the human body is a self-healing mechanism, it
follows that no medicines or remedies of any kind are needed. The use
of remedies is contra-indicated, useless, a waste of time, effort and
money.
It can be proved beyond all doubt that the human body IS self-healing
providing some simple rules are followed. To remove the cause of
disease seems so logical as to be beyond argument. To supply all of the
body's needs is also so logical as to be obvious. That leaves us only with
the question of the third essential of healing-rest. The need for rest may
not seem quite so obvious as the need for the removal of the cause of
disease or the provision of the body's normal biological requirements.
They are self-evident, but the need for rest probably merits a little
explanation.
As far back as the eighteenth century, the great scientist M. V.
Lomonosov, formulated what he called the Law of Conservation of
Substance or Matter. Today, we would expand that title to the Law of
Conservation and Transformation of Energy and Matter. Lomonosov
concluded that not a single element in nature came into being from
nothing and it cannot disappear without leaving a trace. Matter can only
be converted into other forms of matter. It is a well-known fact that
energy also cannot be created or destroyed. Energy is merely converted
from one form into another. Mechanical energy can be converted into
heat. The heat in coal or oil can be converted into electricity. Electricity
can be converted into mechanical power, light, heat and sound.
When it is necessary for the human body to heal itself it makes use of
heat. This heat is derived from the nutrients we consume by way of food,
air, water and sunlight. When the human body employs heat in order to
heal itself we call this an Acute Disease or Healing Crisis. At this time,
the body temperature rises above normal and we say that we have a
Fever.
It has been found that the most effective way to assist the organism to
heal itself is to rest the organism physically, mentally and physiologically.
Physical rest means the minimal use of the muscles and organs. Mental

10
rest means the assumption of a state of equanimity or mental poise.
Physiological rest means to rest the digestive organs. We do this by
withholding all food except water, air and sunlight.
The reasoning behind the withholding of food is that digestion of food is
a very complicated process involving the expenditure of large amounts
of energy. If this energy is conserved, it can be diverted from the
digestive organs to other areas where it is needed. When we withhold
food, provide physical, mental and physiological rest, this process is
called Fasting.
The way to assist the organism to heal itself quickly and efficiently is to:
1. Remove the cause of disease.
2. Provide all of the body's normal essential needs.
3. Provide physical, mental and physiological rest.
These are the grand, incontrovertible truths of Natural Healing. The
living organism heals itself under these favourable conditions. Special
food supplements, drugs, pills, tablets, herbal remedies and similar
devices are unnecessary, useless and unscientific. They are properly
classified as "adternative medicine". They have no part in the science of
Natural Healing.
We can see that only those treatments which bear some relation to the
living organism are "natural". Only those treatments which remove the
cause of disease, supply some of the body's normal biological
requirements, and provide physical, mental and physiological rest can
be classified as "natural".
Having defined Nature Cure, it might now be appropriate to also define
the practitioner who is called a Naturopath. I prefer the definition which
sees the Naturopath as an ADJUSTER of human beings. The true
Naturopath seeks to adjust the structure, life-style and environment of
his patients. The Naturopath manually adjusts the structure to remove
any abnormalities that may be present and to restore normal relations
between all parts of the body. He may employ the techniques of
Osteopathy and Chiropractic. The Naturopath also mentally adjusts his
patient. By counselling on nutrition, exercise, relaxation, hygiene, mental
attitudes and environmental factors, the Naturopath seeks to remove or
modify any unfavourable influences. He also prescribes physiological
rest when necessary.
When essential factors are normal, the human organism heals itself
automatically. That is Nature Cure.

11
 FEVER
Nature's own Healing Process ?
Do I seriously expect my readers to believe this heading? Maybe not at
first sight, but I sincerely hope to be able to convince you that the much
maligned fever is not only NOT dangerous, but distinctly beneficial.
Beneficial? Surely not? Yes, a fever is not something to be feared and
suppressed at all costs but a useful process to be intelligently
understood, encouraged and carefully managed. Fever is Nature's own
method of healing. Fever only becomes potentially dangerous when
wrongly managed.
From earliest times man has sought to assuage his pain, reduce his
fever, remove impairments, restore normal functioning of his body and to
regain his pristine condition of radiant health. He was often totally
ignorant of the true causes of his illness, consequently in his ignorance
he was not able to reason intelligently and take the appropriate action.
My booklet THE CAUSE OF DISEASE discusses most of the common
causes of disease and analyzes various theories of disease causation. I
commend this little volume because an understanding of the cause of
disease will enable the reader to better understand the healing process
exemplified by fever.
As this booklet is based upon the Nature Cure philosophy of health and
healing I propose to ignore the current orthodox medical theories of
disease causation such as those based on germs and viruses, and will
deal exclusively with the theory based on toxaemia being the primary
cause of disease.
Am I suggesting that there is another completely different way of looking
at disease, treating disease and enabling sick people to restore their lost
health? Am I suggesting that ALL of the current orthodox therapies are
useless and therefore to be rejected?
Am I perhaps suggesting that Fever has something to do with healing?
I will try to answer these questions by saying that in my opinion, there is
NO HEALING POWER in any of the many treatments which are in
common use today. The POWER TO HEAL does not reside in anything
outside the living body. I am saying that the POWER TO HEAL is an
integral function of every cell of the body.
A therapy, or healing agent, has value only in so far as it enables the
body to use its own inherent healing powers. The power to heal is an
inherent function of every living cell of every living organism. It is what is
known as a biological process. The living cell has the power to build

12
itself, repair itself and regulate itself. These powers may be influenced
by external forces or things, but they may not be initiated by them.
Nature Cure is based upon the natural laws of cell activity, nothing else.
Only those methods which encourage normal cell activity are acceptable
as natural healing agents. Nature Cure therefore, makes use only of the
forces of Nature. In Nature Cure there are no remedies of any kind.
I will attempt to set out concisely and accurately how the human body
keeps itelf in good health under normal conditions, how disease arises
and how the body restores itself to good health again.
Every individual cell in the living body has within its tiny structure the two
essential qualities of Nutrition and Drainage, commonly referred to as
Anabolism and Katabolism. Anabolism covers all of the processes which
utilize food and build cells. Katabolism covers all of the processes which
cleanse the tissues and remove unwanted materials. Katabolism
destroys cells. Working together in harmony the two actions combined
are called METABOLISM. Metabolism is therefore the secret of all
healing. Metabolism maintains life and is the healing power of nature.
Metabolism may be described as a complex series of processes which
consist of the absorption of nutrients (the chemical composition of which
is altered by digestion), following which this material is then assimilated
by the organism to build its cells, and finally, the residual wastes are
excreted together with the decomposed products derived from our
normal life processes.
Life is the mode of existence of protein bodies, the essential element of
which consists in continual metabolic interchange with the natural
environment around us.
Those who have studied natural healing will know what causes disease.
Toxaemia (an abnormal composition of blood and tissues) is the primary
cause of all disease. Other secondary or adventitious causes may also
be superimposed on this basic toxaemic condition, but toxaemia still
remains the primary cause of disease.
The restoration to health of a sick organism is to be achieved by
removing the primary cause of toxaemia, by removal of the secondary
causes of disease, by providing the normal biological requirements of
the organism and by providing the most favourable conditions for
recovery.
If we cease poisoning the organism, supply its normal biological
requirements and rest the organism, we will be doing what is necessary
to enable the body to heal itself and restore normal health.

13
To facilitate this process we need HEAT. Fever is simply another name
for heat.
What is heat? Francis Bacon, the English philosopher (1561-1626)
stated: - "Heat itself is motion and nothing else". Modern science now
accepts that the heat a human body contains is the kinetic energy or
motion of its molecules. When a body has no heat in it at all the
molecules have stopped moving. When the molecules move faster than
normal and the temperature rises above normal we call this condition
Fever. The term Fever is synonymous with Pyrexia, Hyperthermia, Acute
Disease or Healing Crisis. (The latter is a purely naturopathic term). The
term Healing Crisis should not be confused with the word Crisis which in
medical terminology means something different altogether, i.e. the
turning-point for better or worse in any disease, especially in fever. Our
interpretation of the term Healing Crisis is that it is curative by nature.
Heat causes an acceleration of cell activity. Cold or the withdrawal of
heat, diminishes cell activity.
Poikilothermal (cold blooded) animals do not possess a heat-regulatory
mechanism to maintain a constant temperature as do the Monothermal
(warm-blooded) animals. Snakes, ants, frogs, and other similar cold
blooded creatures become sluggish and often hibernate when the
temperature of their environment becomes cold. They become active
when the environment becomes warm. It has been noted that ants move
quickly when it is warm and more slowly when it is cold. It has even
been claimed that it is possible to roughly estimate the temperature by
measuring the speed of ants.
All poikilothermal animals are unable to regulate their temperature and
must become the same temperature as their surroundings. The word
Poikilothermal simply means "many heats".
Warm-blooded animals have the ability to regulate their body heat and
maintain a stable temperature.
The human being of all ages in all climates maintains a mean
temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Horses have a temperature of 38.1.
Cats, dogs and cattle have a temperature of 38.6. Pigs have a
temperature of 39.2, while goats and sheep have a temperature of 39.4.
Every warm-blooded animal has its own individual heat-level which it
needs to maintain if it is to enjoy good health. When the organism fails to
regulate its temperature efficiently and maintains an abnormally low or
abnormally high temperature (which it does on rare occasions) this
usually indicates that the Heat-regulatory mechanism has been injured
by physical trauma or chemical poisoning.

14
The body temperature is always maintained at 37 degrees Celsius and
at this temperature it is able to cope with most contingencies, but when
there is an emergency, that vital activity which we call Metabolism must
be increased. We can only do this by increasing the amount of heat
available. The body raises its temperature. How does it do this?

THE HUMAN THERMOSTAT

There is a tiny organ buried deeply in the brain called the Hypothalamus.
The importance of this organ can be judged by the fact that it is the best
protected part of the whole human body. If the temperature of our
environment falls below that at which the body cells can function
efficiently, the Hypothalamus detects the fault and at once goes into
action. It can stimulate a mechanism in the skin and also the thyroid
gland. If more blood is diverted to the skin it brings with it extra heat.
Blood can also be withdrawn from the skin. If the heat rises above that
desirable the Hypothalamus will note this change and take appropriate
action. When necessary the sweat glands in the skin are stimulated into
activity and they produce more perspiration. The water discharged on to
the surface of the skin causes mild refrigeration and the body cools
down. This heal-regulatory mechanism is working every minute of our
lives raising and lowering the temperature as required and maintaining a
heat-balance which ensures that cell activity will proceed at its most
optimal level. It is all under the control of the Hypothalamus.
The Hypothalamus could best be described as a human thermostat. It is
in fact only another piece of living tissue, but of course it is a very highly-
specialized piece of tissue. The mechanical thermostat is now a well-
known device because it is used in refrigerators, toasters, electric irons
and many other appliances in common use today. Its action is largely
taken for granted. The mechanical thermostat, as the name implies, is
used to maintain a predetermined temperature in an appliance. The
Hypothalamus is a much more sensitive device which can detect and
compensate for tiny variations in temperature in any part of the body.
Although the existence and location of the human thermostat has been
known for about one hundred years its discovery occurred by accident
when some German scientists accidentally damaged a section of the
brain in a laboratory animal.
How the Hypothalamus sensed and measured body temperature and
brought the heat control center into action long remained a mystery.
Research has taught us quite a lot about the process which prevents the

