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Here we give you an overview
of the Multiple Sclerosis History.
In 1838, the two pathologists, Robert Carswell and Jean Cruveilher discovered alterations in the spinal cord unknown
at that time. Carswell published drawings of it.
In 1868, Jean Martin Charcot discovered the connection between such nerve
damages and MS symptoms and describes MS for the first time as an individual
disease.
About the same time, French pathologist Louis-Antoine Ranvier discovered the
nodes, or gaps, in the myelin sheath. Myelin, the insulation of long nerve
fibers was already discovered in 1854 by German pathologist Rudolf Virchow.
About 1884, Pierre Marie publishes the theory that an infection caused by germs
would provoke MS. To date MS researchers chase this theory. Initially supposing
numerous viruses could be involved, they now concentrate on the Epstein-Barr
virus. Nevertheless, it has been all theory, as they could not prove this until
today.
In the 1960s, they believed mercury contained in amalgam fillings to be the
trigger of MS. This could not be confirmed either.
In 1913, lumbar punctures of the spinal fluid show antibodies typical in MS
patients. Twenty years later, Thomas Rivers does research with rodents. By
injecting cells sensitized to the body's own myelin, he could provoke MS similar
symptoms. Based on these findings they concluded MS would be an autoimmune
disease, i.e. the immune system attacks causeless the own body.
First dietetic treatment in
multiple sclerosis history
In 1940, the German medical doctor Joseph Evers starts treating MS successfully
with diet and proves the effectiveness of this treatment in over 15,000 cases.
In 1960 it was achieved to overcome the common prejudice MS would be a mental
disease.
In 1978, CT (computer tomography) entered MS diagnosis. For the first time, this
made larger lesions visible. This diagnostic tool has been replaced by MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging) introduced in 1981. The different imaging of MRI
speeds up diagnosis.
In 1980, cortisone was proven beneficial in MS treatment as to inhibit episodic
attacks.
1993 heralds a kind of breakthrough in pharmaceutical treatment of MS.
Interferon was discovered to reduce the frequency of attacks with a delaying
effect on the progression of MS.
Science keeps dreaming of a vaccine against MS guessing to have it available in
some decades. This will only succeed if the destruction of myelin would be
caused by viruses or bacteria. However, what will be the criteria for such
vaccination as MS is not inherited?
Obvious and alarming is that science was unable within more that 140 years to
present any pharmaceutical treatment that could stop the disease.
In spite of all these findings, MS is a disease affecting more and more people
in the world.
Since 1940, diet has been proven the appropriate and only successful treatment
in MS. No drug invented so far in multiple sclerosis history has a similar effect on the remission of MS.
Nevertheless, this treatment has been successfully deprived from MS patients
matching failure to render assistance.
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