You can’t catch CFIDS. It is not an infectious disease. For the condition to develop a number of things have to happen. [ As Dr. Petrovic says, it is a multi-factorial disease ]

1. - Basic condition Nowadays EVERYBODY, unless they are taking antioxidants at a rate much greater than the RDA is under ‘ oxydative stress ’. This means that as food is oxidised in the cells’ mitachondria free electrons are let loose. If there is sufficient of the correct antioxidant its electrons are used to produce water instead of a dangerous fusillade of electrons which will produce a chain re-action that causes cell damage. In the process the antioxidants themselves become MILD free radicals which do not cause a chain re-action. In addition antioxidants are a ‘ reducing substance ’ in that they can give an electron to an oxidised antioxidant and so regenerate it.

A range of antioxidants is required - water soluble, fat soluble, enyzematic, non enzymeatic, self produced antioxidants, and those which have to be ingested. I have mentioned that a hair analysis revealed that I was a ‘ toxic bomb ’. We have since found that nearly everyone that has one finds the same thing. The world to-day is just becoming so polluted in so many ways.

Professor Kilroe-Smith has published a paper that states that a precursor to CFIDS is also a lack of certain essential micro-nutrients.

2. - Danger looms Under the conditions outlined above, without us realising it, our health is gradually decreasing due to ‘ oxydative stress ’. If we develop a chronic ‘itis’ (inflammation) condition this places further stress on the body which is likely to be treated with antibiotics. These are a great source of ‘ free radicals ’ in their own right. At this stage all we need is something to push us over the edge.

The triggers a. In an earlier document I outlined what the immune system does if the body is attacked by a virus. Cells containing a virus are marked and the body’s B cells come along and destroy the cell, and the virus too. If the oxydative stress has already interfered with immune system, so allowing the virus to replicate, the body responds with fatigue symptoms.

b. Sometimes an outside factor takes a shortcut, rending a virus unnecessary as a trigger. Ths always seems to be a matter of a dangerous chemical or chemicals. Chlorine is one that often crops up. Eileen has always sworn that photocopiers were dangerous. I read a report recently that confirmed her fears. Dr Petrovic often quotes emissions from computer screens as the cause.

3. Physical symptoms I do not have a medical dictionary so this is my explanation of why psychiatrists have become the owners of this disease.

The LIMBIC system This I believe is the name for the myriad of ways in which the various parts of the brain communicate with each other. I think that it comes from ‘ edge ’ or ‘ overlapping ’. This obviously IS the chief area of interest to psychiatrists.

Hypothalamus This is the part of the Limbic System that deals with emotional and visceral ( body ) responses. The literature absolutely abounds with references to ‘ the hypothalamus ’ because IT is supposed to control all the odd symptoms that patients complain of.

4. Bringing it all together I wish to thank an American correspondent for introducing me to Pages 285-315 of " The Limbic System : Functional Organisation and Clinical Disorders. New York - Raven Press - 1986. The chapter is titled, " Physiodynamics of the Limbic system.".

It contains a very persuasive argument ( Kindling Theory ) to describe why people with MCS ( Multiple Chemical Sensitivities ) seemed to be affected instantly by a stimulus that bypasses the normal processes in the brain. Why I am mentioning this at all is because Levine, in 1983, proposed a hypothesis that might well have been taken straight out of ‘Alternative Medical Review ". I quote:

‘ Levine has proposed that environmental sensitivities are the result of toxic chemicals reacting with cell constituents to create free radicals (!) (which are formed when a molecule loses an electron).

He hypothesizes that if an antioxidant molecule ( such as vitamin A, C, B, or selenium ) is not present nearby to supply the missing electron, then an electron may be removed from an unsaturated lipid in a cell membrane leading to membrane damage, release of prostaglandins and other inflammatory mediators, and formation of antibodies to chemically altered tissue macromolecules.’

19th July 1998