Hydrated
Bentonite
NATURE'S AGE OLD AID TO INTESTINAL DETOXIFICATION
NOW PROVEN SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND
HOW DOES BENTONITE, A CLAY, WORK ?
In the MEDICAL ANNALS of the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Vol. 20, No. 6, June, 1961,
under the title "The Value of Bentonite for Diarrhea" we may read the results
of the clinical work performed by a team of medical doctors, using Hydrated
Bentonite** in the treatment of diarrhea ( 34 cases ). The causative factors
of the diarrhea were virus infections, food allergy, spastic colitis, and
food poisoning. The results of the scientific investigation indicated that
liquid bentonite provides substantial relief in 97 percent of the cases.
The percent of relief indicated as to concomitant symptoms was: abdominal
cramps 80%; headaches 71%; nausea 85%; and weakness 100%.
The above investigation produced clinical "in vivo" (
in the animal body ) data as to the efficacy of HYDRATED
BENTONITE as an aid in detoxification of the human
alimentary canal ( in this instance, with respect to various
factors causing diarrhea and certain concomitant symptoms
).
The scientific article in question concludes with the
following:
"By virtue of its physical action bentonite serves as
an adsorbent aid in detoxification of the intestinal canal."
As to hydrated bentonite itself, let us learn more about
it, and review the results of some "in vitro" ( in the
laboratory ) experiments which illustrate how it works,
so as to better comprehend why it acts as it does.
Bentonite is one of the volcanic ashes as is kaolin, Montmorillonite
and Fuller's Earth. It is not a drug or a chemical composition
made in a laboratory. It is a product of Mother Earth.
Bentonite in ages past was blown into the sky by volcanic
action, then sifted down to the earth to help impregnate
the soil with its 25 to 35 trace minerals. But, sometimes
it accumulated in layers or veins from which it is mined.
A secret process is used in producing the Hydrated Bentonite
preparation ( which was employed in both the in vivo and
in vitro experiments herein described - commercially sold
as Vit-Ra-Tox #16, Sonne's #7 and Springreen #77 -- http://www.sonnes.com ). The natural
bentonite is cleaned and the usable portion separated from
the dirt and other residues. Bentonite, under a high power
microscope, is seeing as extremely minute rectangular particles
similar in shape to a calling card.
America's outstanding authority on bentonite claims its
action is due to five characteristics. First, it has a
large and varied mineral content. Second, it has a negative
electrical attraction for positively charged particles.
In the human bodies many of the toxic poisons are positively
charged. Third, its particles, being shaped like a "calling
card" with the wide surfaces negative and the edges of
the card positive, have many times more negative than positive
pulling power. Fourth, the very minuteness of the particles
of bentonite give a large surface area in proportion to
the volume used thus enabling it pick up many times its
own weight in positively charged particles. Fifth, to obtain
maximum effectiveness in the human body, it must be put
in a liquid colloidal-gel state. This is why it cannot
be made into tablet form which would save shipping costs.
There is no evidence to show it has any chemical effect
on the body. Its actions seems to purely physical. In almost
every common, chronic distress, there is a congestion -
an un-eliminated accumulation of normal body wastes on
which many germs can thrive. Both US Government Bureau
of Mines Booklet #609, and a late edition of the Dispensatory
of The United States of America, an official compendium,
give bentonite high praise. We quote from an addition of
the US Dispensatory: "In aqueous suspension, the individual
particles of bentonite are negatively charged, this resulting
in a strong attraction for positively charged particles
and being responsible for the ability in bentonite to clarify
such liquid as contains positively charged particles of
suspended matter . . . In addition to the growing number
of external uses for bentonite, it has been reported to
be of value as an intestinal evacuant when used in the
form of a gel."
According to Robert T. Martins, B.S., University of Minnesota;
Ph.D., Cornell University and Mineralogist at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, one gram ( 1/28th of an ounce
) of this product has a surface area of 800 sq. meters.
This would be forty times that of its only competitor now
being commercially used by doctors and hospitals. The greater
the surface area the greater its power to pick up positively
particles.
Since bentonite has such strong adsorptive powers, its
consumption could render unavailable some of the necessary
nutrients, as certain vitamins, by adsorbing them from
the elementary canal. However, independent experiments
purposely designed to find out how much this absorption
would adversely affect the growth and health of experimental
animals indicated no ill effects when the intake of bentonite
was 25% of the total diet, but did adversely affect the
health when the intake of bentonite was increased to 50%
of the total diet. ( From Annals of the NY Academy of Science,
Vol. 57 page 678, May 10, 1954. )
Since our product is mostly water with only proportion
of bentonite, to reach this state of toxicity it would
mean projecting the results of this experiment to where
the person would have to consume each day a supply designed
for 1032 days. In other words, mathematically for the bentonite
in our product to reach the toxic level of 50% of the diet
it would be necessary to consume a three year supply each
day over an extended period.
LABORATORY
EXPERIMENTS ON HYDRATED BENTONITE - 1961
Illustrating the Mechanics of How It Acts as an
Aid in Detoxification via the Alimentary Tract
Three IN VITRO ( in the laboratory ) experiments ( reviewed
below ) were conducted by Dr. Howard E. Lind, M.S., BS,
Ph.D. Dr. Lind is president of Lind Laboratories, Brookline,
Mass. He was born in Providence, R.I., 1913; received his
Bachelor of Science from the University of RI, 1934 and
was assistant in Bacteriology there 1934 - 1935; Master
of Public Health, Mass. Institute of Technology 1937; attended
Saint Louis University 1939 - 1940; Senior Bacteriologist
at Chicago Branch Laboratory, State Health Dept., Illinois
1940 - 1943; Bacteriologist at Dow Chemical Co., 1945 -
1946; Research Director at Sias Memorial Laboratory of
Brooks Hospital, Brookline, Mass., 1946 to date.
EXPERIMENT
I
( Reported Feb. 7, 1961 )
PURPOSE:
To demonstrate in vitro sorptive ( to condense and hold
upon its surface ) powers of an aqueous solution of bentonite.
PROCEDURE:
One hundred fifty milliliters of the Bentonite preparation
were placed in a 250 ml. beaker which contained a plastic
coated magnetic agitator. One ml. of a 24 hour broth culture
of serratia marcescene was added to the bentonite preparation
and the beaker placed on a magnetic agitator. One ml. of
a 24 hour broth culture of serratia marcescene was added
to the bentonite preparation and the beaker placed on a
magnetic stirrer. In order to avoid the heat of the magnetic
stirrer the beaker was placed approximately 1/4 inch above
the base. After five minutes of stirring, 1 ml. of bentonite
suspension was removed for culturing.
A brass-coated mesh cylinder containing alkaline pellets
was lowered into the bentonite-bacteria mixture and allowed
to remain for thirty minutes. The cylinder with its surrounding
jell was removed, washed with water, filled with new pellets
and again placed in the bentonite-bacteria solution. This
was repeated at 30 minute intervals for 90 minutes. This
experiment was repeated several times to show that the
phenomenon was genuine and reproducible.
RESULTS:
The two trials below indicate the quantitative extremes
of bacteria population change.
CHANGES IN BACTERIAL COUNTS OF SERRATIA MARCESCENS
IN PRESENCE OF BENTONITE
|
Trial 1
|
Trial 2
|
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %
|
| Initial |
4,095,000
|
|
5,760,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
3,675,000
|
10.257 %
|
4,260,000
|
26.042 %
|
| 60 minutes |
2,495,000
|
32.109 %
|
2,660,000
|
37.559 %
|
| 90 minutes |
620,000
|
75.150 %
|
27,500
|
98.967 %
|
| ( % reduction ) |
( 85 % )
|
|
( 99 + % )
|
|
These two trials representing the extremes of a series
of runs show a minimum reduction of 85% and a maximum reduction
of 99% of the bacteria in 90 minutes. Results indicate
that approximately 25% of the bentonite preparation was
able to remove 85% to 99% of the organisms.
SUMMARY:
The research results indicated that by the in vitro method
it has been possible to demonstrate that the bentonite
preparation Vit-Ra-Tox #16 ( et al. ) is able to remove
bacteria by sorption. It was definitely established that
the bacteria were not inactivated but were removed by sorption.
EXPERIMENT II
( Reported March 10, 1961 )
PROBLEM:
To demonstrate in vivo sorption powers of a bentonite
preparation against two organisms, Escherichia coli ( a
gram-negative organism ) and Staphylococcus Aureus ( a
gram-positive organism ).
PROCEDURE:
Essentially the same as in Experiment I, reported above,
but modified by using a four-hour culture instead of the
24-hour culture of Experiment I. This was to avoid excessive
clumping of the organisms.
RESULTS:
CHANGES
IN BACTERIA COUNTS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN THE PRESENCE
OF BENTONITE
|
Trial 1
|
|
Trial 2
|
|
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
| Initial |
1,170,000
|
|
10,500,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
410,000
|
64.940%
|
6,100,000
|
41.905%
|
| 60 minutes |
0
|
100.00%
|
5,200,000
|
14.755%
|
| 90 minutes |
0
|
-
|
900,000
|
82.693%
|
| ( % reduction ) |
( 100 % )
|
|
( 91 % )
|
|
The above two trials show that the E. coli were reduced
100% and 91% respectively after 60 to 90 minutes using
only about 20% of the bentonite preparation. This compares
favorably with the removal of the serratia marcescents
in Experiment I above.
CHANGES
IN BACTERIAL COUNTS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN THE
PRESENCE OF BENTONITE
|
Trial 1
|
Trial 2
|
Trial 3
|
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
| Initial |
780,000
|
|
230,000
|
|
490,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
740,000
|
5.129%
|
160,000
|
30.435%
|
290,000
|
40.816%
|
| 60 minutes |
810,000
|
-8.642%
|
100,000
|
37.500%
|
290,000
|
-0-
|
| 90 minutes |
620,000
|
23.547%
|
140,000
|
-28.572%
|
300,000
|
-3.333%
|
| ( % reduction) |
( 21% )
|
|
( 39% )
|
|
( 40% )
|
|
With S. Aureus ( a gram-positive organism ), in Trials
1, 2, 3, it was shown that the numbers of S. Aureus were
reduced 21%, 39%, and 40% respectively, or an average of
33%. Results of these trials indicate that 20-30% of the
bentonite was able to remove 33% of the organisms.
SUMMARY:
The research indicated that by the technique employed,
it has been possible to confirm the previous conclusion
that the bentonite preparation can remove significant numbers
of certain gram-negative bacteria, while it appears to
be only one-third as effective as to a gram-positive organism,
S. Aureus.
EXPERIMENT III
( Reported May 8, 1961 )
PURPOSE:
To demonstrate in vitro sorptive powers of a bentonite
preparation against A. Proteus mirabilis, a gram-negative
organism which can cause diarrhea, and B. its selective
sorptive value in a mixture of 3 organisms, namely Proteus
mirabilis ( gram-negative ), Escherichia coli ( gram-negative
) and Staphylococcus aureus
( gram-positive ).
PROCEDURE:
Essentially the same as that used in Experiment I and
II above, using the 4-hour culture used in Experiment II
instead of the 24-hour one of Experiment I, and lowering
the concentration of each organism.
RESULTS:
A. CHANGES IN BACTERIAL COUNTS OF PROTEUS MIRABILIS
IN THE PRESENCE OF BENTONITE
|
Trial 1
|
|
Trial 2
|
|
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
| Initial |
155,000
|
|
240,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
45,000
|
70.968%
|
70,000
|
70.834%
|
| 60 minutes |
15,000
|
66.667%
|
20,000
|
71.429%
|
| 90 minutes |
1,000
|
93.333%
|
-0-
|
-
|
| 120 minutes |
-0-
|
-
|
-0-
|
-
|
| ( % reduction ) |
( 100% )
|
|
( 100% )
|
|
In trials #1 and #2, it was shown that the numbers of
Proteus mirabilis were reduced 100% after 90 to 120 minutes
in the concentration of organisms employed by 15% of the
volume of bentonite.
