Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-16
The New Cancer SPECIFIC.

Among the many valuable products for which
the world is indebted to the forests of tropical
America, none makes claim to greater useful
ness than one whose properties have just
been discovered. The wood of the cundurango,
a tree which grows freely in the southern-most
province Of Ecuador, is believed by the physi-
clans Of that country to be specific for cancer,
one of the most obstinate, loathsome and fatal
diseases that affiict the human family. The
discovery Of it's virtues is attributed to fortu-
nate accident. The story as it is current in that
country, is that an Indian woman, whose hus-
band had for a long time suffered terribly from
an internal cancer, and was supposed to be near
his end, resolved to shorten his agony with his
life, as the only way of giving him relief, by
mixing poison in his food. The fruit of the
cundurango was known or believed to be poison
Gus, and, as the fruit could not Just then be
had, she thought the wood might answer the
same purpose. She accordingly boiled some
chips Of it in water and gave her husband a
dose of the decoction. To her surprise, instead
of dying, he seemed to improve in health. AS
her first attempt had failed, she continued to
administer the decoction in increasing doses
and the man in a short time entirely recovered
The cure became known and further expert
ments by the physicians of Ecuador are said tC
have established the value of the new medicine
This is the history of its discovery as related
by Mr.. Wing, the United States minister TO
Ecuador, inIa dispatch to Mr.. Fish. The presi-
dent Of the republic of Ecuador has since sent
to the state department at Washington, as well
m 4ha Of IN
countries, small quantities of the cunduraDgo
wood for experiment and analysis, with the re-
quest that he may be informed of the result of
the trials to which it may be subjected and the
opinions of eminent physicians here as to its
remedial properties. The invoice was accom-
panied by the statements of several physicians
in Ecuador who had used the new remedy in
their practice, relating the treatment they
adopted and giving particulars of some aston
ishing cures which had followed. A part of the
cundurango received was entrusted to the sur
geon general of the navy for expert
ment, and a portion of it to DIR.
Bliss, a physician of some eminence,
who administered it to one of his patients, rel.
alive of Mr.. Colfax. This lady, who had long
suffered from what was supposed to be an in.
durable cancer, DR.. Bliss thought was much
benefited by its use, and he is sanguine that in
this substance has been found remedy which
will surely control this much dreaded disease.
His medical brethren in Washington do not
agree with him, however. The subject has been
discussed with much warmth among the pro-
tession there, and some do not hesitate to pro-
nouDee the alleged new specific humbug, 1t
seems to be too soon yet tor satisfactory opjn
ion upon its merits, but the importance to hu-
manity of the discovery, if its claims can be es-
tablished, and the responsibility of the source
from which its recommendations come entitle it
TO serious attention and thorough trial.