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Born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Livingston received her MD degree in 1936 from Bellevue Medical School in New York, where she specialized in internal medicine. Her father and grandfather were physicians and her own medical career spanned 54 years. Livingston made major discoveries in cancer and immunology. She was a longtime advocate of the bacterial theory of cancer and discovered a microbe, Progenitor cryptocides, which she held responsible for most cancer in animals and humans. A woman of indomitable courage, she held to her belief that cell wall deficient bacteria were capable of inducing cancer and that immunity to these bacteria protected organisms from certain forms of cancer. The evidence for this view was recently reviewed by Professor P.B. Macomber in "Medical Hypotheses" (1990;32: 19).
In 1974 "Dr. Virginia," as she was affectionately known, startled the scientific world when she claimed this bacteria could produce a human hormone, HCG, in the testtube. To many orthodox scientists this seemed like further nonsense. But a few years later her contention was confirmed by orthodox scientists at Princeton Laboratories, Allegheny General Hospital and Rockefeller University.
Dr. Virginia made many other scientific discoveries and operated the Livingston Medical Center in San Diego since 1971. She pioneered a vaccine to counteract the effects of Progenitor cryptocides and employed diet and other natural means to fight cancer. She also postulated that a natural food constituent, abscisic acid, had anti-cancer properties.
Last February, Kenneth W. Kizer, California Health Director, issued ordered her clinic to "cease and desist from prescribing and using autogenous vaccines in treating patients." Livingston was never contacted by the authorities before the order was implemented. Nor were there any patient complaints about the clinic or its treatment. This prosecution of Dr. Virginia gives a good idea of what the California health department has in mind when its officials drafted the witch-hunting bill "S.B. 2872" (see p.1 story).
In March, Dr. Virginia made the trek to Washington and spoke eloquently at the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) hearing. She received an ovation for her defiant speech. She could also demonstrate great warmth and spontaneity. In April we received a late night telephone call from her, congratulating us on The Cancer Industry, which contains a chapter on her work.
Virginia Livingston was a great person and a great scientist. Sadly, she never received the recognition she deserved in her lifetime. The true scope of her achievements will only become known in years to come.
Coordinator Anne Beattie
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