“Reduced Hardening of the Arteries”

A 68 year old woman came here with the worst case of hardening of the arteries we had ever seen. She had no detectable pulses in the wrists, armpits, or at her elbows, and none around her feet, ankles, knees, or groin—an amazing finding which turned up on her physical examination! We listened over all her arteries even for swishing sounds. None heard. We tried to get a blood pressure reading and could not, as pulses were not heard. She had had hypertension recorded since 1978 and blood sugar elevation since 1960. In three weeks we could faintly feel a pulse at her right wrist and could get a blood pressure reading. And within six weeks on a strict diet we could feel pulses in both wrists. Six months later she was able to walk a mile twice a day.