When I was a young fellow, some 60 years ago, there was a sovereign cure for the trots (diarrhea). It was called Kao-pectin. As the name suggests it was a suspension of fine clay in a solution of pectin. It was mildly distasteful to swallow but, man, did it work. After a few one table spoon doses taken about an hour apart, you could once more trust a fart. I can only speculate how it works.
Clay is made of fine platelates and a small amount of clay has a huge surface area. It apparently adsorbed the nasties in the GI* track and firmed up the contents so that peristalsis could move them down stream to be eliminated.
Also, I only have a sample of one. Myself. The stuff was a miracle. Can I buy it now in my local pharmacy. Not on your nelly. At least in New Zealand, the UK or Canada, the pharmacies I have tried don't stock it. Why not. It is still produced in some other countries so it is available.
I suspect that there is not enough profit in it. After all, how much can you charge for a suspension of clay in a solution of Pectin. When I was young, I watched the evolution of this product.
First they made the new improved Kao. They added a bit of flavoring and some colour. Judging by the color, it was probably Tartrazine, not something you want in a medicine. Whatever was added, the Pharm industry could now charge more. It still worked so not too much harm done except perhaps for someone at the bottom of the earning ladder with sick kids.
Next they added some sort of medicine to it. I seem to remember that it was an anti-biotic of some sort. It wasn't needed. The original formulation worked a treat but now they could charge even more.
Finally, the product was discontinued. Still not enough profit??
There is no denying that we get valuable, effective cures for various conditions from the pharmacies but they have the morals of a cigarette salesman. If their isn't enough profit or if it will detract us from buying a more expensive product, they ain't going to carry it.
I'd like to see some double blind testing done on simple Kao-pectin against other products to see just how effective it is and then, if it proves to be as good as I say it is, to publicize it widely. Can't be done in a university. They can't endanger their funding from the Pharm industry. It would have to be an independent research outfit that isn't in thral to the pharm industry. What we need is a government research branch for research that can't be funded by vested interests.
Clay is made of fine platelates and a small amount of clay has a huge surface area. It apparently adsorbed the nasties in the GI* track and firmed up the contents so that peristalsis could move them down stream to be eliminated.
Also, I only have a sample of one. Myself. The stuff was a miracle. Can I buy it now in my local pharmacy. Not on your nelly. At least in New Zealand, the UK or Canada, the pharmacies I have tried don't stock it. Why not. It is still produced in some other countries so it is available.
I suspect that there is not enough profit in it. After all, how much can you charge for a suspension of clay in a solution of Pectin. When I was young, I watched the evolution of this product.
First they made the new improved Kao. They added a bit of flavoring and some colour. Judging by the color, it was probably Tartrazine, not something you want in a medicine. Whatever was added, the Pharm industry could now charge more. It still worked so not too much harm done except perhaps for someone at the bottom of the earning ladder with sick kids.
Next they added some sort of medicine to it. I seem to remember that it was an anti-biotic of some sort. It wasn't needed. The original formulation worked a treat but now they could charge even more.
Finally, the product was discontinued. Still not enough profit??
There is no denying that we get valuable, effective cures for various conditions from the pharmacies but they have the morals of a cigarette salesman. If their isn't enough profit or if it will detract us from buying a more expensive product, they ain't going to carry it.
I'd like to see some double blind testing done on simple Kao-pectin against other products to see just how effective it is and then, if it proves to be as good as I say it is, to publicize it widely. Can't be done in a university. They can't endanger their funding from the Pharm industry. It would have to be an independent research outfit that isn't in thral to the pharm industry. What we need is a government research branch for research that can't be funded by vested interests.
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