Something like a Medicine.

Manawatu Herald, 28 June 1902, Page 3

Something like a Medicine.

One of the witnesses in the Berge ease of alleged attempted wife-poison ■ inr, la the Auckland Magistrate s Court, was one John Wormall, who described himself as “a hygienic physician and hydropathic practitioner,” not legally qualified. Wormall had supplied they accused man with a preparation described as “ No. i speoino, which be was aware contained aconite, the poison from which Mrs Berger is supposed to have suffered.' Mr Hutchison, S.M.—What diseases is the preparation supposed to cute? Witness, in reply, said the medicine would remove all organic diseases. His Worship—What nonsense 1 I suppose this is the Elixir of Life. The witness, continuing, said that if the accused had only administered the medicine properly to Mrs Berger, he (witness) thought it would have done the lady good, Mr Tole—What does this specific cure ? His Worship (looking up from an examination of a book produced)—You will be surprised to hear, Mr Tole, that cures amongst other things dropsy, consumption, and insanity. (Laughter.) Witness—lt will cure any disease in an acute stage, and it would be a good job if the world adopted it instead of the rubbish it has now. His Worship —lt seems to me that the only disease it does not cure is the plague. In further examination the witness declared that according to the book animal food was reckoned as a sort of poison. The medicine (not specific) would drive the disease to the extremities:—hands and feet, and each organ afiected drove its disease to a particular finger. Each of these extraordinary statements provoked a peal of laughter.