Without doubt his explanations of the priapism can be applied to the whole experience; whatever symptoms there were, they were unquestionably psychic. The consideration of these subjective symptoms may be dismissed, since it is reasonable to assume that an insoluble, unabsorbable substance which produces no disturbance of the gastro-intestinal tract will have no effect on the rest of the organism.
Amorphous phosphorus did not produce such symptoms as Nascher relates in experiments similar to his made by us. The drug was taken in 10-grain doses by six different individuals. In no case did the symptoms described by Nascher follow; in fact, there were no symptoms whatever.
NASCHER’S THEORY
Nascher, after relating his subjective experiences and those of his patients, proceeds to build a theory to account for the unproved action of amorphous phosphorus in disease, especially in arteriosclerosis. It would have been more appropriate if before advancing the theory, he had made some experiments to prove that the substance has some action. But we give his theory as found in the quotation from his book, sent to medical journals, as already referred to. Here it is:
“Amorphous Phosphorus in Senile Arteriosclerosis: The author has used the red amorphous phosphorus in senile arteriosclerosis for several years. Given originally as a substitute for ordinary phosphorus in senile debility, it was found that it was eliminated as amorphous phosphate of lime and that the lime elimination was thereby increased. Weil’s experiments showed that the lime elimination in arteriosclerosis was diminished. Phosphorus has the property of combining with lime and increasing the lime assimilation. In the small doses which can be given when the ordinary phosphorus is employed, the phosphorus will combine with the lime of the food and increase the amount of lime salts in the body. When given as amorphous phosphorus, the dose is 2 grains or more several times a day, and with a lime-free diet the lime required for the combination necessary to secure the elimination of the phosphorus excess is drawn from the abnormal lime deposits. This appears to be the rationale of the treatment and explains the good results obtained from its use. From ‘Diseases of Old Age,’ by I. L. Nascher, M.D., to be published shortly.”
Thus, according to Nascher, the phosphorus, after being oxidized to phosphoric acid, catches the calcium and drags it out of the system! What are the facts? The human body contains a large store of phosphates which are excreted in the urine in combination with sodium and potassium—and yet these do not draw the calcium from the blood, brain and bones! To be blunt, Nascher’s theory is absurd. The calcium in its various deposits in the body is already combined with phosphoric acid. Why should the phosphorus introduced take calcium from the phosphate radical with which it is already in combination? Nascher asserts that the phosphorus which is introduced as amorphous phosphorus is excreted as amorphous phosphate of lime within twenty-four hours. How does he know it is? It is, of course, very appropriate that amorphous phosphorus should form the amorphous phosphate of lime, but, unfortunately, phosphates made from the ordinary phosphorus also are precipitated in the amorphous condition. By what private mark does Dr. Nascher identify the amorphous phosphate produced by his amorphous phosphorus? Is it not a fact that he found the urine alkaline and detected a precipitate of amorphous calcium phosphate—always present in alkaline urine—and concluded that this must be his particular amorphous phosphorus in combination with calcium?
Dr. Nascher makes no record of examinations of the feces, although a great part—sometimes the greater part—of ingested phosphorus is found in the feces in experimental work on phosphorus metabolism. If he had examined the feces he would doubtless have found the total quantity of amorphous phosphorus unchanged.
Nascher refers to several cases in which he has used this remedy and states that he had the most gratifying results. So far as we can learn, the benefit was entirely in the subjective symptoms of the patient. It seems evident, therefore, that his claims for the value of this remedy rest on no better foundation than an unproved theory without experimental basis.
ITS COMMERCIALIZATION
Thus far we have considered only the scientific aspects of amorphous phosphorus therapy. It is unfortunate that we cannot stop here. Some of our readers will have seen in recent medical journals half-page advertisements of amorphous phosphorus reading: