 |
 |
 |
Go to the “Poison Issue Page”
|
|
Nityananda’s
Diagnosis 1 – Cardiac Symptoms
David R. Hooper B. Sc. (biochem.)
(Deva Gaura Hari Das)
Introduction
In ‘No Medical Evidence for
Poisoning of Srila Prabhupada,’ a general overview of the symptoms of
arsenicosis was given, and their marked absence in the condition of Srila
Prabhupada discussed. Also presented was evidence from medical and scientific
publications detailing the clear presence of signs and symptoms of diabetes
mellitus type 2 with accompanying kidney disease in Prabhupada’s physical
condition.
This document is the first in a series that will address more directly
the claims published in the book ‘Someone
Has Poisoned Me,’ (hereafter referred to as SHPM), by Nityananda Das. We
will begin by examining each of the ‘symptoms’ given in the Health Biography
Analysis (chapter 32, page 226) of SHPM.
Cardiac:
Arsenic caused Srila
Prabhupada’s heart to palpitate, quicken its beat, and become irregular in its
beat, all noted in the health biography.
-SHPM
Cardiac
Symptoms - Arsenical or Diabetic?
The two major types of arsenic poisoning are acute (appearance of
symptoms within hours of a large oral dose) and chronic (gradual onset of
symptoms over several weeks following repeated small doses or environmental
exposure). It is important to note that the clinical signs of the two types of
arsenic intoxication are quite different. We carried out extensive research
into more than 50 medical publications, including most of the 24 medical
references cited in SHPM. With few exceptions, the references to
arsenic-induced cardiac irregularities, especially ventricular dysrhythmia,
relate to acute rather than chronic poisoning. Goldfrank’s Toxocologic Emergencies gives the typical account of
acute intoxication:
Acute toxicity typically begins with gastrointestinal symptoms of
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea … Cardiovascular instability
often accompanies or quickly follows these symptoms …Patients with severe
poisoning may also develop acute encephalopathy with delirium, seizures, coma,
dysrhythmias, fever …acute renal failure, and death.1
The symptoms of chronic poisoning are also commonly agreed on as being;
a progressive symmetrical polyneuropathy (gradual loss of feeling, pins and
needles in both legs beginning with the feet), dermatological features (scaly
rash, dappling of trunk, thickening of palms and soles), Mees lines (white
lines of arsenic deposited in fingernails), nausea and general weakness.2,3,12,13
|
Like this article? Download it in ZIP format for reading offline.
Go to the “Poison Issue Page”
|
Therefore, the overwhelming experience of experts is that while cardiac
effects are often seen in cases of acute intoxication, in chronic poisoning
cardiovascular symptoms are far less noticeable, and are extremely unlikely to
be seen in the absence of the other more prominent neurological and
dermatological symptoms of arsenic intoxication.
Nityananda Das’s hypothesis is that Srila Prabhupada was given small
doses of arsenic over a long period, thus producing symptoms of chronic, rather
than acute poisoning. It is therefore inconsistent with the literature to attribute
Prabhupada’s cardiac disturbances to chronic arsenicism, in the absence of the
other symptoms such as symmetrical polyneuropathy, dermatological changes and
nail bed irregularities.
While the literature doesn’t support a diagnosis of chronic arsenical
cardiac complications without dermatological or neurological signs, there is
abundant literature linking diabetes with cardiovascular disease, especially
heart attack and stroke.
Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in adults with
diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for coronary
artery disease, and the incidence of coronary artery disease is related to the
duration of diabetes.4
As discussed in the previous paper, it was common knowledge within ISKCON
since 1969 that Prabhupada was a diabetic. He confirmed this fact himself and
Dr McIrving who treated Prabhupada at Watford Peace Memorial Hospital in 1977
also gave the same diagnosis.
The following points about diabetic coronary heart disease are also
interesting to note.
Coronary heart
disease (CHD) is the leading cause of diabetes-related death; adults with
diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from CHD as their
non-diabetic counterparts.6
Coronary artery disease and stroke are quite common. Silent myocardial
infarction occurs with increased frequency in diabetes and should be suspected
whenever symptoms of left ventricular failure appear suddenly. Diabetes may
also be associated with the clinical picture of cardiomyopathy, in which heart
failure occurs in the face of apparently normal coronary arteries and in the
absence of other identifiable causes of heart disease.4
That Srila Prabhupada lived an extremely pure life, never smoked or
took alcohol, nor had any other identifiable causes of heart disease is yet
another indication that his diabetes was the cause of his repeated heart
attacks and stroke.
Prabhupada confirmed the fact that such diabetic heart attacks are
generally severe and life threatening, citing his own experience.
He had said that
when the heart attack had come, it had been meant for his death; therefore he
had called out loudly, “Hare Krishna!” thinking that the moment of death had
come.7
May, 1967.
To say that Srila Prabhupada’s heart problems of 1977 were due to
arsenic neglects to acknowledge the fact that he had displayed these clinical
signs for at least ten years prior to this (refer to cardiac health history
below). In fact, details of his symptoms recorded independently in 1967 and
1977 display a remarkable similarity in describing his condition.
During the last week of May, Srila Prabhupada began to feel exhausted.
He spoke of heart palpitations. Hoping that the symptoms would clear up in a
day or two, Kirtanananda requested Prabhupada to rest and see no visitors. But
Prabhupada's condition became worse.7
May, 1967.
Working on Srimad-Bhagavatam, he was completely transcendental to his
physical condition, despite the accompanying heart palpitations and despite his
faint voice and general weakness. Even to sit was difficult, and yet once he
began working, nothing could stop him. 7
July, 1977.
Therefore, to say that chronic arsenicosis was the cause of Srila
Prabhupada’s heart palpitations and other cardiovascular problems of 1977 is to
disregard both the available medical literature and the clear historical facts
of identical symptoms recorded since 1965. Rather, the cardiac traumas
experienced by Srila Prabhupada from 1965 through to 1977 are clearly
attributable to diabetes mellitus, which had gone untreated for many years, if
not decades.
History
of Cardiac Symptoms 1967- 1977
In 1965, before Prabhupada had set foot on American soil, he suffered
two heart attacks on the ship taking him to the United States. Again in 1967 he
suffered a major heart attack and stroke that paralyzed the left side of his
body and took two years for him to recover from. Throughout the years to come,
Prabhupada experienced heart problems on and off with palpitations and weakness
of the heart reported throughout the early seventies up to the year of his
passing in 1977. The following is a partial record of Srila Prabhupada’s
history of cardiac illness from 1965 through to 1977.
Srila Prabhupada wrote of some sea-sickness, and on the thirteenth day
of the voyage, during the passage through the Arabian Sea, he suffered a
massive heart attack. 9
August 1965
The devotees called a second doctor, who came and diagnosed Srila
Prabhupada as having had a mild heart attack. He said that Prabhupada should at
once go to the hospital. 7
May, 1967
Prabhupada: In ’68 I was alone. And I had to struggle very, very hard, alone.
Therefore I got heart attack in 1967. Then that heart attack and regress
continued for two years. Whatever is done, it is done from 1969. Before that, I
was simply alone struggling to start this mission. 11
April 10, 1977.
(ref. May, 1967-69)
Srila Prabhupada's brief description of the personal ordeal he had
passed through left me listless. Prabhupada had been nearly unconscious for
many days. I remembered in India seeing him in a similar condition due to
over-exhaustion, but Prabhupada had passed through that trial quickly,
recovering in one night. And I recalled how in Los Angeles he had suffered from
heart palpitations and severe coughing which plagued him for nearly a month.
10
September, 1974
The nights had been passing with difficulty for Prabhupada. He had been unable to translate because the
strain of talking caused heart palpitations.
