Selenium

One day I was consulted by a young man who had cardiomyopathy - a degenerative disease of the heart muscle which, when severe, usually means that a heart transplant is the only hope for survival. He had been through the usual procedures, was obviously extremely ill and was on the waiting list for a suitable donor heart.
   I had read somewhere about an 'epidemic' of a particular form of cardiomyopathy in China where it was found that selenium supplements resulted in cures. I had also read about another form of this disease in New Zealand, occurring in sheep that were deficient in various trace elements. Therefore, I decided to try a broad mixture of various vitamins and minerals - Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B-Group Vitamins, Zinc, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium and cod-liver oil. The patient stopped smoking, began to eat 'good' food and with the cooperation of his wife lead a good life-style. Slowly, at first, he began to improve, then this became obvious to an extent where the heart was functioning at 80% of normal. Eventually he was able to lead a normal life - working and without any apparent heart problems.
          Naturally, I was curious and pleased. So when I was confronted by an elderly gentleman with severe cardiomyopathy of rapid onset I decided to 'give him the works'. His heart, on the X-Ray was enormous and there was an extreme degree of cardiac failure. Response was dramatic. By the time he saw a specialist in Sydney a few weeks later his heart was of normal size and all was well.
         Now two cases do not represent much of a statistical study and there are many forms, therefore causes, of cardiomyopathy but it was obvious to me that I had come across something of enormous importance. Naturally, I tried to interest the cardiologists but this was a total waste of time. They had seen my patients, they could not offer an explanation for the 'cures' but their attitude remained hostile.
     During the next few years I treated several more patients with similar dramatic responses. No doubt, if I saw more patients I would eventually come across some where causes were different and results would, therefore, not be good but it so happened that I never had a failure. To this day, unfortunately, my colleagues remain entrenched in scepticism."---Medical Pioneer of the 20th century p393