From 1922 until her death in 1978, Rene Caisse; a nurse in Ontario, Canada; treated hundreds of cases of terminal cancer with a herbal formula she had gotten from an Annishanabek (Ojibway/Chippewa) herb doctor. She named this formula Essiac. Administered both orally and by injection, Rene treated many forms of cancer. Where there was damage to life support organs, the patient died, but lived without pain until the end. In patients free of damage to life support organs, these were cured and lived 35-45 years longer.

The results of this herbal cure could not be dismissed by the Canadian Government, and in 1938, Essiac came within three votes of being legalized as a remedy for terminal cancer. The book "Calling of an Angel" by Dr. Gary L. Glum recounts Rene Caisse's courageous struggle to restore health to hundreds of cancer patients despite the difficulties the Canadian Ministry of Health & Welfare put on her and her work. This same ministry burned all of Caisse's records (40 years of clinical data) when she died. Cancer is considered the second largest revenue producing business in the world, next to petrochemicals, and should a cure be found, a lot of businesses would be hurt financially.

The Brusch Clinic in Mass. Worked with Rene Caisse from 1959 until 1962. In the words of Dr. Charles A. Brusch (personal physician to the late Pres. John F. Kennedy) "Essiac is a cure for cancer, period. All studies done at laboratories in the United States and Canada support this conclusion." The United States government is reported to have issued to Dr. Brusch the option of enduring a 'gag order' or permanent residence in a military hospital. Dr. Brusch's Essiac studies have not been heard of since.

The Essiac formula that did find its way to parts of the general public in the U.S. in recent years, came to us through a patient and friend of Rene Caisse. This person offered the formula and

information on Ms. Caisse to Dr. Glum. Although the formula is "out" and being used in many parts of the world, some herbal companies are offering a premixed powdered formula in which yellow or curly dock is being substituted for one of the herbs (sheep's sorrel) of the original Essiac formula. This substitutions renders the cure useless. It seems that money speaks louder that morality everywhere, for when Dr. Glum published Rene's story at his own expense, the IRS hit him with a half a million dollars in tax liens and told him "You know this has got nothing to do with taxes. It's all about cancer." And confiscated the books.

Because herbs (at this time) do not fall under the jurisdiction of the AMA or FDA, you can use this formula in the privacy of your own home. This however will not bring in revenues to those in places of power and authority.  This is not to advocate the end of allopathic medicine as we know it, but to suggest there are other options. The interest that the AMA, FDA and pharmaceutical companies do have in exerting authority over this herbal cure, is to the extent to whom the patent goes for the formula and who to sue in the case of a wrongful death.  Here the insurance companies would get involved and the cost for the remedy would sky rocket.

Rene Caisse administered her formula at no cost to patients. The criteria under which patients were allowed to seek Rene's help were that;
1. they must terminally ill and given up as hopeless by their personal physician
2. and this was to be certified by a pathology report
3. Rene could not charge for any of her services.

For thirty five years Ms. Caisse carried out her work, and in spite of the effort of federal governments, we can still reap the benefits of ft.