Positive Health Online

Introduction

Since René Quinton first discovered and therapeutically administered Quinton Marine Plasma (QMO) around the early 20th Century it has a 100+ years' of proven track record in correcting and supporting the establishment of the optimum internal environment of the body.  Quinton products achieve this using one basic ingredient, an ingredient he proved was the origin of man's internal environment, and which was preserved throughout zoological evolution, containing all known naturally occurring elements in the ideal proportions varied only by its tonicity - isotonic or hypertonic.  For the reasons stated in this paper, QMP could be considered the ideal nutritional treatment and supplement capable of regenerating a depleted internal environment.

Nutritional mineral supplementation has gained increasing recognition and favour in recent years.  All too often reductionist thinking has led to the development of individual or select combinations of a few minerals and trace elements aimed at correcting or preventing specific perceived deficiencies. Whilst this maximizes supplement company profits, as people buy multiple products to cover all bases, it fails to recognize the complex interactions and delicate balance of all the elements in the body.   More recent research has identified the web of interactions of just 16 out of the 92 naturally occurring elements detailed in Fig 1.  It is easy to see how supplementing just one or two elements in isolation, or supplementing with all elements in an unbalanced manner, risks further unbalancing the overall functional equilibrium.  However, if all elements are taken together in their correct ratios, the body can adjust the equilibrium to the overall optimum, and not just to the next best level of function.



Studies of the role of ions and elements within the body have mostly concentrated on those that occur in the body at the highest levels - Na, Cl, K, Ca, etc.  Their importance is irrefutable and figures exist for their normal range of occurrence.  However, I maintain that those elements that are much less studied, due to the difficulty in doing so because they occur at such low levels, play an equally pivotal role in physiological and biochemical function.  In some ways they might be considered more critical because a deficiency of 1ppm of an element required at a minimum 4ppm (i.e. 25% deficiency) is far more significant than the same 1ppm deficiency of an element required at 4-6 mEq/L.  A 1ppm deficiency in a trace element may have a significant impact on the biochemical function of an element occurring in higher concentrations than we have previously realized, even if the more abundant element analysis is within the normal range.  In other words, 'normal' physical presence in the body may not correspond to normal biological functionality if all other elements are not optimally balanced with each other.  Modern intensive farming practices over the last 60 years have tended to leech out many trace elements but only replace Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in commercial NPK fertilizers. This, combined with the overuse of cheap refined salt in our food, has caused health experts to claim that the trend towards chronic degenerative illness in the civilized population can be largely attributed to deficiencies in trace elements, and a general functional imbalance of all elements, to varying degrees within the body.

History of QMP

Having graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree at the age of 15, René Quinton first received international recognition and acclaim for his work from renowned physiologist of the day, Marey and others, for his work in postulating and then proving his Law of Thermal Constancy.  It was this work that set Quinton up as an assistant in the laboratory of Pathological Physiology of the Collège de France.  This enabled Quinton to test his hypothesis and subsequently confirmed his Law of Marine Constancy, and the existence of a 'physical and physiological identity between seawater and the internal environment of the human organism'.

Claude Bernard had previously identified the internal environment of the body as the mainstay of health, with disease being the result of adverse changes within this ideal environment. Despite Pasteur's now famous admission on his death-bed that Claude Bernard was correct, modern medicine's progression has been largely based to this day on Pasteur's opposing theories.

However, it was Quinton, basing his hypothesis on the evolutionary progression of uni-cellular life in the sea to multi-cellular life on the land, who identified seawater collected from specific regions of the vortex of plankton blooms and diluted to the correct tonicity to be the closest composition match to the natural 'mileur interieur'. 




 
Since 1904, QMP has proven to be the optimum medium to support correct homeostatic function.  Indeed Quinton himself described it as "the origin of life".  He confirmed this in a series of daring experiments on dogs, including his ultimate proof where he drained a dog of all blood to the point of no palpebral reflex and replaced the removed blood volume with QMP. Not only did the dog survive but having recovered was more active and healthy than before. This was perhaps even more amazing when you realize that these experiments were carried out in less than sterile surroundings without the use of antibiotics, etc. Further experiments were carried out by Quinton and his contemporaries who found that QMP was able to support in-vitro normal cellular activity of leucocytes for up to four weeks. Alexis Carrell, 1912 Nobel Laureate for Physiology and Medicine, began an experiment that kept cells from an embryonic chicken heart functioning for 34 years before public outcry led to the termination of the experiment. His 'secret' was the use of Quinton's QMP as the daily cleansing and restoration fluid.

If we compare the composition of blood plasma, extra-cellular fluid and QMP, it is not surprising that QMP can support cellular life in the body as it does in the sea.



