Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-11-17

CuNnURANco. "A medical friend has
handed us the following article on the sup
posed medical agent-tho CoadurdRgO. 1t is
from the pen OF d. ". YANDELL, MD, one
of the editors OF the AA.erictn Practitioner, a
medical periodical, published at Louisville,
Kentucky.
0CUNDURANGo-FoR THE THIRD AND LAST
TINE Professor Chas. A. Lee, of Peekskill,
n. Y, gives the comp dc grace TO this huge
sWindlc. lie says: Since specimens Of the
shrub were distributed during the month of
April last by the Department of State to the
Surgcon-gcncr of the United States army, in
order that the remedy should be subjected TO
the test Of chemical analysis, as well as thera-
poutic trial by scientific and competent medical
men, II has been tried In quite number nf
casos o. lancer; but have heard of none that
have been cured by it, except Mrs. Colfax, in
Washington, the mother Of the vice President
ofthc United States, and ii appears, from all
that can learn, extremely doubtful whether
hers was a case OF true cancer 1t is far more
likely 10 have been scrOlulous sore. have
known it tried fairly, according 10 directions,
in seven or eight cases OF cancer without the
slightest pcrceptiblo benefit in single instance
Two Of these were in the city Of New York,
the medicine being given under instructions
from the Surgeon-Gcneral If the United
States army, and the diagnosis was confirmed
by submitting specimens of the morbid pro
ducts, procured after death, 10 microsCopical
and other tests. am therefore forced to the
conclusion that the rIhdUrmg0 possesses no
calue irlitscer 0s q remediM dgcnt in tie
treatment # c0Hcsr, but from rs active proper
ties il may do no small INJURY, by disturbing
the functions Of the stomach and mpairing
nutrition. II We aualyYc the drug, we shall
find ii contains no powerful specific principle,
like CinChona, opium, nUX yOmlCa, etc; but
that It's principal constituent Is n resin, insnl-
ublc in water; and yet IL is directed 10 be
given in infusion We find, lcsides resin, in
its composition, FATTY matter, starch, gum,
glucose, tannin, Cuoring matter, cellulose,
lignin, etc.; hut it contains no volatile oil OF
crystalline akalOid principle, as we should
expect ID 1t possessed any specific powers In
a letter jus, received from one OF the principal
physicians in Washington city, d. g., are the
following statements in confirmation Of the
above: From all that we know ui cuHdurdn-
90 il is entirely inert as "a medicine and is be.
ing run as huge sWinllc. Dr Bliss never
mi IL forward in the hands Of medical men
Tor trial, and docs not now, and il is said
know moi with what truth, that hc dOts moi
furnish it 10 medical men if he can AVOID H.
IN other words, he fears the test. 10 is The
best advertised Quack nostrum ever put before
The American people On the whole, am
disposed 10 tluaslly inns uuNt among lht
numerous empirical agents, which have
from time 10 time, heretofore asiatcl the
public, and disappointed ihe hopes and ex
pectaiiOns Of so many unfortunate victims o
this terrible malady, and that this Dol,
attempt 10 manufacture a fictitious reputation
for this drug, resting on such questionable
data, seems rather 10 have been inspire,
by the dazzling prospect of pccuniarl
speculation than by a laudabc desire 10 ad
vance the triumphs Of science, or To allcyiut,
the sullcrings Of unfortunate humanity