Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878] FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1892. ELECTRICITY v, THE KNIFE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4178, 29 July 1892, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878]

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1892. ELECTRICITY v, THE KNIFE.

Being the extended title of the Waiharapa Dam, with whioh it is identical

Tue possibilities of electricity may be described without improper exaggeration of language as only short of infinite. Every day Beems to reveal soino new marvel of its power to , benefit our race, and the mind of man 1 is bewildered with a soiibo of vastnesß when it tries to peer inlo the future of the electric current, It is a region of mingled mystery and hope, ' But it is doubtful whether the vril- ' dest imagination could have supposed j any direct relation to exist between electricity and the treatment of cancer . —until the occurrence of the phenoI mena to which we are about to refer i had established the reality of this relation beyond the possibility of cavil J When, therefore, it has been grasped by the world's intelligence that a treatment is available for tin's frightful disease; more effective and less dangerous than the snrgeon'fl knife, the • appreciation of this discovery will be proportioned to the world's knowledge of the extent to which cancer is on the increase among us, The conservatism of the medical profession in certain respects being fully equal to that of all other close corporations, we shall not be greatly surprised if our remarks on this subject supply various general pracli tioners with food for jesting, By way of anticipatory rejoinder to such criticisms, let .us be content to quote among tho believers in electricity as the treatment for cancer such an ouiinent English surgeon as Sir Spencer Wells, who endoises the verdict of great American and German doctors, In point of fact, electrical treatment of caneer is now praoticed in several hospitals of England and Scotland, and still more generally in tho United Slates, We fully recognise the serious disadvantage which attends any attempt to persuade people that tho application of olectricity is a bona fide therapeutio agent in cases of tumour, malignant or otherwise, For years past, treatment of disease by electricity has been a sort of debateable ground between authorised and unauthorised medical practitioners; it has consequently beeu exploited by quacks and imposters innumerable; and it is only natural that ibe claim now seriously made on its behalf Bhould be viewed with suspicion atthe outset by persons wbpse relatives or friends have been victims to swindling in the past. We contend, hpwover, that this argument against the value pf electrical treatment prpves too much > that it is of equal validity against the adoption of any new method in medicine or surgery. And we think that if, after all possible deduction has been made for delusion or fraud, one single ewe of the successful treatment of cancerous tumour by the application of electricity can be substantiated before the world, the point at Issue jyjll bo conceded, and surgery will be revolutionised, What facts' have we, then, to go upon ? We will refer only to the most recent, premising that as far hack as a hundred year? ago sorno enterprising medical men performed experiments with electricity on capcerous patients with good success, Dr, Altliaus, in a paper read before the Medical Society of London, said i-» "ProfessorMassey, of Philadelphia,has recorded a case in whioh a cancer Bad been excised. A relapse took place, and amputation was thought of. Electrolysis, however, was used; the tumour entirely disappeared, and after two years no relapse had taken place." flp giy.es an account also of the case ofp .who after having been tfficfl pperaM on wiih the knife, submitted himself tp \ eleotrical treatment : " The patient became stronger from day ; to day, and the tumour gradually began tn shrink. Two months after the first ap- I plication of olectricity it had almost en- I tirely disappeared, - three mnnthi after, , no trace of it was left; The general • hoalth of the patient became excellent! I Be died three years afterwards of another : complaint, no relapse having taken l place." ' | I 'This is not a Medical Journal, and j 'therefore we shall quote no more (