In a crucially important discovery Quinton realized that not all seawater is the same!  His understanding of where and how to harvest a certain plankton bloom, as well as how to transport, process and store it in order to retain its maximum complexity and biological activity, are trade secrets that distinguishes QMP from other seawater copycat products. Quinton realized it was essential the product never be heated or sterilized in any way in order to maintain its unique biological activity.  His experimental results could not be repeated using simple physiological saline or by desiccating and reconstituting the seawater.  Quinton concluded that the QMP produced by the plankton has a 'living' aspect to it and indeed more recent analysis of QMP has revealed not only all naturally occurring elements but RNA and DNA, vitamins, anti-oxidants, peptides, fatty acids and other organic acids.  Quinton's thoroughness was not restricted to the cold-processing of the QMP.  He also specified the geometric structure of the glass ampoules to ensure the higher informational integrity of QMP is maintained.  

The significance of the RNA and DNA in the oceans, and thus QMP, is currently being researched by scientists, including J Craig Venter who first mapped the human genome. The first stage of his investigation revealed more than six million new genes and thousands of new protein families.  The ocean has now been recognized as the greatest gene pool on the planet.

Our growing understanding of cell regulation; the role of receptors in cell and nucleus membranes that control ion gates that regulate the cellular and nuclear terrains; the understanding that nucleic acid function (and thus gene expression occurs) according to the body environment; and the relatively new field of epigenetics, is the proving science through the work of Bruce Lipton and others, that René Quinton could only surmise, as to why QMP is so supportive of life and health.

Historic Applications

Quinton's first human treatment was in a Parisian hospital for a comatose man expected to die the same day from Typhoid.  Within just a few hours of the first intra-venous dose of QMP, the man emerged from his coma, started eating and talking and went on to make a full recovery following further treatment.  Quinton had a similar result with a man with cirrhosis of the liver and erysipelas. 

Following these early successes, Quinton Dispensaries were set up throughout France, and such was the success of treatment with QMP that the costs were reclaimable from the French Government under their national health scheme. Quinton was the first person to use photography to document the progression of many of his patients to health. 

Case Study 1

This picture shows the before and after results of a 50 year-old woman with longstanding, weeping, infected eczema on her face, neck, hands and arms that was very itchy.  She was given 30ml then 50ml and finally 100ml QMP injections twice a week.  The itching stopped after the third injection; the weeping after the fourth. The total quantity of injected QMP was about 560ml. No other adjunctive treatment was given.  Result: completely cured in 35 days.

Case Study 2

This picture shows the before and after results of a 20 year-old girl suffering with dyspepsia, chronic enterocolitis and terminal cachexia.  She had suffered with continuous weight loss for the previous five years and daily vomiting for the previous two years. She had amenorrhea for the previous four years.  After two hospital stays without improvement she was treated with QMP injections: 30ml then 50ml then 75ml injections three times a week. Total quantity of injected QMP was 1000ml.  She could tolerate milk after the first injection, then, progressively, eggs, vegetables and meat. Her constipation disappeared after the third injection. She gained 17kg in the two months between the photographs, and started normal periods after 45 days.

Such was the acclaim for René Quinton, and the recognition he achieved for the improvement in the general health of the French nation and French-speaking countries, that he was given a State Funeral at his premature death in 1925, the result of injuries received during the World War I.




 
From 1906, the 69 Quinton Dispensaries successfully treated many thousands of patients who contracted diseases that were epidemic at that time, such as Influenza, Cholera, Tuberculosis, Syphilis, Typhoid, etc.  Using large volume aggressive treatment even in the terminal stages of Cholera in children, the Dispensaries achieved nearly 100% survival.  With the re-emergence of Tuberculosis in recent years the success of QMP must surely deserve its consideration in modern treatment regimes.

Perhaps one of the most striking results was the treatment of pregnant women with a high risk of neonatal developmental disorders.  Treatment throughout gestation resulted in normal healthy babies who continued to develop well, and remained healthy for many years of follow-up.  These results were the first indication that gene expression could be controlled and corrected by providing the correct biological terrain in the body.

QMP was widely used as a blood plasma replacement during WWI and WWII and is still used today in some areas.  Biologist Raul Brugioni commented that "The world of medicine would be a far healthier and happier place if isotonic seawater were used in place of saline..."   

QMP continued to be widely used in France and was listed in the 1975 French Vidal Medical Dictionary.  In this physician's desk reference book QMP was described as "A sterile, apyrogenic dilution (pH 7.2) of seawater, prepared under aseptic conditions by special processes without rise in temperature or exposure to electric potential or field in order to preserve its molecular balance and its character of an 'alive medium'" and as being "identical physically, chemically, and physiologically to our interior milieu (extracellular fluid) and provides the optimum conditions for red blood corpuscles and leucocytes and other blood fractions. It is possible to replace the entire blood volume of an animal with Quinton Marine Plasma without any disorders for the organism."  The Vidal entry stating no known contraindications gives QMP the ultimate pharmaceutical clean bill of health!

