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Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER,
House Select Committee on Aging,
PORTLAND, OREG., Wednesday, April 2, 1980.
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
DEAR SIR: I would like to take this opportunity to relate some personal experi-
ences I have had with DMSO. I first became aware of DMSO in the summer of 1970.
At that time my grandmother became one of Dr. Stanley Jacob's first patients for
treatment of arthritis which was crippling her hands. Over a period of a few years
her hands improved and the frequency in applying DMSO was gradually reduced
until she no longer needed to use it. Today she is 92 and still has the use of her
hands although she has not used DMSO, except on occasion, for the past 7 or 8
years.
I have continued to get DMSO, first for her use and then for my own use, over the
years from the office of Dr. Jacob at the University of Oregon Health Sciences
Center. At no point while using DMSO have I ever experienced any adverse side
effects with the exception of odor on my breath and minor skin inflammation on
occasion. The personal benefits have been very significant on a number of occasions.
Five years ago I received a severe deep thigh bruise while playing basketball which
was the identical injury that occurred to me 13 years earlier while participating in
a high school basketball practice. At that time I was out of action for a period of 6
weeks although I applied various balms, utilized whirlpool baths, and underwent
ultra-sound treatments. Following the occurence of that injury the second time I
applied DMSO regularly for 7 days and at the end of that time I was able to play
basketball with no adverse effects.
Three years ago I sustained a bad sprain while playing soccer. After packing the
ankle in ice for 24 hrs, I put DMSO on it twice a day for 4 days and then once a day
for 3 days. After a period of 10 days I was able to resume playing soccer on a full-
time basis.
More recently I have been receiving injections in my left knee from Dr. Jacob. I
have osteoarthritis in this knee which has been getting worse over the past two
years. During the past year I underwent two arthoscopy operations in an attempt to
eliminate "clicking" in my knee, as well as flushing it out. Following the second
operation I began using 87-2 DMSO topically on a regular basis. Subsequent to this
I started taking injections of 20 percent DMSO with xylocaine which were adminis-
tered by Dr. Jacob. Although the "clicking" persists (another operation may be
necessary) and there is no scientific basis for using DMSO, the swelling and associ-
ated pain have gone away. With the exception of activities involving running, I have
full use of my knee whether walking, lifting, bicycling, or swimming.
The last example of the beneficial effect of DMSO involves my sister-in-law. She
has scleroderma and her condition has been deteriorating the last two years. She
has not been able to obtain any relief from physicians in the Seattle area. As a last
resort she became a patient of Dr. Jacob. Although she has continual discomfort
(pain and swelling) particularly in her wrists and ankles there has been consider-
able improvement in recent months.
I don't subscribe to the theory that DMSO is a miracle drug. However, because of
the numerous instances where it has been of benefit without harmful side effects,
its use can be justifiably increased. I believe the actions of your subcommittee are a
good first step in this direction. It is my hope that the use of DMSO be maximized
for society's benefit even if pharmaceutical companies don't stand to make a sub-
stantial profit.
Sincerely,
TERENCE M. BELLERBY.
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
TALLAHASSEE, FLA., April 3, 1980.
Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER,
House of Representatives,
Miami, Fla.
DEAR CONGRESSMAN PEPPER: I was recently in a discussion with another legislator
from Florida. He was aware that I, as a consumer, am familiar with the effects of
dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
The Florida Legislature enacted legislation in 1978 and 1979 which prohibits
interference with the physician-patient relationship by restricting use of dimethyl
sulfoxide. I agree strongly with this legislation. When the law is properly impli-
mented, a medication giving substantial relief from pain of various origins will be
available at a modest price to persons who would otherwise be unable to obtain the
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