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To study the life of Dr. Koch is to find much more than a landmark therapeutic discovery, as great as that alone is. His life illustrates important lessons for us today, lessons with profound implications which go beyond medical science. These lessons stir up probing questions about the moral integrity and credibility of many of society's revered institutions. The prevailing philosophy of allopathic medicine also comes into question.
Along side the fascinating breakthroughs and triumphs which resulted from Dr.Koch's work some major tragedies were played out. Dr. Koch, his associates, many of his followers, even patients became victims of repeated atrocities and travesties of justice. Despite this opposition the character of Dr. Koch stands out as a man of dedication and courage.
Several important themes are concurrent and intertwined in the life of Dr. Koch. Three of these will be abstracted and recounted here. The first pertains to his career as a distinguished teacher, researcher and physician. The second summarizes the events which transpired as the result of forces opposed to his work. The third contrasts divergent spiritual paths and discusses their respective outcomes.
He attended the University of Michigan where he studied chemistry, biology, and physics. He earned his B.A. there in 1909. He continued in the Dept. of Physiology and earned his M.A. in 1910. There he remained and served teaching Histology and Embroyology and doing research until 1914.
Later in 1914 he went on to teach as a professor of physiology at the Detroit College of Medicine. He continued research and course work at U.of M. to earn his Ph.D. in 1916. He went on to earn his M.D. degree in 1918 from Wayne State University while at the Detroit College of Medicine. From 1915 to 1919 he served as Pathologist at Women's Hospital in Detroit. He also served as Pathologist at St. Mary's Hospital.
Thus an ambitious academic career enabled him to develope expertise in the areas of physics, chemistry, biology, physiology, embroyology, histology, pathology, and medicine. Along the way he discovered a procedure which could bring about remissions to varying degrees and often cures in diverse diseases. The list included allergies, infections, and cancer. He entered the private practice of medicine in 1919 in Detroit.
Interest in his uniquely successful therapeutic methods mounted. He founded a laboratory which provided specialized remedies for his own use, for other physicians, for veterinarians, and for animal farmers. He lectured and published numerous journal articles and books pertaining to his methods. Several independent religious and humanitarian organizations took an interest in his work and served to expound and promote it. Interest spread to other countries which included: Canada, Brazil, England, Belgium, Germany, Eqypt, India, and Australia. Patents were issued in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Brazil covering various remedies developed by him. Other prominent physicians and veteranary scientists began to apply his methods and to publish their results. Noted among them are Dr. Arnott, Dr. Baldor, Dr. Wahl, Dr. Maisin, et al.
Success continued to build to a level that wide spread application of what came to be known as "Koch Therapy" should still be in use today. What contravened is described as follows.
In Brazil he was enthusiastically received and provided with facilities to continue his work. The success of his methods continued to be demonstrated in areas of human medicine and in veterinary practice. He continued to publish results from Brazil. Courageous physicians and veterinarians in the United States, in Canada, in Germany and elsewhere continued to successfully employ "Koch Therapy". Many in the United States however were dissuaded or intimidated to stop due to the intense and protracted oppression.
The unholy alliance between the medical establishment, the Federal Government, and competitive drug companies had succeeded in wiping out Koch Therapy as a prevalent practice in the United States. But they failed to totally eradicate it in three ways. Firstly, the evidence in its favor became elevated to that of open court sworn testimony on a public record. Rarely does the most prestigious scientific literature find its data certified to such a high level of legal recognition. Secondly, American suppression and fear tactics could not reach into foreign countries and eliminate all knowledge of Koch Therapy abroad. Neither could this knowledge be entirely eradicated in the United States. A small remnant of courageous and religiously devote individuals committed to the truth and to the benefit of their fellow human beings continued to preserve and to publish information pertaining to Koch Therapy. Thirdly, the shameful behavior of prominent public and professional authorities in their attempt to eradicate a life saving therapy opened the eyes of many who had misplaced their trust. The story of the persecution of Doctor Koch stands as an illustrative landmark in the history of medical oppression.
This dedicated humanitarian, scientist and physician was poisoned by an assassin. He nevertheless continued his work in a profoundly weakened condition. Subsequently he experienced a stroke. He died in December of 1967.
It certainly was not fame. He himself denied this, and it is quite evident, that the more his methods became known the more he was in fact defamed. It was not fortune. Though enterprising, Koch was a hard working dedicated physician who lost a fortune in litigation expenses defending his work. He endured professional ridicule, misunderstanding, legal harrassment, financial loss, death threats, and banishment. Nevertheless, somes clues remain to answer the question, "How did he put up with it?"
In a letter to Laurence B. Thatcher of June 21, 1946, Willard H. Dow, then president of Dow Chemical Company, states:
I hope you have had a chance to meet Dr. Koch, as he is ardently interested in his work, although he is a very modest man. He is really working himself much harder than he should for his own health. I sincerely hope some day the public will recognize him for his ability.