15
body from overheating. We know roughly how the body cools itself down
when it is over-heated. What is not so well understood is how the body
raises its temperature when it falls below the desired level and how it
raises the temperature when the well-being of the organism is under
threat.
A good hypothesis is that the Hypothalamus is stimulated into activity by
a chemical substance called a Pyrogen. A pyrogen is any substance or
influence which produces heat. It can be a poison taken accidentally or
one generated within the body by eating unsuitable foods. A pyrogen
can also be derived from waste products which have not been excreted,
and have been retained in the body tissues. These poisons, called
toxins, are the cause of toxaemia, which as we know, is the primary
cause of disease.
The pyrogens are very irritant substances and their effect on the
Hypothalamus is to provoke it into taking defensive action. The result is
what we call a Healing Crisis or Fever. That, at least, is one hypothesis.
Heat acts as a catalyst which causes solid materials to soften and
liquefy. When liquefied, the toxins can pass easily into the bloodstream,
where they are transported to the eliminative organs, the kidneys, skin
and lungs, and thus out of the body. When the toxic level has been
reduced to the point of tolerance, the irritation of the Hypothalamus
ceases and it restores the body to its normal temperature. That briefly is
what I believe takes place when the human organism makes a special
effort to heal itself by means of a fever.
It is well-known that the human body is daily dealing efficiently with
minor injuries such as contusions, burns and cuts. The normal metabolic
activity copes with these things without having to induce a fever. It is
only when the toxaemic level is too high and the well-being of the
organism is unduly threatened that the healing crisis is invoked.
It will be seen that if what I have said is true, the healing crisis (alias
fever or acute disease) is the central point of Nature Cure. The healing
crisis is something to be recognised and anticipated. It should not be
suppressed, aborted or "cured" by employing drugs or any other kind of
treatment which reduces the fever without removing the cause.

16
 MORE ABOUT FEVER

For all practical purposes it does not matter whether the hypothesis I
have just put forward is correct or not. What is important is that there IS
a thermo-regulatory mechanism which senses the need for an elevation
of body temperature and which is then able to initiate the processes
which cause a fever to occur.
There are many kinds of fever, such as Ephemeral fever, Typhus.
Yellow fever, Smallpox, Measles, Scarlet fever, Erysipelas, Malaria and
the Plague. Each type of fever presents a peculiar group of symptoms
which differentiates one type of fever from another. But, for the purposes
of our discussion one fever is very much like another, the causes are
similar, their role is the same and the treatment is identical.
If fever is Nature's method of healing, does it follow that ALL diseases,
under all conditions, may be cured by employing heat ? Certainly not.
Although the human organism is wonderfully made and is extremely
adaptable, it cannot do the impossible. If the injuries sustained are too
extensive, and if the toxic level is too high, the organism may not be able
to heal itself. There is always a "point of no-return" in any disease,
beyond which the organism cannot proceed.
According to dictionary authorities FEVER is commonly described as :-
"A diseased or morbid state of the body characterized by increased heat,
accelerated pulse rate, deranged functions, diminished strength, often
agitation or restlessness, excessive thirst, excessive perspiration and
pain. There is also sometimes delirium and alternating periods of heat
and cold".
The term Fever covers all of the febrile diseases or acute diseases.
Fever is often technically called Pyrexia. Medical treatments for fever
frequently employ anti-pyretic drugs which lessen the heat in the body.
An anti-pyretic drug is one which has the ability to reduce the
temperature of the body. Anti-pyretics suffer from the same
objectionable qualities as all other drugs-they have side effects. This
means that they cause some degree of harm.
Is Fever a balm or healing agent, favourable to health and remedial in
action ? Naturopathic philosophy is based on this theory.
Is Fever a bane in that it is harmful, potentially dangerous and injurious
to health ? Medical philosophy holds that this is so.
However, the medical profession is not universally convinced that fever
is altogether harmful. There are doubts. A few medical men from time to

17
time have used fever therapy in their own particular fashion in an
attempt to cure certain diseases. Fever therapy is well-known although
not much used today. The artificial fever cure, often called
Thermotherapy, has been used on and off for many years for the
treatment of Venereal diseases, Cancer, Tuberculosis, St. Vitus's dance,
Meningitis, etc.
Marathon hot baths, Short-wave and Diathermy machines, Hot-air
cabinets have all been used. While the theory may sound plausible
enough and while results gained under Thermotherapy may be superior
to those gained under medical treatments the fact still remains that the
human organism is far more delicately balanced and capable of better
and safer fever induction than any machine. Whereas many patients
have been severely burned in these machines, nobody has ever been
harmed when a self-induced fever has been managed rationally.
Many drugs have been used to induce artificial fevers but they have now
been largely discarded in favour of hot-air baths, short-wave and
diathermy machines.
Artificial fevers can be dangerous and consequently their use is now
very limited.
If we are to study natural healing and the unique role played by Fever it
is necessary for us to know something about its main quality which is
heat. Heat is a quality of matter and force. Matter is a stable form of
energy. Heat is an unstable form of energy. Heat is matter in action. In
the dematerialization of matter it becomes heat. All living organisms
have vitality, that is, they are capable of life. They come into being, they
maintain and regulate themselves, they repair damage and finally they
reproduce themselves.
The vitality or life energy can most conveniently be measured by
measuring the amount of heat in the organism. Every living thing has its
own range of temperatures. There is a certain minimum temperature
below which the organism dies. There is a certain maximum temperature
above which the organism dies. There is thus a narrow range of
temperatures between which life can exist. I am not aware of any
research which has determined exactly what these limits are but it is
reasonably certain that the most favourable temperature for the human
body is 37 degrees Celsius. High temperatures of around 44 degrees
Celsius may cause brain damage. If the temperature drops below about
24 degrees Celsius the body mechanism loses its ability to regulate itself
and compensate for irregularities. Consequently we can say that human
life can only be sustained safely between 24 and 44 degrees Celsius.

