LEPROSY CURE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1928, Page 4

LEPROSY CURE

WILL BENEFIT 9,009,000 SUFFERERS. TRIUMPH FOR BRITAIN. Leprosy, the most dreaded of cliscuses, has at last been conquered by British scientists. Alter ten years’ investigation it has been found that liyilnocarpus oli, obtained from the fruit of the hyntliearpus tree—a native of South-east Asia—is a cure for the disease.

In live years the number of eases will have diminished enormously, and in ten years It is believed the disease will he almost extinct.

Stations for the treatment of leprosy with hyndocarpiis oil are to be started all over the Empire in places where the disease is rife. The effect' of the discovery was described by Sir Leonard Rogers, who started the research work ni India, and is lion, secretary of the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association and a lecturer at the London School of Tropical .Medicine.

“ There are -1,000.000 lepers in the world/’ lie said, “and of these 410,000 at least are in the British Empire. There are 150,000 in our African possessions alone. CASES IN GREAT BRITAIN. “ Already vastly increased numbers are coining for the new treatment. In Uganda, for example, 2000 are expected to he under supervision by the end of the year. “In Great Britain there are not more than 100 cases—mostly 11011-infecj.ive. “ Hydliocarpus trees are being planted in all suitable countries, so that ample supplies of the cure will he at hand.

“ Over 1000 liydiioc-arpus tree ‘seeds’ have been distributed in Uganda and other places. The tree won’t grow in England—it requires a fairly warm climate.

“It has been . established beyond doubt that nearly every case of leprosy can ho cleared up and prevented from going on to the infective stage by proper treatment.

“In any country with good education and civilisation we can reduce leprosy enormously ni a few years. In places like Africa, where leprosy is appalling, it will take longer.

“Natives’are coining in greatly growing numbers to tlie missionaries for treatment now tlio new cure is becoming known,” Sir Leonard continued. “ In Nigcra a year ago there were 350 patients ; now there are 840. “ Our association is supplying hut accommodation and drugs to the missionaries. LIFE IMPRISONMENT. “Ten years ago the great difficulty was that we could do nothing except impose that wretched segregation which meant imprisonment for life. The result was that we got only advanced cases. “ Now that we can treat them as out-patients they are coming forward in the early stages. “ People sometimes come home from the tropics with leprosy, but under the good climate and sanitary conditions in this country infection is almost ! unknown.

“Directly a new case is found, in any country, we examine everyone in the house every six months for five years. This will enable us to deer up FO per cent of the cases before they reach an infectvie stage. In ten years very few would remain.” Sir Leonard said that they proposed to enlarge various centres of 1 rent men! in the outposts of the Empire, and to create others, for a great mass attack on leprosy. Leprosy has existed in some countries : notably India, from the beginning ol | history. In China it has been traced . for 2000 years. Robert, the Prime of Scotland died from leprosy in 1 329. Tt is not regarded as hereditary.

AIR. PUPIL’S JOKE. NEW YORK, March 20. Young O’Neill was a student in a flying school near New York. His lighthearted disposition won lavpur with his fellow-students but made less impression on his teacher, a seriousminded person who thought levity out of place iu the air. O’Neil showed proficiency in handling a ’plane near the ground, but when they went aloft his instructor was worried by- the apparent negligence with which the.young man received his advice in handling the controls.

There was only- one way, he thought, of stirring the lad to a sense of air responsibility. He remembered the old theory that if you would teach a boy to swim the simplest plan is to drop him into deep water and let him find his way alone to shore. The emergency will create the ability to act. Wifi this idea iu mind the iiihtruefjr spread the* report that he would t ik' the youth up and there let him ” sinor swim.” They went aloft, and as they were soaring high the instructor shook loose hi.s control stick, flourished it before the eves of his student, and tossed it overboard. O’Neil, warned hv his fol-low-students. proved nil apt pupil, lie. too. loosened his “ joy .stick ” and with an equal flourish, tossed it out of the ’plane.

The instructor’s eyes dilated with dismay. He lost no time in finding his parachute and in leaping from the endangered ’plane. Rut O’Neil merely smiled as his instructor departed. He drew forth another stick that lie had carefully concealed. lie adjusted it, and turning the aeroplane, went down gracefully to earth in circles round and round his parachute-de-scending instructor.