For the same reason we shall not discuss ibe rationale of the treatment, or ] attempt to show how it disintegrates : diseased tissues, and calls nerves, ' muscles, and secretions into their natural action, building up health while it destroys the germs of disease. We are content to affirm that ektrolysis —the employment, that is, of what may be called eleotrio needles—is beginning to demonstrate the lawfulness of its claim to supersede theknifein the removal of tumours, It is further shown on its behalf, apart 'from its direct achievement of the objeot, that it has a sedative effect on the pain of cancer, and that it aotsas a tonio on the whole system of the patient. What it does for cancer, it has been doing in a still larger number of cases for fibroid tumours; and. the whole family of strumous glands is destined to look to eleotrolysis for healing, We quite admit that it is unusual to disouss subjects of this kind in the 1 columns of a daily paper; and this article cannot bo taken as a pledge that we are disposed to travel outside the ordinary topics of the day as a general rule. But we have allowed ourselves in this excursion into matters medical, beoause we can conceive nothing fraught with greater ; interest to, the world at large than the announcement of such a surgical discovery as this, When one remembers the patients who, from sheer dread of the knife, have concealed their malady until it was too late, i when one reflects on the small proportion of successful operations to futile ones, it seems justifiable to bring under public notice the priceless ) benefit to sufferers which is now offered to us by the mighty hand of the lightning. The work that natural forces can do, when man haß set himself to understand them, is as superior , to the work of mere human mechanism "as the blow Btruck by a i bullet exceeds the force required to pull the trigger of a gun."

The Government is being aßked bj Mr-Riobard Reeves, M.EIt,, to assisl Acclimatization Societies in pisciculture. The late Mr Ziesler, who committed suicide at Timaru last week, was insured for 12030.

The'Eev W, Roualdson, who arrives at Maaf.erton to.uiorrow, is Secretary of the New Zealand Grand Lodge of Freemasons, He is accompanying the Grand Master (Bro M. Niccol) on his tour.

Mr J. J. Freeth, for many years stationed at Masterton, is to succeed Mr A. H. Holmes as Clerk of the Courts at New Plymouth. Eleven new post-offices have lately been opened in various parts of the colony. On the Now Zealand railways, under the new regulations, one shilling per milo (minimum ill) is charged for carrying corpses; children's half-rate, Tho Masterton Lodge of Masons is being represented at the quarterly communication in Wellington by W.ii Bro. Rev. W.E. Paige. The police have received information that the bodies of two of those drowned in the recent accident at Katikati have been discovered on the ocean beach between Tauranga and Katikati, Another slip occurred in the Manawatu Gorge yesterday, Through communication was not, however, inter, ruptcd,

Mr Radford, a Pahiatua draper, was charged the other day before a Bonch of Justices with obstructing the footpath by tying up a horse thereen, The case was dismissed, but tbe Bench stated thoy were glad to see the Constable moving in the matter,

We remind our readers of tho grand skating carnival to bo held in the Theatre Royal this (Friday) evening. A large number have signified thoir intention of being present, and a pleasant evening's entertainment should result.

Mr Hursthouso, Government Inspector of Roads, who, it will bo remembered, was "tied up" by tho Natives in the King Country whilst surveying thero a few years ago, is at present on an official visit to Makuri.

Un Saturday, August Bth, an entirely unresorved Bale of household furniture and effects trill bo held by Mr F. H. Wood at Foatherstou, under instructions from Mr Hurbottlo, who is leaving the Wairarapa for tho South Island. This Bale nil! offer a Bpecial opportunity of securing some really firstclass furniture of substantial quality, and as there is no resorve on the goods, a splendid clvinco of securing bargains is offered,

The Deputy-Official Assigneo(Mr W. B. Cbentiolla) invites tenders for the purchase of the atoek-iHrado of Hans Hansen, ofEketahuna, bankrupt.

The information charging W, F. Sinclair with having felled timber on Crown Lands at Makuri without authority, was dismissed, James Walker, for a similar offence, was convicted and discharged with a caution.

