BESSES O’ TH’ BARN BAND

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 22 April 1907, Page 3

BESSES O’ TH’ BARN BAND

The box plans for tlie Royal Besses o’ tb’ Barn Band concerts open on Thursday morning at His Majesty’s Theatre (reserved seats ss), The management state that not more than 12 seats may be booked by one person. Judging from the vast amount of interest manifested in the visit of thin renowned band, a very great demand for reserved seats is likely to result. Messrs, J. and N. Tait are to be congratulated oil pioneering the visit of such a famed organisation, the success of which is assured, as th" attraction appeals to young and old of all classes, ami tlfe reputation gained by the Besses by their wonderful playing, apart from their supremacy over all other bauds, lias never before been equalled. Tlie brief Gisborne season, of three nights, with special matinees, will commence on AA r ednesday afternoon, Ist May, with a matinee performance at His Majesty’s Theatre. Tlie Lyttelton Times says:—“There was a unani-

mity in the playing of, and such a regularity of tone and perfection of } balance that the first almost irresistuble impression was that there was no brass band but a sweet-toned organ, and even in the loud passages there was never a suggestion of ordinary brass band effect.” In the | varied programmes indulged in by the Besses, a plentiful number of solos is given by the leading cornet, born, trombone, and euphonium players. The playing of that beautiful hymn, "Load' Kindly Light,” is described as having an exceedingly inspiring effect. The presence of Mr. Alexander Owen, the celebrated concl actor, with the Bessses on tour adds considerably to. tho attractiveness .of the Besses’ concerts.

QUACKERY IN CHRISTCHURCH. ANOTHER “CANCER CURE.” Tho Christchurch Press, which published some weeks ago tho statement of a woman who suffered from cancer, and who had been treated by a socalled specialist practising in Christchurch, has now printed a long letter from a working carpenter in which be details bis experience of this mail’s treatment. Ho relates that sorao four years ago be was troubled with a sore swelling on his lip. Acting on advice ho went to see 'a man who called himself a cancer specialist, who, after examining his face, said that he could cure him. On boing questioned ns to a guarantee, tho “specialist” said: “A doctor novelgives a written guarantee, hut I do guarantee it.” In answer to a question ns to charge tho man said: “My charge for treatment like you require is rather high, but ns I am only starting here I will make it very moderate. My usual charge is £2O, but 1 will make yours six guineas.”

The writer, who says lie was informed that be would not bo a day from work, states that bo wont to the specialist’s for treatment. Ho thus describes what took place: “At about three p.m. ho commenced to paint my face with a sort of liquid, and continued to do.so at short intervals till nine p.m., when 1 was told I could go homo and be back next day at II n.m. How I got homo that night will always remain a mystery to me. The whole of that night I believe I was delirious. Next morning from tho top of my lip down to my throat was one mass of sore, dry and burned black. I managed to get hack at 11 a.m. He then took some sharp instrument and made two openings in tho sore and put in some sort of a crystal substance, and I was allowed to go home. This added to the pain I was already suffering, and made it almost unbearable. However, 1 managed to get homo again and went to bed and was there for three days, when this burned flesh and skin dropped off. I then went as soon as I was able to see this man who was treating me, and it was pronounced to be a beautiful case. I got some powders to take and some lotion to bathe the sore with, and at the end of three weeks I was able to go hack to work again.”

The writer then describes how at the end of about eight or nine months there were unmistakable signs of tho disease coming back. Tho specialist, whom he visited again, wanted another three guineas to treat the case. This did not satisfy the patient, but in tho end he paid the three guineas. This second time the treatment, he says, was something similar to the first, only the burning did not destroy the Skin to such an extent. “On this occasion,” the patient continues, “I was home for three weeks, and by this time I was fully satisfied that he was a fraud. I have been operated on three times by one of the ablest doctors in Christchurch, but the evil had been too deeply embedded for surgical aid to reach it. lam at present a patient in the Christchurch Public Hospital, where I should have come at first.” The doctor who treated the man after the quack had done with him informed a Press representative that he originally had ordinary lioma of the lip, a common form of cancer, which in its initial stages could have been operated on for with perfect success. The outbreak, however, seemed to have been aggravated by acids, the result being that the glands under the jaw were affected and the mischief spread beyond remedy, and when the case came to him it was simply a question of ameliorating tho trouble. Several operations were performed, but the trouble recurred and the patient finally went to tho hospital.

The Press, in a strong leading article on the case says: “The ‘cancer curer’ into whose hands lie fell is the same person whose practices were exposed in tlie Press a short time ago as having gulled a poor woman suffering from cancer of the stomach.” It seems almost incredible, continues the Press, “that any human being, however ignorant, however greedy for gold, would venture to exploit in this way poor people of humble means afflicted with perhaps the most terrible disease to which the human form is subject, not only taking, from them their money, but virtually their only chance of life. It -is almost equally incredible that the law is at present powerless to punish or prevent practices of this kind. . • Perhaps at most a civil action could bo brought to recover the fees paid under such gross misrepresentations. Are the public of New Zealand content with a law so impotent? AVe commend the subject to tlie Minister for Health (the Hon. G. Fowlds) and the Attor-ney-General ’(Dr. Findlay). The acute legal intellect of the latter and the humanitarian sympathies of both, we feel sure,, might in conjunction devise some effective remedy.”