18
An increased level of temperature above 37 degrees Celsius indicates
that the organism has instituted a Healing Crisis. As we saw previously
the expression Healing Crisis is a purely naturopathic one. Its equivalent
in medical phraseology is acute disease. The Healing Crisis or acute
disease is nature's method of healing. It may take the form of a cold,
influenza, a boil or other skin eruption. In fact, every acute disease, with
the suffix "itis" appended to it represents a Healing Crisis. Tonsillitis,
Colitis, Appendicitis, Laryngitis, Mastoiditis, Dermatitis, and Gastritis are
all examples of acute diseases or Healing Crises. The Healing Crisis is
the means whereby the body is able to heal wounds, repair injuries and
restore normal functioning of damaged organs. The Healing Crisis is
therefore not something to be "cured" or stopped or suppressed or
hindered in any way. It represents the "cure" itself. All other systems of
healing except Nature Cure try to "cure" the acute disease.
The medical doctor may use an aspirin or other anti-pyretic drug. The
herbalist may use a herbal extract. The biochemist may use a tissue
salt. All of these practitioners seek to do one thing-stop the symptoms of
the disease. They have no apparent concern for any possible harmful
aftereffects, nor have they any interest in what may have been the
cause.
The Naturopath thinks and acts quite differently. He recognizes the cold,
tonsillitis or other acute disease as a manifestation of the protective
mechanism of the body in action. It is a crisis point at which all of the
body's inner resources are directed towards the removal of some
harmful material or influence. The Naturopath seeks to discover the
CAUSES of the crisis.
He wants to know why this special cleansing and reparative effort is
necessary. Having established the necessity for the special cleansing
and healing effort, he then seeks to remove as speedily as possible the
causes of the complaint. Then the naturopath seeks to provide all of the
body's normal, natural requirements (the biological necessities) and
lastly, he seeks to provide rest to enable the body to marshall all of its
energies for the supreme effort of normalization.
If this theory is a valid one, then it would be folly to attempt to hinder,
slow-down or stop the natural healing effort of the body. To "cure" the
tonsillitis or cold or appendicitis with a remedy would be to attempt to
"cure" the "cure". The so-called acute disease is, in fact, not a disease at
all. On the contrary, the acute disease IS THE CURE. Any attempt to
"cure" an acute disease or Healing Crisis may result in the poison (which
is causing it) being driven back into the tissues where it could develop
into a chronic disease condition.

19
If acute diseases have been "cured" by persistent medication or
incorrect treatment of some kind, the disease then ceases to be acute,
the temperature drops, and it becomes a chronic disease. In this state,
the temperature which was previously higher than normal will return
either to normal or below normal. In this chronic state, the patient is
virtually incurable according to orthodox beliefs. All that is usually done
is to relieve the pain and make the patient as comfortable as possible.
Often, even this is not possible.
However, the picture, according to naturopathic philosophy, is not quite
as black as this. As the acute disease or Healing Crisis is Nature's own
method of healing it logically follows that we should try to convert the
chronic condition into an acute condition again. If we do this we have
only to allow the newly-developed acute condition to take its course and
the forces within will restore health. That is the theory, and it works in
practice. We can thus see that an acute disease which has been
neglected can become a chronic one. Conversely, a chronic disease can
be converted into an acute one and restoration to health can follow.
In the past, the medical profession has made some attempts to
introduce artificial fever therapies, but so far, without any real success.
The main reason for this lack of success is that they do not know the
role of physiological rest in the management of fever.
As mentioned previously, one method which has raised the hopes of
some medical researchers makes use of short wave radio transmitters
which generate heat in human tissues. By this means it is possible to
raise the temperature of the human body to 42 degrees Celsius.
Submission to such ordeals of artificial fever can be dangerous,
especially to those of advanced years and those greatly debilitated
through years of wrong living habits.
The natural approach is to encourage by every natural means the
automatic rise of temperature at a safe level much below 42 degrees.
Fever therapy was largely abandoned when medical doctors discovered
anti-biotic drugs. Today, the objective seems to be to reduce the fever
as quickly as possible, disregarding the possible harmful side-effects of
the drug. This approach would be valid and quite acceptable if the fever
was in fact a harmful process. But, on the contrary, the fever is a most
beneficial process.
NOTE: 37 degrees Celsius is equivalent to 98.6 degrees on the old Fahrenheit
scale.

20
 NATURAL HEALING

Now we deal with a question of vital importance. Does healing take

place naturally? It does. The natural healing process can be observed by
anyone with eyes to see. If you take the trouble to observe your own
body you can see it healing itself, unaided by drugs or medicines or any
other external aid of any kind.
If we sustain an injury such as a deep cut, an inexperienced person can
see the inflammation which soon sets in. The cut will be hotter than the
surrounding tissues. There will be swelling, redness and possibly pain.
These are the classical signs of inflammation. When we observe these
signs we should know that this phenomenon is not harmful but the
healing process in action. No medication is needed. We need at this
time, only cleanliness and rest. In a short time, the inflamed area will
repair itself. The cut edges will literally ‘sew’ themselves together, the
redness, swelling and pain will gradually subside and the wound will, in
time disappear and the area will return to its former condition. If the
bloodstream is reasonably clean, if the wound site is clean and if the
organism is rested, all of the energies will be devoted to healing and
restoration of normality.
If what I have said is valid in theory but not valid in practice this would
make it scientifically unacceptable. But, fortunately, thousands of people
have proved the superiority of this approach to healing so it does work in
practice.
When, through wrong living habits over a long period, the body has
accumulated a great amount of harmful material, it is said to be
Toxaemic (intoxicated). The inherent self-protective mechanism within
the body may initiate a Healing Crisis. The rational treatment for this
occurrence is to stay in bed, keep the body warm in order to conserve
the heat being generated, and to withhold all food until the danger is
over. This process is called Fasting. Since this subject has been fully
dealt with in other books I do not propose to discuss it any further in
depth. I refer my reader to my own booklet HOW TO FAST 2 which
contains all the information needed to successfully undertake a Fast.
As long as the body heat is not dissipated through chills or exposure,
and as long as the organism is given perfect rest then we will be doing
the most that anyone can do. If recovery is possible, this program will
ensure a successful outcome.
Fever need not be a mystery. It need not be something to be feared.
Fever need not culminate in injury or death.

