QUACKERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2823, 13 December 1924, Page 3

QUACKERY.

LNSRAN “ATAH” PROSECUTED. Auckland, Thursday. “These are cases of barefaced quackery,” said Air Johnstone in conducting a prosecution before Mr J. Poynton, S.M., on behalf of the Health Department, against Abraham Walley Mohamid Salaman, for three alleged instances of false pretences, or alternatively, attempted false pretences. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Air Johnstone said it was alleged that Salaman, who had described himself as “an Indian herb atah,” had falsely represented that he was a doctor and skilled in the treatment of physical ailments and had on this pretence, obtained sums of money from three specified individuals.

Witnesses for the prosecution gave evidence as to receiving treatment from Salaman.

All - Osborne Lily, for the defence said it would be absurd to suppose the witnesses could have believed Salaman was posing as a doctor. Obviously none of them believed it, and for the charge of false pretences to succeed it would have to be shown that those witnesses actually paid money to Salaman, thinking they were getting advice from a qualified medical man. Defendant did not advertise that he could cure people, and everybody went to him without any such persuasion. The magistrate reserved his decision.

Mr Johnstone said there would be further charges under the Medical Practitioners’' -Act,’for alleged illegal use of the title of doctor. He asked for an adjournment on this until judgment was given in the present cases.