Science Attains Triumph Over Dread Disease

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 340, 28 April 1928, Page 28

Science Attains Triumph Over Dread Disease

Leprosy Cure from Nut Oil Brings Hope to Millions WORK. OF SIR LEONARD ROGERS Interesting sidelights on the discovery of the cure for leprosy , announced recently by Sir Leonard Rogers , secretary of the Eritish Empire Leprosy Relief Association. were Miss Mary Rogers . a niece of the great scientist . in a lecture at Melbourne.

OIR LEONARD is a noted medical scientist, and lecturer at the School of Tropical Medicine, London. He passed many years in the London Medical Service, where he made the observations on leprosy that he has turned to such good account.

“When I left London,” said Miss Rogers, “my uncle came to see me off. He was elated with the successful conclusion of experiments he has been engaged in for 20 years. ‘ln 30 years, or 50 at the outside,’ he said to me, ‘leprosy will have been banished from the world.’ Feared Premature Disclosures “My uncle was often urged to make known his discoveries. He refused, saying that premature information was the mark of the quack. He would divulge nothing until it was ready to give to the medical world. He was associated with a Taking the Peck Out cf Peckish.— “I don’t enjoy eating.” “Why?” “Because it spoils my appetite.” p His Master’s Voice. —“ What were your father’s last words?” “There were no last words—mother* was with him to the end.” Tact. —Mrs. Brown (tearfully): I’m so sorry, dear —I meant this to be a cottage pudding, but it would not rise. Young Hubby: That’s all right, sweetheart; let’s just call it & fiat pudding. * * * Modern Alchemy. —He: My dear, our engagement must be off; a fortuneteller has told me I shaU marry a blonde within a month. She: Oh, that is all right; I can be a blonde within a month. * * * Children Should Not Play Poker.— Mother: I don’t think, darling, that you should play cards on Sunday. Harold: But, Mummy. we’re not playing properly, we’re only cheating. * * * Slow Motion Workers. —Country cousin (after prolonged inspection of building operations): “I don’t see the sense of putting statues on the top of your buildings.” City Cousin: “Statues? Those aren't statues. They’re bricklayers.”

“Not Understood.” —The popular preacher had excited himself, and the congregation were discussing his sermon as they left the church, some appreciatively, others critically “Wasn’t that a fine sermon?” said one woman admirer to her companion. “Yes.” said the other; “but did you understand it all?” “Understand it!” replied the. first. “Oh, no; I wouldn’t presume to understand such a great preacher.” * * * Then the Storm Broke. —The barometer on the side porch hung rather high, and Tommy saw his father take it down one morning to get a more accurate reading. So Tommy proceeded to do the same tiling later, and it fell from his little hands and broke. He ran to his mother with a fragment in his hands: “M-mother. I b-bust«d the weather.” he sobbed. o * • Fell to Earth. —A mason was accused of throwing a comrade who was working with him over a scaffolding. •Why did you do that?” asked the judge. “I’ll tell you, your honour. My comrade was trying to fight with me. so I caught him by the collar and held him up in mid-air. “You are hurting me—let me go. let me go at once!’ he yelled at me, and I let him go.” Mistaken Identity. —“Oh, that my son should wish to marry an actress!” y* l1 ’ ieked the proud patrician mother. “Now, ma, don’t take on so,” besought the undutiful heir; “she isn't really an actress—she only thinks she is.” Harvesting the Howler Crop. —From schoolboys’ science papers: The earth makes a resolution every 24 hours. # The difference between air and water is that air can be made wetter, and water cannot. Y\ e are now the masters of steam and eccentricity. Things that are equal to each other are equal to anything else. Gravity is chiefly noticeable in the autumn, when the apples are falling from the trees. The axis of the earth is an imaginary line on which the earth takes its daily routine. A parallel straight line is one which if produced to meet itself does not meet.

Electricity and lightning are of the same nature, the only difference being that lightning is often several miles long, while electricity is only a few inches.

band of enthusiasts who « , 20 years to perfect the toT years leprosy has been™ , ht><l ' For this means, but the oti! r f ated which now promise such surl. ****”• my uncle’s work. Bu *cess, are ’’The drug which is the s. , the treatment is coniDoi„,j b f l o: the hydnocarpus tree Th - ? k froiß nut. which contains chaulm^Z." 8 » "For years this oil h„ oilfor treating lepers r™? success was attained at ~,t?“ rkabl « colony. in the worlds largest leper station he “The oil cannot be injected .. was necessary to effect such a th ° ? cal Change as to permit of this h!™ 1 ' d ° ne ’ J hlS WaS the R rea t hurdle 4 the nght tor a specific ale jj, “Chemists failed time and t,m again, and Sir Leonard determined work at the problem in hisoamutl t 0 tory. Taking as a basis th J used at Cullion. he was ab e t' m2* great improvements. “The ethyl derivative thus secure is almost miraculous in its early leprosy, effecting an immediate improvement. From ancient ti» this dreadful disease has taken rible toll in tropical countries , stands in the Bible as the the hopeless, the outcast, to tonch whom is death. Hydqocarpus 12 changed all this. 44 “It is now proposed to plant thi„ wonderful working tree throughoothe Empire, so that a supply of th" nut will be within reach of evercountry where leprosy exists. Theri are 4,000,000 lepers in the british Em pire alone. In some parts one in j v , persons suffer from this disease. Rush For Treatment "Organised clinics are to treat tile", unfortunates, for whom previously segregation and a living death w e r' e the only possibilities. Already in Jauia the natives are being treated, so many applying at the clinics that it is estimated it will take four years to give even the preliminary doses.” The president of the Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria, and a noted botanist. Mr. E. E. Pescott, said recently that the hydnocarpus tree had long been noted for its curative properties in leprosy. “It is doubtful if it will grow outside hot countries,” he explained, “it would thrive in Northern Queensland, and possibly it could be got to grow in the northern rivers district of New South Wales. “It is only recently that medical men have become convinced that it offered a cure for leprosy. Botanists have long known of its curative properties. so long as the disease has not reached a fatal stage.” The hydnocarpus tree is comparatively rare, and the sudden demand for the nuts has necessitated the organisation of w r ide planting. Every country concerned will take part in the work. Australia is vitally concerned. Lazarets for the treatment of leper* exist in New South Wales, at Little Bay; in Queensland, where there are three stations, and in the Northern Territory. It is exceedingly difficult to get fig ures of the disease. Recorded case* up to 1915 numbered 545. There are 20 in the Northern Territory alone and 17 at Little Bay. One grave case that caused some consternation recently was that of a baby in a Melbourne suburb, suspected to have contracted the disease from a half-caste servant girl. Segregation is legally compulsory.

-> -1- -r -r -h ~'r ~'r ' ~r ~~ ~~ ' T (C) old Joke.— He: Did you hear Urn new Eskimo story. She: .No. He. “F’reeze a jolly good fellow.” • • • And Repent at Leisure.— Sally: 3a>, John, do you believe in long engagements? John: Sure; why not et people be happy as long as they can.

Chequemated. —When asked b> a firm for a bank reference, a cus tomereplied: “I don’t deal with any 1»“*! now, as in the past they have retain*** so many of my cheques/’ T.-y The “Matrimonial Stak#*."— Smith: It's tough to have to pax shilling a pound for steak. Jones: Yes. bur. it’s tougher *nen you pay tenpence