In the Vidal, QMP was indicated for children and adults, including pregnant women for the treatment of enteritis, constipation, eczema, psoriasis, malnutrition, poisoning and acute toxicity, allergies, rhinitis and more.  At that time many of the treatments were carried out using intravenous, or more commonly subcutaneous, injection.  When the pharmaceutical lobby persuaded the French Government to legislate to force all injectables to be heat-treated, they knew from Quinton's book that this would inactivate the QMP.  Quinton Laboratories refused to change the essential process that results in QMP.  Thus the proven safe practice of injecting QMP was largely stopped and replaced by other treatments.  A small number of doctors and researchers spent the next 25 years working out new protocols using oral doses of QMP to treat conditions that had traditionally been treated by injection.

In 2004 the French Ministry of Science hosted a week-long centennial celebration of the scientific and humanitarian contribution of René Quinton.  During this event a medical symposium was held that announcing the new oral use protocols of Quinton Marine Plasma for treating major modern day health conditions.

QMP has found modern applications to add to its more traditional ones. If it is understood that fundamental health is totally reliant on the body terrain, it is logical to conclude that every disease process will improve with QMP.  After that it is simply a matter of establishing the necessary dose and frequency of treatment in individual disease situations.

Dentists are using QMP to flush root canals, aid bone and soft tissue healing in the mouth, and improve mineralization of teeth.  With the understanding that the nasal and sinus cavities can act as reservoirs of infection for the mouth and digestive tract, Quinton Nasal sprays have been developed.  There is growing realization that routine nasal flushing will prove to be as important as routine dental hygiene for health maintenance.

Veterinary use of QMP has also begun! I used it for my aged terrier whose health was rapidly declining through kidney failure.  After two weeks of treatment the improvement in his health was startling, and nearly two years later on a maintenance dose he is as healthy as you would expect for a 16 year-old dog.  I have found QMP to be a very good alternative to NSAIDs for osteoarthritis. Other vets in the USA are also using QMP with great results to speed healing from musculo-skeletal injuries in horses in record time, to more medical conditions in companion animals.

A study by Dr Paya with cyclists into the use of Quinton Hypertonic to aid athletic performance showed significant improvements that have encouraged professionals from a wide variety of sports (including Liverpool FC) to routinely use Quinton Hypertonic to maximize the effectiveness of their training.

With the translation of the original French data into English, backed up by modern research, QMP in its various product forms is experiencing a new demand in the USA and UK, following in the footsteps of European countries that have rediscovered its healing properties. In keeping with its tradition, QMP is distributed through health practitioners and personal trainers, more of whom are needed to spread the word.

It is important to realize that QMP is produced today to the same exacting standards and protocols set out by René Quinton all those years ago.  Despite people's fears about modern ocean pollution, QMP is a sterile and apyrogenic pharmaceutical grade product that is already compliant with Codex in Europe.  Its rightful place in mainstream and complementary medicine is undeniable and gradually being reclaimed. Never again will Quinton Marine Plasma be lost to medicine.

References

Dittman R. Is hygiene modern medicine's blindspot? The link between sinus and gum infection and chronic inflammation. Explore! Vol 17. Nov 2008.
Garavello W, Romagnoli M, Sordo L, Gaini RM, Di Bernardino C and Agrisano A. Hypersaline nasal irrigation in children with symptomatic seasonal allergic rhinitis: A randomized study. Pediatric Allergy And Immunology. 2003.
Jarricot J. Practice and Results of the Quinton Marine Method in Cases of Infantile Athrepsia and Cholera - Extrait de la 'Cure Marine' Revue Internationale de Thalassothérapie. (1), Imp Graphica. Bruges. 1938.
Jarricot J. Le dispensaire Marin. Ed. Mason. 1924 (out of print).
Paya MF. Expérience clinique avec l'eau de mer hypertonic dans un groupe de cyclistes, le séminaire sur la méthode thérapeutique marine. Alicante. Espagne. Juin 1998.
Quinton R. L'eau de Mer milieu organique (1912: Ed. Masson) Reprinted: Ed. ENCRE. 1995.
Quinton R and Simon R. Seawater: injected subcutaneously in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Paris. Éditions de la Revue des Idées. 1906.
Slapak I, Skoupá J, Sornad P and Horník P. Efficacy of Isotonic Nasal Wash (Seawater) in the Treatment and Prevention of Rhinitis in Children. Archives of Otolaryngology. Vol. 134 (1). January 2008.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Francisco Coll Sanchez, Director of Laboratories Quinton International and Robert Slovak of Original Quinton North America for providing information used in the writing of this article.