B. CHANGES IN BACTERIAL COUNTS OF A MIXTURE OF P. MIRABILIS,
E. COLI, AND S. AUREUS
|
Trial 3
|
|
Trial 4
|
|
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction % *
|
Bacterial count/ml.
|
Reduction %*
|
| Proteus mirabilis |
|
|
|
|
| Initial |
34,000
|
|
90,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
18,000
|
47.059%
|
20,000
|
77.778%
|
| 60 minutes |
2,000
|
88.889%
|
10,000
|
50.000%
|
| 90 minutes |
1,000
|
50.000%
|
0
|
-
|
| Escherichia coli |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Initial |
18,000
|
|
10,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
14,000
|
22.223%
|
10,000
|
-0-
|
| 60 minutes |
8,000
|
42.857%
|
1,000
|
90.000%
|
| 90 minutes |
3,000
|
62.500%
|
0
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Staphylococcus aureus |
|
|
|
|
| Initial |
2,000
|
|
3,000
|
|
| 30 minutes |
2,000
|
-0-
|
2,000
|
33.334%
|
| 60 minutes |
3,000
|
-33.334%
|
3,000
|
-33.334%
|
| 90 minutes |
0
|
-
|
0
|
-
|
In trials #3 and #4 it was indicated that approximately
15% of the bentonite preparation removed from 95-100% of
Proteus mirabilis organism, 83-100% of the E. coli organisms
and 100% of the S. aureus organism in the concentrations
employed. In other words there appeared to be selective
sorption when the quantity of organism concentration was
much less than the high concentration used in previous
tests.
COMMENTS:
With lower concentrations of mixed organisms there appears
to be selective sorption. However, when the population
of mixed organisms is over 100,000 and the concentration
of bentonite remains the same as when individual organisms
were used, there was apparently little or no selective
sorption by the technique employed. Thus it may be that
selectivity of mixed organisms above 100,000 will require
the use of a much larger quantity of bentonite than that
used for sorption of single organisms or for sorption of
mixed organisms under 100,000 population.
While the bentonite is working to remove the undesirable
bacteria it could also remove an equal number of desirable
bacteria, but when one realizes the large difference in
the relative population of the this may not present a problem.
In a normal healthy individual the population of desirable
bacteria can run from 100,000 to 100,000,000 per cubic
centimeter while the undesirable will generally run only
1/10 of one percent to 1%
( .001 to .01 ) of that number. However, when the population
of undesirable bacteria gets up to 2% or 3%, the individual
may be in real trouble and may perhaps have as, cramps,
or serious diarrhea. To illustrate, assume a desirable
population of 50,000 organisms with 1% undesirable or 500,000,
assuming that the undesirable population increases to 2%
or 1,000,000 and by increasing the quantity of bentonite
suppose we removed 500,000 of each within 2 hours, we then
would get:
Desirable 50,000,000 But, Undesirable 1,000,000
Removed 500,000 Removed 500,000
Balance 49,500,000 We now have 500,000
or a reduction of only 1% which should be rapidly replaced
with or a reduction of 50% in this category, bringing the
population back to a more normal state, where it should
stay if conditions of normal good health prevail.
Note: In this summary Dr. Lind stated, "It also appears
that if one wishes to accurately determine that a specific
organism will be removed or sorpted from the gut by bentonite,
one must set up "in vivo" experiments in animals. This
would involve oral administration of the specific organism
in question and following its path through the gut in the
presence of a bentonite preparation." The clinical work
done by Dr. Damrau's group mentioned in the first paragraph
of this article, seems to have already demonstrated this "in
vivo" ( in the body ) within the scope of the matters under
investigation. In that research results in the treatment
of diarrhea in humans were indicated as 97% satisfactory
and had the dosage been raised as per Dr. Lind's procedures,
the results might have been more impressive.
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