Historical Event
Date:
January 1, 1924
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Dr Hegner explains that an all meat carnivorous diet can be used to treat flagellate diarhhea but admits there have only been a few anecdotes.

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Person:
A Carnivorous Diet in the Treatment of Flagellate Diarrhea in Journal of the American Medical Association
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Important Text:
A Carnivorous Diet in the Treatment of Flagellate Diarrhea - Robert W. Hegner. Jour. Am. Med. Assn., 83, 23. 1924
In searching for a method of control of intestinal disturbances caused by the presence of protozoa it has been found that carnivorous mammals are rarely reported as having intestinal protozoa, in omnivorous mammals it is less rare, and herbivorous mammals oftne have a variety of spices present in great numbers.
From a study of lower animals evidence has been obtained. showing that a carnivorous diet is unfavorable for the harboring within the intestines of flagellates of the genera Giardia (Lamblia) and Trichomonas. Physicians can determine the effect of a similar diet on patients having flagellate diarrhea or amebic dysentary.
There have been a limited number of cases of flagellate diarrhea studied where therer was a response to the treatment on a meat diet. However, more data is necessary before making a definite statement regarding the value of a carnivorous diet for eradicating the various species of intestinal protozoa. The readiness with which different forms of protozoa are affected is dependent upon their habitat. Observation and experiments indicate that the forms which live in the large intestine are the ones most quickly affected.
Menus which are suitable for use by physicians in research along this line have been prepared by McCollum and Simonds. A plea is made that medical men who have control of patients for a considerable time test the effects of a carnivorous diet on the intestinal protozoa of man.
H.C.