In 1911, Ellen White writes to her son Edson, that she had been treated with X-ray. Circumstances change the relation of things.” 8 He asked her, “‘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.’” 7 This aligns with the following counsel from her: ““God wants us all to have common sense, and He wants us to reason from common sense. A returned missionary had lost his firstborn son to malaria in the islands, having refused advice to administer quinine based on his understanding of Ellen White’s counsel. In taking this step, Sister White recognised the fact that it has been proven that vaccination either renders one immune from smallpox or greatly lightens its effects if one does come down with it.” 6Īnother illustration is given by WC White who recalled an incident while they were in Australia. He points out that “she herself was vaccinated, and urged her helpers, those connected with her, to be vaccinated. The principles here should be helpful to readers’ decision making.Įlder DE Robinson, one of her secretaries, wrote in answer to a question on June 12, 1931, of an outbreak of smallpox in her area while she was living. There are, however, records of some interactions by those who worked with her on this matter. 5 It was necessary to aim for the best.Įllen White makes no statements on the matter of vaccinations. 4 She desired graduates should be so trained that they would have “superior skill, fitted to stand upon the highest eminence”. It was her visionary outlook that drove health institutions being set up, and she stated that “the medical school at Loma Linda is to be of the highest order”. Third, Ellen White was the driving force behind the Adventist emphasis on health. Thus, it is evident that medicine was very much developing during this period. By 1885 most offered a two-year course, largely repeating what was in the first year. Mid-19th century medical schools were being urged to extend their training to six-month courses, but there was no regulation. Second, to be a doctor then required a three-year apprenticeship to a doctor, the quality of which was dependent upon the skill of the physician. Little wonder that in 1860 Dr Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote: “if the whole materia medica, as now used, could be sunk to the bottom of the sea, it would be all the better for mankind-and all the worse for the fishes.” 3 This should explain Ellen White’s use of the term drugs. If the compounder made a mistake, he’d keep the potion for later use! 2 Further, there were potions (called compounds at the time) that could have a mix of any ingredients, including, though not limited to, the following: worms, vegetable syrup, powders, vipers’ flesh, mercurial precipitates, human perspiration, and human or animal excreta. The following were regarded as medicines in 19th century America: mercury, opium, arsenic and strychnine.

Here it is essential to understand the context in which she made those statements. Multitudes of physicians, and multitudes of drugs, have cursed the inhabitants of the earth, and have carried thousands and tens of thousands to untimely graves.” 1 In 1865, after reflecting on the treatment offered by a “physician”, she wrote, “More deaths have been caused by drug-taking than from all other causes combined. Let’s address that.įirst, it is well known that Ellen White was opposed to “poisonous drugs”. Some have opposed vaccines, believing that Ellen White was against them, while others claim that it is related to faith and loyalty to God. Associated with this is the question of vaccines, especially as they are promoted by governments as a road back to normality. At this time, COVID and lockdowns again dominate our news headlines, and impact a huge number of people in the South Pacific.

Ellen white estate issue compilations