Break Down Vital Forces—Drugs always have a tendency to break down and destroy vital forces.—Medical Ministry, 223 (General Manuscript entitled “Sanitarium,” 1887).
(2SM 281.1)
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Poisonous Preparations Which Leave Injurious Effects—God’s servants should not administer medicines which they know will leave behind injurious effects upon the system, even if they do relieve present suffering. Every poisonous preparation in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms, taken into the system, will leave its wretched influence, affecting the liver and lungs, and deranging the system generally.—Spiritual Gifts 4a:140 (1864).
(2SM 281.2)
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Deadly Aftereffects of Poisonous Drugs—Nature’s simple remedies will aid in recovery without leaving the deadly aftereffects so often felt by those who use poisonous drugs. They destroy the power of the patient to help himself. This power the patients are to be taught to exercise by learning to eat simple, healthful foods, by refusing to overload the stomach with a variety of foods at one meal. All these things should come into the education of the sick. Talks should be given showing how to preserve health, how to shun sickness, how to rest when rest is needed.—Letter 82, 1908 (To physicians and manager at Loma Linda).
(2SM 281.3)
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Seldom Needed—Use Them Less and Less—Drug medication, as it is generally practiced, is a curse. Educate away from drugs. Use them less and less, and depend more upon hygienic agencies; then nature will respond to God’s physicians—pure air, pure water, proper exercise, a clear conscience. Those who persist in the use of tea, coffee, and flesh meats will feel the need of drugs, but many might recover without one grain of medicine if they would obey the laws of health. Drugs need seldom be used. [In harmony with these words was Mrs. White’s counsel when asked concerning the use of quinine in the treatment of malaria. Her son, who traveled with her and assisted her, reports the following:
(2SM 281.4)
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“One time while we were in Australia, a brother who had been acting as a missionary in the Islands, told mother of the sickness and death of his first-born son. He was seriously afflicted with malaria, and his father was advised to give him quinine, but in view of the counsel in the testimonies to avoid the use of quinine he refused to administer it, and his son died. When he met Sister White, he asked her this question: ‘Would I have sinned to give the boy quinine when I knew of no other way to check malaria and when the prospect was that he would die without it?’ In reply she said, ‘No, we are expected to do the best we can. ’”—W. C. White letter, September 10, 1935.—Compilers.]—Counsels on Health, 261 (1890).
(2SM 281)
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