Trigeminal Neuralgia Support Group

Castor Oil's Age-Old Qualities (Facial Neuralgia)
From the Journal of the American Medical Association, April 21, 1900, comes a communication by a Dr. Harold Moyer of Chicago about our old friend, castor oil. Dr. Moyer was interested in the treatment of facial neuralgia - which gave even more trouble in those days than it does today. Dr. A. J. Ochsner had called Moyer's attention to the use of castor oil after he noticed it mentioned in a German medical journal.

Two ounces of castor oil, given daily by mouth over a period of six to twelve days, produced "brilliant" results in at least 13 consecutive cases from Ochsner's surgical clinic at Rush Medical College. Moyer subsequently used the same approach on 15 cases over the two years following his contact with Ochsner. Of the seven cases observed, only five were facial neuralgia, the other two being brachial problems. Results for the most part were highly gratifying. One such case was that of a 37-year-old man whose facial neuralgia had lasted for six months. At the end of one week's treatment with daily ingested castor oil, the pain had disappeared completely; no recurrence reported. Strange substance, this oil from the seed of the Racinus cotizinunis! One wonders why, in the Middle Ages, someone called this plant the Palm of Christ or Palma Christi.

In the Cayce readings, it was recommended only several times to be given orally, rather than externally in pack form. However, Cayce once remarked that those who have a castor oil consciousness should take castor oil. I might mention that Dr. Moyer added a few drops of the essence of anise to each pint of castor oil - to make it less offensive - and gave his patients the oil well mixed in with Dogshead ale!

[Note: The preceding report was provided by William McGarey, M. D. and is excerpted from The A.R.E. Journal, September, 1977, Volume 12, No. 5, page 231, Copyright © 1977 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation, Virginia Beach, VA.]