AMALGAM REMOVAL IN 1916
The following article was published at the website of mercury-free dentist John Roberts at http://www.holistic-dentistry.com/
(original URL http://www.holistic-dentistry.com/artamalgam.asp).
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Professor Erich Rudolf Jaensch (1883-1940), "Ordinarius" in psychology at the University of Marburg gave Alfred Stock the detailed story of his own "amalgam illness" in a written account....
Jaensch was 15 when he received his first amalgam fillings, and he then gradually developed nervous complaints which were diagnosed as "hypochondriac neurasthenia". Physically he still appeared to be in good health, but this changed in 1909, after his dentist had made some kind of bridge construction connecting the largish amalgam fillings in his molars, an apparently rather unnecessary intervention which may have involved the introduction of other metal alloys in addition to amalgam (no details quoted). After some time Jaensch developed chronic diarrhoea, which during the years 1912-1916 resulted in at least ten evacuations a day. This led to weight loss, severe pain in various parts of the body, sleep disturbance, stomatitis, asthmatic symptoms, anxiety, and gradually Jaensch became more or less bedridden and incapable of intellectual work.
The idea that his severe illness might have to do with his 24 large amalgams did not occur to Jaensch until 1916. He contacted a certain Professor Sommer who agreed to investigate this apparently remote possibility, and the urinary level of mercury was found to be raised. Prof. Sommer's written conclusions about a causal connection were however met with total denial by a series of dentists, who were convinced that the safety of amalgam was a matter of scientific fact. Amalgam removal was consequently regarded as unnecessary, and no dentist would undertake such an operation until a Prof. Binswanger (who may have been one of three possible psychiatrists B.) expressly asked a dentist friend of his to help Jaensch. At first his symptoms increased during the removal procedure, but later, when suction was applied in order to remove amalgam dust and vapors, this problem did not occur again. As soon as the removal was complete, his diarrhea improved considerably, and this was followed by a slow recovery from all of his symptoms. The amalgam restorations were replaced by gold.
When...extracts from Jaensch's history, the follow-up time was already ten years, and recovery was apparently complete. His academic career confirmed this. Jaensch's work is cited in several places (along with that of his brother Walter) in Oswald Bumke's monumental handbook of psychiatry. ....
...he was all but down and out for several years up to 1916, but then fully regained his health after amalgam removal. It may be taken as a sign of his continued vitality that he published a book as late as 1937. The follow-up time was thus more than 20 years without relapse.
(This page was http://book.boot.users.btopenworld.com/Removal-1916.htm )