Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-14
A CURE FOR CANCER.
Discovery of a Plant for which Won
derful Medicinal Virtues are Claim

From the New York SUM-
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.-Much interest has
been aroused in the medical profession by
the discovery of Brazilian plant called Al
veloz, which is said to cure cancers. The
fame of the plant reached this country last
summer, and the attention it attracted re.
suited in tho sending of dispatch by the
Department of State to Consul Atherton at
Pernambuco, requesting that he secure and
forward sufficient of the medicine for expert
mental purposes. EARLY this month his re-
port and tie medicine reacneu depart
ment. In his report he says
DR.. Bandeira declines making any charge
for his information or for the medicines. l
have to report that, in addition to the
companying report of DR.. Bandeira I know
of case where this medicine has apparent
ly cured cancer in the breast. The woman is
about her work every day, and appears to be
cured. There is scar left about the size of
the end of mans thumb, with e depth of
about quarter of an inch The cure is pain
full, as the place has to be opened and more
of the milk put in. They seem to think here
that the plant is equally potent in its pre-
pared form, but think if I had a cancer
should prefer to be treated where I could get
the plant fresh
Consul Atherton sends with his report
letter addressed to himself from DR.. Ban
deira, who is surgeon in charge of the Pedro
H. hospital at Pernambuco The doctor
says:
The notice about A1veloz. published in the
Therapeutic Gazette, is truthful, and we can
say complete, far our imperfect knowl-
edge of the plant and its effects extends.
would not like to risk theory to explain its
physiological and therapeutic action an
b,7T T al, lie to rat
it gives splendid result in the treatment of
ulcers of different kinds. A magistrate
named DIR. Guennes was the first who made
| it known four years ago. He had concroid
of the face, and went to his home at Byro de
Madre Does after having consulted several
doctors who could not cure him.
He was perfectly cured there by the natives
of the country, and wrote the Recife, sending
the plant and its juice, which were tried here,
with success in several cases.
Last year the juice of Alveloz was used
| in the Hospital Pedro II. with such crafty
ing success that DR.. Velozo published no.
tice in the papers of Recife, advising the use
of it. Many other successful applications of
| the medicine have been made in cases of cpl
thelioma of the lips, nose, face, and eyel1ds.
The application of Alyeloz in liberated can
GERS (sarcoma or carcipoma) has not given
the result that many doctors hoped
The plant belongs to the family Euphor-
northern portions of Brazil, where it is
known by different Names the most common
being alveloz, arveloz, or aveloz. The natives
| used to burn the wound with the juice run
niog from piece of broken cut skein,
after having washed it with a decoction OF
| the leaves of tobacco. We have used gener-
ally the fresh juice of the plant, as it soon
| becomes coagulated and acquires bad odor.
| Or chemists, however, have succeeded in
| keeping it liquid and unalterable by treating
| it with salycilic acid, which does not modify
| the action. The juice prepared in this way
| has always given the same results, and it has
been employed in many cases. I send a bot
| tie of the juice prepared in the way mention
| ed, which I hope may give in the United
| States the same good results it has given
US.
Barao de Santa Cruz (chemist), treating
| the juice with water and afterward by alco-
| hol, obtained a resin (of which | send small
| quantity that seems to contain the active
| principle of the plant. This resin has q
powerful irritating action, and has been en-
| ployed in the proportion of three to
one hundred with vaseline.
A portion of this medicine, when it ar
| rived, was secured by DR.. Smith Townshend
| the health officer of the District of Columbia,
| for the purpose of trying it on a patient Capt.
| Dugal, man about G5 years of age, who
| was suffering from a concroid of the nose of
| long standing. The effect was marvellous.
| The wound began to heal from the first ap-
| plication, and in very short time it was, to
| all appearances, cured. The Sun CORE
| sponGent saw Capt Dugal before the treat
| nent and has seen him several times since.
| TIE cure appears to be permanent. DR..
| Townshend says he is treating lady
| for cancer of the face, and is apparently at
| tanning the same good results. He hesitates
| about expressing positive opinion yet re-
garding its virtues as specific for cancer,
| but says that in these two cases it seems to
have accomplished what no other remedial
| agent known to medicine has done.
| The quantity received by the Department
| of State was small. The department has or
| dered another supply, and DR.. Townshend
| has also written to Consul Atherton request
| ing that supply be sent to him at his ex-
pense.