In "The Koch Treatment Relieves suffering" by Gerald P. Winrod, radio preacher and publisher of "The Defender Magazine", it is stated:
I have enjoyed a long-standing friendship with Dr. Koch. I know him to be a learned man, a great humanitarian, a scientist, a beloved physician and, what is more important, a Bible - believing Christian.
Early in his life Doctor Koch's father died of cancer. Young William, it is reported by those close to him, had prayed to God to reveal to him a cure for this dreadful disease. Koch believed that God had granted his request when it was later found that certain energy boasting carbonyl compounds he was studying had antitumor activity. He further believed it to be the will of God for his life to share the benefits of this discovery with mankind. To abandon this calling would for him be failure to fulfill God's purpose for his life. Believing he was serving God, and believing that God would sustain, honor, and reward him for his faithfulness to this mission would be sustaining motivations.
Compassion for the sick was apparently also an on going motivator. People came to Doctor Koch desparately ill and in pain. His heart went out to them. Knowing he could help, where other therapies had or certainly would fail, he could do no other than apply his discoveries. Doctor Koch was not one to abandon those who needed him. The repeated joys of success were likely also rewarding and sustaining motivations for him.
It is also evident that Doctor Koch frequently communed with God through prayer, and that this resulted in an enhanced inner strength, peace, vision, and encouragement. In a letter to a friend dated November 24, 1964 Doctor Koch writes pertaining to some past problems:
However that makes no difference as I always pray, "Our Father, Thou art my strength, my wisdom, my intelligence, and my Protector, I can fear no evil, nor suffer no defeat." This is actually true for the apparent setback I am going through now is not a setback but a big advance forward if you would know what I have accomplished while out of the U.S.A.
Many who were initially against Koch Therapy subsequently were converted after more diligent investigation showed recognizable benefits from it. Many became practicianers of this new science and others became outspoken advocates in its favor. Surprisingly, one of Koch's prosecutors eventually recanted and later admitted that Doctor Koch had done nothing wrong. David Arnott, MD noted in the introduction to "The Chemistry of Natural Immunity" on page 16 the following:
The most bitter and abusive critics of Dr. Koch are those
who never have followed a series of cases treated by him.
Koch Therapy when optimally applied seemed to work roughly 80+% of the time in allergic diseases and acute infections. It worked roughly 50% to 60% of the time in chronic diseases such as chronic infections, certain degenerative diseases, and cancer.
Are there lessons to be learned from the lives of the oppressors of Koch Therapy? The answer to this question is also yes, sadly. Had Koch Therapy not been suppressed, then the favorable impact on human suffering would have been enormous. History reports incidents of millions of people in this century dying prematurely due to war or genocide. Yet these statistics are far below the cumulative toll of premature death from allergies, infections, and cancer, since the discovery of Koch Therapy. The famous Helsinki Accords recognized the right of freedom of access to medical care. These statesmen understood that death and illness attributable to governmental denial of medical freedom is just as much a crime against humanity as genocide. If the enemies of Doctor Koch will ever have to face an afterlife judgement, to be held responsible for the elimination of a therapy that could have easily benefited millions of people, would indeed be a horrific indictment.
One could also ask, if there exists some other means by which severe consequences might have already accrued to the persecutors of Doctor Koch? On the surface it appears they won and got away with it. Doctor Koch addresses this question in a unique monogragh entitled "Psychosomatic Judgement". In it are recounted numerous incidents of known malfeasance including: destruction of evidence, exclusion of evidence, intimidation and beating of witnesses, engagement of perjurous witnesses, etc. Doctor Koch points out, that most of these eventually died of cancer themselves. He further observed, that the more vehemently they worked to stamp out Koch Therapy, the more quickly and violently they succumbed to cancer. He attributed this to a natural physiologic self-destructive process caused by guilt. Other observers such as Reich and Siegel similarly note that severe emotional problems promote cancer.
Setting aside for the moment prospects of divine judgement and psychosomatic judgement, there exists yet another problem that all overjealous bashers of medical alternatives must face. I would call this autoetiologic judgement. In other words, as a simple matter of cause and effect, quackbusters do this to themselves. When the time came for many of the persecutors of Koch to need his therapy for themselves, it was not available. What they had sown, the elimination of Koch Therapy, they also reaped. The law of karma took its toll on them by their own hands.
Such dire consequences illustrate an important lesson for everyone.
If you the reader are a reckless quack buster, a closed minded peer-reviewist,
an unsrupulous reporter, an indiscreet judge, an apathetic legislator,
an insensitive bureaucrat, or a misdirected reader, viewer, voter or juror,
beware! The very therapy you succeed in destroying today, may tomorrow be
the very therapy you or a loved one desparately needs.
Click Here To Peruse Bibliography Entitled
"Publications By Doctor Koch Himself"
Click Here To Peruse Bibliography Entitled
"Medical Politics Versus Koch's Therapy"