TUBERCULOSIS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1929, Page 8

TUBERCULOSIS

INVESTIGAXING ALLEGED CURE. COMMON GUM LANDS PLANT USED. AUCKLAND, December 11. Kumarnhou, a common plant of the gumlauds of Auckland province, which is known colloquially by gumdiggers as “poverty” and in scientific circles as pomaderris elliptica, is said to be an ingredient of the alleged cure for tuberculosis. Great interest has been aroused by the recent announcement by the Rev._ E. Ward, vicar of the Church of Ascension, Point Chevalier, that he had discovered a cure for tubercolosis, and on Monday the Minister for Health (the Hon. Mr Stallworthy) gave an undertaking that the claim would be investigated. A complaint was made that on a previous occasion two or three years ago the Health Department had failed to follow up similar representations. Mr Stallworthy, on reaching Wellington on Tuesday morning, had a busy day looking .up the official history of Mr Ward’s reported discoverey. “If there is a ray of hope to sufferers, Mr Ward’s treatment should be thoroughly investigated, and promptly tested under medical supervision,” said Mr Stallworthy this morning. “1 have already arranged for that to be done.” The plant which Mr Ward says he has used with success has been the subject of the following report by Mr R. C. Aston, chemistry section of the Department of Agriculture: “Pomaderris elliptiac or kumarahou is a common plant of the gumlauds rtf the Auckland province, 'ft grows abundantly on the Pirongia mountains’ lower slopes. Jt is cultivated in gardens for its fine yellow flowers. Gumdiggers use the leaves as soap. It is sometimes called the soap plant. It forms a copious lather on macerating with water. Apparently saponins or some similar body are present.” On April 4th, of 1923, Mr John J. Molloy, District School, Kawhia, wrote to the editor of the Agricultural Department’s publication and stated that it was a stomachic of no mean order, as he and othehs has proved bv personal experiment. It could be taken in any quantity and any length of time without unfavourable reaction. It was usual to make a decoction of the leaves and flowers and bottle for use. It was bitter to taste, hut caused a sweet and pleasant after-feeling in the mouth. The plant grew to a height of three feet and was hard to transplant.

Mr Aston added in his communication to the Minister that as far as he could gather at present the Maori had no use for the plant before the pakeha landed in New Zealand. He stated that pomaderris was a genus of distinctly southern being found in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. There were about twenty-two species in all. The plant was classified in the family which included eascara and buckthorn. Little was known about the medical properties of any of the species. Five rtf the species were in New Zealand, some rare, and others plentiful. The plant was largely grown in Wellington Gardens.

“Prevention is better than cure,” said Mr Stall worthy, in conclusion “and although there is always a doubt about the efficacy of various treatments of tuberculosis, there could be no doubt of the great need of every step being taken to combat the disease.”'