21
Fever should be recognised as the natural, normal function of the living
organism and that one has only to manage it correctly for its beneficent
purpose to be fulfilled.
Heat is life. It is the indicator that the body is vital and active. Lack of
heat indicates that the organism lacks vitality, and is deteriorating.
Under normal conditions the body generates heat and loses heat. Under
normal conditions it conserves heat. There is a thermal balance between
heat production and heat loss.
The body produces heat from proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The
body normally makes more heat than it needs. This heat is stored in the
body in the form of glycogen and also as layers of fat.
In the human being, the heat balance is maintained by a mechanism in
the skin which enables us to survive in varying degrees of climatic
change and exertion. Perspiration is the mechanism by which it is
carried out.
Having dealt with the phenomenon of Fever and having shown that it is
in fact a normal, natural function, inherent in every cell of the human
organism, it now remains for us to transfer this knowledge of the theory
to actual practice. If fever is a beneficial, normal and natural
phenomenon, then we should know how to take advantage of it and
make use of it effectively.
According to naturopathic philosophy, the correct action to take in the
case of any fever or acute disease is to Fast the patient. The patient has
total rest and withholds all food until the crisis is past. The organism,
during this period, subsists solely on pure water, sunshine and fresh air.
This rule applies to all disease where fever is present, no matter what
other symptoms may accompany it.
In cases of chronic disease, in which there may be pain, deformity or
loss of function, but no rise in temperature, we are dealing with a
disease without fever being present. Our approach must be quite
different.
Since the absence of fever indicates a lack of sufficient vitality, it is
therefore necessary to raise the level of vitality of the organism to the
stage where a fever is generated. If we do this, then the disease ceases
to be a chronic one and becomes instead an acute disease or Healing
Crisis. Following our rule, we can now Fast the patient and, providing
conditions are favourable, effect a cure.

22
In order to change the chronic disease into an acute disease we must
employ all non-violent means available to us, which can raise the vitality
of the organism, improve digestion, assimilation and excretion.
For this purpose we can make use of Natural Foods, Exercise,
Relaxation, Sunbathing, Hydrotherapy (water treatments), Positive
Thinking, and, (if necessary and appropriate) manipulative techniques
such as Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Naprapathy to assist in the
establishment of normality of the body structure.
Let me reiterate what I have already said on several occasions. Never
fast a patient in the chronic stage of any disease. Fasting is for acutely ill
patients only. If we observe this rule we will avoid the accidents which
have occurred in the past through indiscriminate fasting.
Just because a fever is Nature's own healing process this must not be
construed to mean that we may deliberately and artificially induce a
fever in order that we may then undertake a fast.
It is possible to artificially induce a fever and this has been done in the
past. The results have always been erratic and potentially hazardous.
Medical people have injected toxic material of various kinds for this
purpose. One of the best-known is Coley's toxins. Another well-known
subterfuge is that used by soldiers who were able to obtain sick leave by
swallowing a small piece of soap and thus inducing a fever. Other ways
of artificially inducing a fever are by sunstroke and heatstroke or by
excessively chilling the skin. Some practitioners have employed
diathermy, short-wave and micro-wave machines.
All of these attempts at artificial fever induction are fundamentally wrong
and should be strictly avoided.
If the chronic disease has not progressed too far towards the destructive
or terminal stage, it should be possible to gradually and progressively
raise the vitality and temperature to the point where a fever develops.
We recognise the fever as the outward expression of the internal
Healing Crisis or acute disease. Its presence indicates that the organism
is now ready to make a special effort to heal itself.
Being armed with the knowledge provided by the unique philosophy of
natural healing, we should be prepared to simply provide the most
favourable conditions, step aside and allow the organism to perform its
unique task unhindered.
My readers who have carefully and thoughtfully followed me this far will
see that Fever is a beautifully arranged, efficient process, capable of

23
making dramatic and beneficent changes in the body chemistry even
when unnatural methods have failed.
Fever is not something to be feared but a wonderful phenomenon to be
recognised, admired and intelligently used. Think about it.

HOW DOES ILLNESS ARISE?

Illness arises when any unfavourable factors in the life-style cause

ENERVATION. This word needs some explanation. Enervation simply
means any lowering of the nerve-force. Since nerve-force is the
controlling energy which activates all bodily functions, any depletion of
nerve-force will slow-down or impede the nutrition of the body cells and
interfere with the prompt and efficient drainage of waste materials from
these cells.
The lack of good nutrition, combined with the retention of waste
materials causes TOXAEMIA. This word also needs a little explanation.
In the context of natural healing, toxaemia is a condition in which the
tissues are over-saturated with potentially harmful materials called
toxins. Toxaemia is the basic cause of all illness.
At all times the tissues contain some toxins. This is quite normal and
natural. It is only when the tissues contain abnormal amounts of toxic
material that they cause illness. In every organism there is a certain
individual tolerance to toxic material. This is determined by our
hereditary constitution or make-up.
When the level of toxic material in the organism rises above the level of
tolerance, the organism makes a special effort to rid itself of the encum-
brance and to restore normality of the body chemistry and body
structure. This special effort is called a HEALING CRISIS. It is an acute
disease in which there is a fever. In these cases the body temperature
rises above its normal of 37 degrees Celsius.
The term Healing Crisis is a purely naturopathic one and is recognized
by us as concrete evidence of the metabolic powers asserting
themselves in a very special way. It is something to be welcomed, not to
be feared and suppressed.
Other healing professions hold the contrary view that the acute disease
or fever is something which is potentially harmful, something to be
suppressed, aborted or "cured".
Precisely how the body institutes this healing crisis and raises its
temperature is not yet fully understood. We only know that it happens.

24
It seems feasible that when the toxic level of the tissues rises above that
which is tolerable, the toxic material (which is inherently irritant by
nature) stimulates the hypothalamus, which in turn, causes the level of
heat retained in the organism to rise, thus producing a fever.

