Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-20
CANCER.

yrequest-fron the London Morning Clsyoniels.]
Copy of letter from the Rev. Dr. Baeman to the Rev
MIR Reynolds, describing an extraordinary cure per-
formed by the of Chvers, otherwise Goose Grass;
Gan old woman in my parish had what is cal
LED bleeding cancer, continuing to eat away
the flesh for several years-and 1t was suppos-
ed by medical person who attended her, that
she would end her misery in less than fort
night, when ] recommended her to use the eli
vers, or goose grass, with the properties Of
which was acquainted, and the manner she
used them is as follows:-She took a mercurial
purge-was to eat no salt meats: to use thin d.
ct, and twice day, between meals, to drink a
quarter of pint Of the juice of civers, which
she got by pounding and squeezing them-at
the same time to take some Of the Juice, boil
and mix it with hogs lard, so as to make
green ointment, and constantly apply it to the
wound, laying the bruized cliyers over it, to re-
move it as often as i, dried, and to take par
ticular care TO keep the wound clean This was
done for six months, partly by Compulsion: tor
the benefit was so gradual could scarcely per-
suade the woman she was the better OF II, an!
began to have some doubts, only that her be-
ing alive, and the smell abating, were convin-
cling proofs that cure in time might be effect
ed. therefore insisted on her continuing the
practice as above, ard being mild winter,
there were clivers to be found under warm he'd
ees. The course was still continued, and three
months after, the wound was perfectly healed
l afterwards advised her to take II every Spring
to prevent a return of the complaint"
Mrs. Gregory's receipt for the ointment is to
take pound of hogs lard, without spice or
salt, and as much elivers as the hogs lard WI
moisten; boil it over slow fire, stirring II Ia!
it looks brown; then strain it through cloth,
and when cold, make the ointment OF the water
that appears at the bottom-the bruised leaves
being applied often to stay the abundance OF
blood issuing from the wound. Observe all the
directions in DR.. Bateman's letter-to keep the
wound very clean, TO take physic, and drink
the Juice of the leaf week before the ointment
is applied. Laying the bruized leaves of civ
ers over the wound is thought 10 be very use
full, though it is apt TO heat the part very much,
and when it is past bearing, it must be taken
off and applied as it can be borne.
N. B. 1t should be observed there is another
weed very much like the oliver in appearance,
bu, may easily be distinguished by observing
the oliver feels rough and sticky, the weed that
resembles il is quite smooth.
Nj. Fauvier, the French Ac ademy of Science,
states in a work recently published, that the
mortality amongst children in France formerly
was, that fifty out Of one hundred died within
the first two years-lhat now but thirty-eight
die out of the same number in the same period
Tins difference in the mortality of infants is as
cribed to two causes, vaccination and the i'm.
provement in the condition of the poor. In all
the other stages of life continues the same au-
thor
"The comparison is invariably in favor Of the
present day. Thus formerly, Of 100 children,