The New Zealand Provision and Pro. duoe Company of Christchurch, whose excellent manufactures are well known and highly regarded throughout tho Colony, have a Bpocial intimation to soap-makers and storekeepers besido tho leader in this issue, from which it would appear that envious and inferior 'competitors in the market have been trying to Becure favour for their wares and to conferment upon them by an unrighteous use of the registered brands of the more reputable fiim. We direct special attention to tho New Zealand Provision and Produce Company's notification of intention to legally protect their rights in the matter,

Since the beginning of the present month an area of 2092 acres 2 roods 13 perches of Crown Lands has been applied for at tbe Land office, realising an upset price of £1982 5s 7d, of which £OB l!)a 4d has been paid in deposits and 1100 Bs|d in survey fees. The weekjy parade of tho Mas.tertpn Rifle Volunteers was held lasji (Thursday)-evening, The men, undor the command of 1 jeuipnapt Hodper, werp put through theußpal pxercfoes. The present winder is said to be the severest experienced in this Colony for many years, In the Masterton district more ram has fallen this month than for the five previous months put together, whilst tho weather has been bitterly cold, Lambing has commenced in some parts of the district, and if the present weather continues the mortality will be very great.

The Government have consented to isßue an Order-in-Council validating the issue of tbe license of tho Lake Ferry Hotel, which )n.pspd through the licensee failing to pay the fee within the prescribed period, A license has accordingly been issued tp Mr R, Barton,

How js it J Ask anyone m the crowd. Ask yournexf dpprpeighbour, Ask tho njan wtq collects tickets on the railway, Ask tho people who dwell i'u Eketahuna,'Mauricoyil(e, Tcnui, Carterton, Greytown, or anywhere else, Coinmunicato with the people living in any part of the country. Ask them all wjiy they shop atL. J. HOOPKR& COMPANY'S, ami they will tell you "becauecit suits them.' And why does it suit them! Because they get more and better in oschaoge for their money at the Eon Marche than anywhere else, and because the conveniences'of the place are such as no other establishment can afford. These are tho bare outliues of tho reasoning that brings the people in shoals to this wonderful place of business. Visit the various departments In \vhich the lordly creature man finds all lie walks',' mi wotaiu-ldvejy woman—love's to linker aha [doklt'the fashion'' spction, Hero are the Boulevards "of Paris ajid the shops of Regent and Oxford streots, London, rolled into one. Hero under your eyo aro the fashions arranged, classified, and ready for immediate use and wear, Turn into the grocery and provision sections, These are of interest to every man jack in the community, To describe the advantages of buying from Sooner -would fill a book, Whether you want blankets'or/'hosn'eW,''tea or sugar, whether you'roVchiily mortal or a hot momberi"a protectionist; a freetrader, 'a socialist a cilithumpiau, a positivist, a none such, ■o. rabbit catcher, you will find no better oulle for the money you have to spend than at Hooper and Company's BonMarckej Master W-Advt

During the hearing of a case at Danevitke, (Eawke'a Bay) recently' (he Magistrate said that ono could not get within twenty miles of a horse case without perjury. Thßre are nearly 20,000 acres of land in orchard in New Zealand.

William Iggulden for a breach of the Borough by-laws in allowing four horses to stray, was lined 2s Gd and 7s costs in the Mastertou R.M. Court this morning. William Dixon for a similar offence, was fined m the same amount.

Mr 0, L Tomlinson of the Wairarapa Gun Club, has procured two hundred pigeons in Jtalson which he 1b bringing over for the Cup contest to take place at lan early date,

A recent arrival in Maaterton was ohargedm the R.M. Court this morning with having deserted his wife and family at Auckland, He was ordered to contribute 12s fa'd per week towards thoir support.

A discussion took place at the meeting of the Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday on theone judge system. It was eventually decided to defer the question pending a trial of the system in Bawke's Bay.

Mr Hogg, M. H. B„ Is to ask tho Government if, in view of the fact that a railway bridge which coafcover £30,000 several years ago remains unused and is falling into decay, and that tho work of railway construction between Eketahuna and Woodville has been commenced, it is the intention of the Government to vigorously continue the prosecution of the Government line through the FortyMile Bush.

We have been requested to state that the person against whom Mr David Dixon obtained judgment for board and lodging yesterday was named Thomas William Tait, not Robert Tato as previously published in our report of the R.M. Court proceedings,