A PEEP INTO THE PAST

Has anyone in the past ever suggested that fever was a healing
process. Certainly, on many occasions, but apparently, at that time, not
enough people wanted to listen to such a radical idea.
Over two thousand years ago, Hippocrates (467-357 B.C.) believed that
fever played a beneificial role in healing. Hippocrates may not have fully
understood what was taking place during a fever but he knew that
something was going on. 3
Later, Rufus the Ephesian physician (ca 100) believed that fever was
beneficial and said: "If there were a physician skillful enough to produce
a fever it would be useless to seek any other remedy against disease."
Today we know how to produce a fever naturally and can thus fulfil his
expectation. 4
Coming down to more modern times, Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689)
the celebrated British doctor said: "Fever is Nature's engine which she
brings into the field to remove her enemy".5 Regrettably, very few people
were listening.
C. Liebermeister in 1887 thought that fevers of moderate magnitude
were actually beneficial. 6
In 1893, a Victorian surgeon William B. Coley who practised at the
Memorial Hospital, New York, observed that cancer patients who
"caught an infectious disease" sometimes recovered. Dr. Coley
proceeded to inoculate patients with what he called Coley's toxins. Dr.
Coley had some success but he failed to realize that it was the fever
induced by the toxic material which produced the remissions and not the
bacteria associated with it. 7
In 1909, Dr. Thomas Powell said: "It is an undeniable fact that pathogen
is the active cause of every disease of the kind, and that the solution or
dislodgement and removal of this widely-distributed inhibitor of the
perspiratory functions are the purposes of the febrile effort." 8
In 1940 Bainbridge & Menzies stated: "How should a patient with fever
be treated? At the commencement of the feverish attack he should be
kept warm. His rise of temperature should be assisted by hot water

25
bottles and hot drinks, since the process is a beneficial one which aids
the body to resist the attack of the bacteria." 9
In 1965 Otto & Towle stated: "During the struggle between the invading
microorganisms and the cellular body defenses, the body temperature
often rises. This temperature elevation or fever is a host reaction that
reduces or inhibits the growth of many bacteria, activates the body
defences and increases the rate of body metabolism. This fever is a
beneficial reaction unless it becomes too high or lasts for too long a
period." 10
In 1967, R. E. C. Cavaliere et al, found that high temperatures affect
cancer cells adversely. 11
R. Love announced in 1970 the results achieved by the use of
hyperthermia on both normal and cancerous cells. 12
In 1974, H. D. Suit and M. Schwayder submitted their thesis that
hyperthermia was an anti-tumour agent. 13
I. Overgaard in 1977 wrote an article for the Cancer Journal and gave
the results of his employment of hyperthermia on malignant cells. 14
Also in 1977, L. K. Vaughan and M. J. Kluger 15 and also G. L. Toms,16
suggested that fever was beneficial as a therapy.
In 1977, S. Haar and S. Morgensen issued a report which indicated that
fever had an adaptive role in disease. 17
Finally, in 1979 M. J. Kluger presented to the scientific world his
monograph entitled FEVER, its biology, evolution and function. Dr.
Kluger concluded by saying: "Overall, it appears that we are on the
verge of verifying Sydenham's belief that fever is Nature's engine which
she brings into the field to remove the enemy. 18
Now let us see what the natural healers had to say about fever.
In 1829, Vincent Priessnitz, the discoverer of Nature Cure, said: "Every
acute disease is an attempt of the system to dispel diseased matter.
Fever is not the disease itself, but the consequence of it. It is an effort
greater than the normal power of the system."19 With that statement
Priessnitz turned the healing art upside down. From then on, thinking
people could see that what was once assumed to be the disease was
not a disease at all but a curative effort which, if allowed to proceed,
could result in the toxic material, which causes disease, being expelled
and thus provide the conditions for recovery from ill-health. It was the
most revolutionary discovery ever made in the field of human health.
Kings and Queens, Lords and Ladies and wealthy businessmen from all

26
over the world availed themselves of the healing ministrations at
Grafenburg in Silesia, but when Priessnitz died his influence waned.
Then came R. T. Trall, M.D. who in his lecture at the Smithsonian
Institute in 1862, said: "Fever is one form of disease, and as disease is a
process of purification, fever must be one of the methods by which the
system relieves itself of morbid matter." 20 Apparently very few heard the
message or heeded it.
In 1920 Henry Lindlahr M.D., another pioneer in the field of natural
healing, said: "What is commonly called acute disease is in reality the
result of Nature's efforts to eliminate from the organism, waste matter,
foreign matter and poisons, and to repair injury to living tissues. Every
so-called acute disease is the result of healing and cleansing effort of
Nature. The Healing Crisis is an acute reaction resulting from the
ascendancy of Nature's healing forces over disease conditions. Its
tendency is towards recovery." 21
Later in 1928, Herbert M. Shelton said: "Fever is rather a general
systemic reaction where irritation and inflammation are great and affect
the internal organs to some extent. Acute disease is a curative process.
Fever is a necessary increase in body temperature designed to enable
the body or some parts of it to effectively meet and destroy some foe of
life that is threatening the body, and to repair damages." 22 Again, not
many people listened to these words of wisdom.
In 1930, Hereward Carrington, a noted hygienist said, "On the other
hand, we can understand to some extent the rationale of fever. That
condition might be, in part at least, the result of the forcible recharging of
the body with energy - rushed into it as it were - in order to assist in
freeing the body from its dangerously diseased conditions. We should
thus have a clear conception of fever, which is certainly lacking today." 23
The response of the medical profession has largely been to brush this
information aside and to continue to search for more and more
remedies. First it was the search for anti-pyretic (fever-suppressing)
drugs. Then came the anti-biotics. Hundreds of drugs have been tried
without any real progress being made in the understanding of what
disease really consists of.
Eugene F. Du Bois M.D., who is Professor of Physiology at Cornell
University, states in his monograph on fever: "Finally one is faced with
the question as to whether or not fever in disease is beneficial. The
literature on this subject is extensive and inconclusive. It is difficult to
see how proof could be obtained on human subjects. In the early part of
the century the newly-discovered anti-pyretics were used extensively but
soon abandoned, presumably because the patients did not do well.