His sleeping had also been interrupted by the palpitations.
8
May 25, 1977
Last night he had
difficulty on account of heart pain. 8
June 20, 1977
Working on Srimad-Bhagavatam, he was completely transcendental to his
physical condition, despite the accompanying heart palpitations and despite his
faint voice and general weakness. Even to sit was difficult, and yet once he
began working, nothing could stop him. 7
July, 1977.
Prabhupada made an opening and closing motion with his hand, indicating
he was having heart palpitations. They
were worse, he explained, than before in Vrindavana. 8
September 10, 1977
Discussion
Attributing the 1977 cardiac symptoms to arsenicosis brings up some
other interesting questions:
Is Nityananda Das suggesting that the heart attacks that happened prior
to Prabhupada’s coming to America were also due to arsenic poisoning?
What about the palpitations and attacks in 1967, why would neophyte
disciples want to poison their newfound spiritual master they were so dependent
on?
If Nityananda Das accepts that these clinical manifestations were
simply due to Srila Prabhupada’s own systemic illness, then why attribute the
same symptoms to arsenicosis when they reappear ten years later?
Rather than advance into the realms of medical conjecture, the obvious
diagnosis is to simply attribute the heart attacks and palpitations to long
untreated diabetes. The doctor who personally treated Prabhupada confirmed this
prognosis, and it is supported by all available literature. There is clearly no need to look to some
extraneous cause for the cardiac symptoms of 1977, when Prabhupada’s health had
further deteriorated and he was more prone to be affected by these cardiac
weaknesses.
The argument may be raised that the cardiac symptoms are just one of
many clinical features that point to arsenic poisoning. However, we shouldn’t
let this smokescreen get in the way of an unbiased appraisal of each particular
symptom with reference to the medical history of the patient and current
literature. As we progress to question each symptoms validity, it may well be
found that there are actually very few, if any, specific signs and symptoms of
arsenic poisoning in the health history of Srila Prabhupada.
Conclusion
The diagnosis of arsenical cardiomyopathy, in the absence of all the
major indicative signs of chronic exposure such as polyneuropathy, skin
thickening and pigmentation, nail lines etc. cannot at all be supported by the
medical literature. The fact that Nityananda Das is neither a medical doctor
responsible to a professional board or research scientist answerable to a
university faculty allows him to make such claims with relative immunity, at
least from a professional standpoint. However, the impartial reader would be
well advised to regard such claims with caution in light of Nityananda Das’s lack
of academic credentials and questionable ability to impartially represent the
available medical literature.
References
1.
Goldfrank’s
Toxologic Emergencies. 6th Ed. Appleton and Lange.
2.
Handbook of Toxic
and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens. Vol 1. Sittig, Marshall.
1991.
3.
Phrenic
Neuropathy in Arsenic Poisoning. Bansal SK, Haldar N, Dhand UK, Chopra JS. Chest
1991;100(3):878-880.
4.
Harrison’s
Principles of Internal Medicine. 14th Ed. McGraw-Hill.
5.
Abhirama Das- Statement on Prabhupada’s Health History 1998
6.
Type 2 diabetes:
Causes, complications, and new screening recommendations. Butler R. et al. Geriatrics 1998;53:47-54
7.
Srila Prabhupada
Lilamrita. Satsvarupa Das Goswami.
8.
TKG’s Diary- Prabhupada’s
Final Days. Tamal Krishna Goswami.
9.
The Jaladuta
Diary. BBT. 1998
10.
Servant of the
Servant. Tamal Krishna Goswami.
11.
Conversations
with Srila Prabhupada. BBT.
12.
Further
Scientific Evidence of the Non-Poisonous Death of Napolean Bonaparte. Corso PF,
Hindmarsh T. Sc Prog 1996;79(2):89-96
13.
Medical
Toxicology – Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. Ellenhorn, M.
1988