IS CONSUMPTION CURABLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1568, 26 May 1887, Page 3

IS CONSUMPTION CURABLE.

The scourge of the human race, more deadly than war or pestilence,, is the dread disease prdinarilly called consumption or phthisis. It estimated that no less than

3,000, 0C0 people die each yoar from thin dieeaße, and no condition of race or situation afforda an exemption frora ita ravages. For years the resources of science have been taxed to their utmost to find a oure for thia deadly disease but m vain. All kinds of treatment have been tried, and all sohools of medicine and therapeutics have grappled with the problem, but their efforts have been frui_l_B3. Th .re is an

inaidioua character of consumption which

has heretofore baffled human skill and defied all efforts to cure. Every little while borne quack or pseudo-scientist announces a certain remedy forconaumption but all the vaunted curea have proved inefficacious to do more than relay tho ravages of the disease and prolong the life of the victim.

It is a peculiarity common to all consumptives that thoy are never aware of their real condition, but are constantly believing theu-eelvoa better. Every improvement io their f- cling- they regard aB a certain harbinger of recovery, aod every accession of strength or appetite no mat er how brief or evan.soont, is- hailed aa a sure indication that they are now re.lly better.

But In apite of hope and asauranoe of recovery there kaa been no hope, The percentage of recoveries m cases of real phthisis is' so small aa to be scarcely noticeable. Year after year and centuty after century the awful diaeaae has

lingered, counting its victims net by scores or by hundred., bnt by millions. Changes of diet, or climate, of elevn'l.n are cf benefit, if made early enough, but if delayed until ihe disease ha_ ga'ned firm hold, are all m vain.

Now, however, comes a Frcnoh dipcovery m medical science, highly recommended by the College of Science m Paris and uaed m France with surprisingly su< » cessful results. It consists, m the main, m In j .otions of crrbolic-acid gap, prepared by a proce.B not yet made publio. Some recent experiments m the Philadelphia Hospital go to indioate the rossibility of __ true remedy haying been f .und- The gas was administered to patien's Buffer ng from the laat stag.B of consumption, acd they at once commenced to Bhow signs of improvement, The night sweats ceaeed as if by magic, the constant paicß from which they were euffdring vanished, and tbe funotiona cf the b-jdy became regular ard natural and their appetlteß returned. To bring about these effects upon patients _v the last stages of consumption ia little lesi than sopei -natural, as it is not alone the ordinal y waste of the disease with which tbe phyaioian has to contend, but as well the exhaustion cauaed by night sweats loe. of appetite and disordered digestive functions. j

It Is too soon to aa.ume that the new procaea v. ill be universally effijacious, but there is reaaon to hope that it may ; and if it Bhall be that this remedy is effective and that consumption is curable, its discover or wili rank with Jenner and Harvoy. — S.F. "Chronicle,