27
Cold-tubbing in typhoid was abandoned. Clinicians began to regard high
temperature as helpful. This belief was strengthened by the realization
that many pathogenic organisms (germs and viruses) were inhibited or
killed at temperatures that could be tolerated by the human body. There
is always the possibility, not yet proved, that the defences of the body
are increased at high temperatures. There is still much to be learned
about fever." 24
By this time my readers will have noticed that I reiterate to the point of
monotony that fever is not only not harmful but a beneficial process. Is
there any evidence to support this claim?
Since about 1900, several scientists have carried out research into the
effect of heat rise on the metabolism of the human body. Almost nothing
appears to have been done to make use of this important information
lying in old medical journals. The excitement and euphoria in medical
circles following the discovery of antibiotic drugs has swamped and
obscured these facts.
In 1921 Professor Du Bois in an article in the Journal of the American
Medical Association showed that a rise in temperature from 37 degrees
to 41 degrees Celsius produced an increase of 50 per cent in the
metabolism of the human body. 25
In 1926, Samson Wright in his book Applied Physiology, stated: "For
every rise of one degree Fahrenheit the basal metabolism increases by
seven per cent." 26
It is therefore evident that the chemical reactions of the body (including
enzyme activity) are accelerated by a rise of temperature. As we know
that metabolism is the process by which all cell-destruction and cell-
building takes place it follows that anything which increases this activity
enhances the healing process.
Fever, when treated by means of fasting can work wonders. I believe
(and there is ample empirical evidence in support) that the metabolism
of the human body is increased by a factor of ten during a fast. The
human body heals itself ten times faster during a fast than it does when
food is being consumed.
Having peeped into the past, let us recapitulate and see what has
transpired.
Hippocrates believed that fever played a beneficial role in healing but he
failed to understand how fever facilitated the healing process. He said:
"Let food be your medicine" and then prescribed more than fifty drugs.

28
Rufus the Ephesian also believed that fever was a beneficial process
and went so far as to forecast that an induced fever would make all
remedies redundant, but apparently did not understand HOW to induce
a fever.
Thomas Sydenham also believed that fever was Nature's method of
healing but did not know how to induce it either.
Liebermeister was more conservative. He thought that moderate short-
term fevers were beneficial but higher or long-term fevers may be
hazardous.
Dr. Coley saw the remissions which sometimes occurred following an
"infection" but mistakenly believed that his "Coleys' toxins" were
responsible, rather than the fever.
Cavaliere, Suzuki, Love, Suit, Schwayder, Overgaard, Vaughan, Toms,
Kluger, Haar, Mogensen and Du Bois et al, all apparently noted the
favourable changes in pathological conditions which occurred under
conditions of fever but, although expressing hope, still could not be more
definite than to admit the possibility that fever was beneficial in some
cases of selected diseases. They admitted that the defences of the body
were enhanced by high temperatures.
This brings us to the present day. Medical scientists have undoubtedly
noted certain phenomena inherent in fever in certain cases but they
have not come to the realization that fever is the special effort of Nature
to heal in every case.
It was the perception of the illiterate Silesian peasant, Vincent Priessnitz,
which illuminated the darkness.
Open-minded people who are acquainted with the facts I have set out
must surely conclude that if so many eminent medical scientists from
Hippocrates to Kluger have suspected and anticipated the role of fever
in healing, and if natural health authorities like Priessnitz, Trall, Lindlahr,
Shelton and Carrington have shown by precept and practice that it is a
valid process, it only remains for those genuinely seeking the truth to
test it scientifically.

29
 IN CONCLUSION

It is abundantly clear that the Natural Healing profession has known

about fever and the Healing Crisis since 1829, but the medical
profession has made only sporadic attempts to grasp its significance.
Published reports in scientific journals indicate that research is currently
going on in several institutions in Europe, the United States, Japan,
China, South Africa and Australia. However, these experiments deal
solely with hyperthermia in the treatment of specific diseases such as
Cancer. There is no evidence to show that fever is recognized as a basic
form of health restoration.
I sincerely hope that these scientists will some day test the effectiveness
of Nature's own natural fever in the treatment of all diseases. The human
organism has been healing itself for millions of years employing its own
inbuilt mechanism of metabolism to make use of heat as a healing
agent.
It is a major tragedy for mankind that Nature Cure has never been tried
officially. A few years ago it was reported that a test of naturopathic
treatment had been carried out on a group of Australian hyperactive
children, but the results were inconclusive. How could it have been
otherwise? It seems unbelievable, but during this test a dozen different
medicines were used. How could this travesty be called Nature Cure?
Nature Cure has been thoroughly tested and found successful by many
individuals who were fortunate enough to have the confidence
necessary to try it. All we need now is for it to be tested scientifically.
A good question. Has anyone in the natural health field ever carried out
research into the theory of fever? No! At least, to the best of my
knowledge no experiments have ever been carried out.
Why? The reason is not difficult to understand. It was unnecessary! The
discoverer of Nature Cure, Vincent Priessnitz, spoke from practical
experience when he said in 1829 that fever is an attempt of the human
organism to dispel diseased matter, that it is not the disease itself but an
effort or exertion which is greater than the normal power of the system.
Priessnitz perceived that fever is a special effort instigated by the sick
organism when its wellbeing is threatened. It is the normal protective
mechanism of the body.
Having seen hundreds of patients recover their health after all other
methods had failed, it would not occur to this simple unlettered peasant
to conduct experimental trials. He had the concrete evidence before him

30
and that would be enough. Patients do not ask "How" or "Why". They are
simply grateful and accept a return to health as their birthright.
Finally, I ask the question: Why go on searching, hoping, groping in the
dark for a cure for disease using exotic machines and drugs when the
natural method is waiting for us to investigate its validity? Some day,
mankind at large will re-discover and use this remarkable phenomenon.
In the meantime, we in the natural healing profession should continue to
bring this system of healing before the general public hoping that those
who try it and benefit will also assist in promoting its acceptance.
Nature's own method of healing is well worthy of serious investigation
and trial. You have nothing to lose but your sickness.

