The Preface of Prophetess of Health and the copious footnotes throughout the book contain frequent references to sources consulted at Loma Linda University and the Ellen G. White Estate at the General Conference headquarters in Washington, D.C. Reference is also made to materials which have been secured from these two organizations. Thus the contacts made by the author with these Institutions should be explained.CBPH 31.13

Serious work which led to the preparation of the manuscript by Dr. Ronald L. Numbers was begun in 1972 at a time when he was serving as an assistant professor of history of medicine in the Department of Humanities at Loma Linda University. As a bona fide member of the LLU faculty, there was available to him in the Heritage Room and other departments of the Loma Linda Library, materials which would relate to his field of instruction.CBPH 31.14

It was at that time and under those circumstances in July, 1972, that he contacted the Ellen G. White Estate as one who had received a grant from the Walter E. McPherson Society of Loma Linda University, asking the privilege of doing research work on the origins of the Seventh-day Adventist medical work. On the basis of his credentials he was given the privilege which he sought. This was quite routine. Many individuals in their research work have been granted the privilege of access to the E. G. White materials. We at the White Estate have welcomed such requests and have been happy to grant these privileges.CBPH 31.15

When both the director of the Heritage Room at the Loma Linda Library and we at the White Estate perceived that it was likely that a negative and unjustified interpretation would be placed on the exhibits which at his request were supplied to the author of Prophetess of Health, we could do no more than encourage him to use the sources which he had gained in a responsible way. We urged our concern that all facts be fairly reported and that the presentation be such that Ellen White would emerge in a true image. This we have urged a number of times in our contacts with the author. He has assured us repeatedly and as late as February 15, 1975, that he was as concerned as we were that the portrayal of Ellen White be accurate. He disclaimed any desire to give a distorted picture of either Ellen White or her work.CBPH 32.1

When copy of the manuscript came to our hands, we arranged for a representative of the White Estate and the Chairman of the Department of History at Andrews University to review with the author a number of points which according to information in our possession had either been only partially reported or had been given an emphasis which in our opinion the sources did not justify. Some of our suggestions were accepted, some rejected, but the thrust of the book was left unchanged.CBPH 32.2

The publishers who had accepted the manuscript, were, soon after they received it, alerted by the White Estate that according to our knowledge of the content, Ellen White did not emerge in her true image and the facts were in many cases not accurately reported. No requests or demands were made of the publishers. Their response was that they would “insist that any book published under the Harper and Row imprint be true to the historical record.”CBPH 32.3

The White Estate has taken the position, and we reiterate the fact, that Seventh-day Adventists have nothing to be ashamed of in their history when that history is accurately and responsibly reported. However, it must be recognized that historical materials can be arranged so as to give a misleading impression, and this we believe to be the case with Prophetess of Health.CBPH 32.4

We make one more general observation: The reader of Prophetess of Health is urged to peruse the footnotes to gain the intent of the author. At times in these notes he seems to almost reverse himself. An example of this is his reference on page 5 to the possibility of Ellen Harmon suffering from mercury poisoning because “a mercury solution” was used in treating the fur used in felt hats. It is said that “This disease manifested itself in various psychic and physical disturbances including ‘self-consciousness,’ ‘tremors’ and ‘hallucinations’” (Ibid.). In the accompanying footnote (p. 213), the author admits that “it seems unlikely to me that mercury-induced hallucinations had anything to do with her later visions.” Why, then, may we ask, is the mercury poisoning item introduced in the text?CBPH 32.5

V. The Matter Of Plagiarism

VII. The Significance of the Book