GLOSSARY

ACUTE DISEASE: One in which the temperature is above

normal.
ANABOLISM: A building-up process.
BIOLOGICAL: Pertaining to Biology, the science of living
organisms.
CATALYST: A substance or influence which accelerates
or retards a chemical reaction without
changing its own nature.
CHIROPRACTIC: A system of adjustment of the spine or
other bony joints.
CHRONIC: In the context of natural healing, a chronic
disease is one in which the temperature is
normal or below normal.
CRISIS: A medical term which indicates the turning-
point for better or worse, in a disease.
DIATHERMY: The use of an oscillating electric current of
high frequency to produce fever in the body
tissues below the surface.
HEALING CRISIS: A purely naturopathic term meaning that
the body has developed a fever for curative
purposes.

31
HYPERTHERMIA: Often called Hyperpyrexia. A degree of
body temperature greatly above normal.
Also, the treatment of disease by the
artificial induction of a fever by injection of
foreign protein material or by physical
means.
KATABOLISM : A breaking-down process.
MICRO-WAVE: An electromagnetic wave having a very
short wavelength of from one-tenth of a
millimetre to 30 centimetres. Used in
commercial machines such as the
TRONADO.
NAPRAPATHY : A system of manipulation of soft tissues.
OSTEOPATHY: A system of bone and soft-tissue
manipulation.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REST: Total rest of the organism as achieved by
using the technique of fasting.
SHORT-WAVE: A process in which an oscillating current of
high frequency at wavelengths of from
three to thirty metres is run through body
tissues to produce fever.
TOXAEMIA: An impaired condition of the blood in which
it contains poisonous material.
TOXIN: A poisonous substance of plant or animal
origin.

INFORMATIVE BOOKS BY K. S. JAFFREY

1. How to Fast.
2. Natural Foods.
3. Living Naturally.
4. What is Nature Cure?
5. Rearing Your Baby Naturally.
6. Naturopathic First Aid.
7. Health and Happiness through Positive Thinking.
8. The Common Cold.
9. The Cause of Disease.
10. Fever - Nature's Own Healing Process.

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11. Lessons on Health.
12. How Nature "Cures":
13. Radiant Health for Beginners.
14. Tell Me Simply.
15. Dialectics and Health.
16. Overcoming Mental Depression.

1
Jaffrey, K. S. 1977 - THE CAUSE OF DISEASE. Arcadia Bay 4816, Australia.
2
Jaffrey, K. S. 1967-HOW TO FAST. Arcadia Bay 4816, Australia
3
Adams, F. Trans. 1939-THE GENUINE WORKS OF HIPPOCRATES. Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore,
U.S.A
4
Major, R. H. 1954-A HISTORY OF MEDICINE. C. C. Thomas. Springfield, U.S.A.
5
J. F. Payne. 1900-THOMAS SYDENHAM. T. Fisher Unwin, London, G.B.
6
Liebermeister, C. 1887-VORLESUNGEN UBER SPECIELLE PATHOLOGIE UND THERAPIE. Verlag von
F. C. W. Vogel.
7
Nauts, Fowler & Bogatko. 1953-A REVIEW OF THE INFLUENCE OF BACTERIAL INFECTION & OF
BACTERIAL PRODUCTS (COLEY'S TOXINS) ON MALIGNANT TUMOURS IN MAN. Acta med. scan.
Supp. 276-1-103.
8
Powell, Thomas. 1909-FUNDAMENTALS & REQUIREMENTS OF HEALTH & DISEASE. Powell Pub.
Co., Los Angeles, Cal., U.S.A.
9
Bainbridge & Menzies. 1940-ESSENTIALS OF PHYSIOLOGY. Longmans
10
Otto & Towle. 1965-MODERN BIOLOGY. Holt, Rinehart & Winston Inc., New York, U.S.A.
11
Cavaliere, R E. C. et al. 1967-SELECTIVE HEAT SENSITIVITY OF CANCER CELLS. Cancer. 20: 1351-
1381.
12
Love, J. R. 1970-EFFECT OF HYPERTHERMIA ON NORMAL & NEOPLASTIC CELLS IN VITRO.
Cancer Res. 30: 1525-1533.
13
Suit, H. D. & Schwayder, M. 1974-HYPERTHERMIA, POTENTIAL AS AN ANTI-TUMOUR AGENT.
Cancer. 34:122-129.
14
Overgaard, I. 1977-EFFECT OF HYPERTHERMIA ON MALIGNANT CELLS IN VIVO. Cancer. 39: 2637-
2640.
15
Vaughan, L. K. & Kluger, M. J. 1977. FEVER& SURVIVAL IN BACTERIALLY INFECTED RABBITS.
Fed. Proc. 36 (3) : 511.
16
Toms, G. I. et al. 1977-THE RELATION OF PYREXIA AND NASAL INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE TO
VIRUS LEVELS. Br. J. Exp. Path. 58 :444 - 458
17
Haar, S. & Mogensen, S. 1977-FUNCTION OF FEVER The Lancet. Vol. 11. No. 8038:613.
18
Kluger, M. J. 1979-FEVER, ITS BIOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND FUNCTION. Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A.
19
Claridge, R. T. 1842-HYDROPATHY. James Madden & Co., London, G.B.
20
Trall, R T. 1880-THE TRUE HEALING ART. Fowler & Wells, London, G.B.
21
Lindlahr, H. 1913-NATURE CURE. Lindlahr Pub. Co., Chicago, U.S.A.
22
Shelton, H. M. 1928-HUMAN LIFE, ITS PHILOSOPHY AND LAWS. How to Live Pub. Co., Oklahoma,
U.S.A.
23
Carrington, H. 1908-FASTING, VITALITY & NUTRITION. Rebman & Co., London, G.B.
24
Du Bois, E. F. 1948-FEVER & THE REGULATION OF THE BODY TEMPERATURE. C. C. Thomas,
Springfield, U.S.A.
25
Du Bois, E. F. 1921-FEVER. Journal of the American Medical Assn., New York, U.S.A.
26
Wright, Samson. 1926-APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. Oxford University Press, London, G.B.

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