Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-09
THE NORTHWEST
A CURE FOR CANCER.
hPlant for Which Wonderful Virtues
are Claimed.


Much interest has been aroused in
Che medical profession by the discovery
of a Brazilian plant called Alveloz
which is said to cure cancers. The
tame of the plant reached this country
fast summer, and the attention it at.
tracted resulted in the sending of a
despatch by the department of state to
Consul Atherton at Parnambuco, re.
questing that he secure and forward
sufficient of the medicine for expert
alental purposes. Early last month his
report and the medicine reached the
department. In hisreport he says:
CDR. Bandeira declines making any
charge for his information or for the
medicines. | have to report that, in
addition to the accompanying report of
DIR. Bandeira, | know of a case where
this medicine has apparently cured
cancer in the breast. The woman is
about her work every day, and appears
10 be cured. There is scar left about
She size of the end of a mans thumb,
with depth of about quarter of an
inch. The cure is painful, as the place
has to be opened and more of the milk
put in. They seem to think here that
she plant is equally potent in its pre-
pared form, but think If had can
eer I should perfer to be treated where
could get the plant fresh.
Consul Atherton sends with his re-
port letter addressed to himself from
DR.. Bandeira, who is the surgeon in
charge of Pedro H. Hospital ut Pernam-
buco. The doctor says:
"Hhe notice about Alveloz, published
IN the Therapeutic Gazette, is truthful,
and we can say complete, as far as our
imperfect knowledge of the plant and
its effects extends. Iwould not like to
gisk theory to explain its physiolog-
ical and therapeutic action as an esch-
arctic, but I am able to assure you that
it gives splendid result in the treat
Ment of ulcers of different kinds. A
magistrate named DIR. Guernes was the
Grst who made it known four yearsago
He had cancroid 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
aatives 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 AlveOz was
ssed in the Hospital Pedro III. with
such gratifying success that DIR. Vellozo
published notice in the papers of
Recife, advising the use of it. Many
ether successful applications of the
medicine have been made in cases of
epithelioma of lips, nose, face and eye
lids. The application of Alvel0z in ul-
eerated cancers (sarcoma or carcinoma) |
has not given the result that many doc
tors hoped.
The plant belongs to the family
1t grows spontaneous
fy in all the northern portions of Brazil,
where it is known by different names,
the most common being alveloz, or
sveluz. The natives used to burn the
wound with the juice running from
a place of broken or cut skin, after
having washed it with a decoction of
the leaves of tobacco. We have used
the fresh juice of the plant, as
It soon becomes coagulated and acquires
\ bad odor. Our chemists, however,
have succeeded in keeping it liquid and
by treating it with salycilic
scid, which does not modify the action.
The juice prepared in this way has al
ways given the same results, and it has
been employed in many cases. send
\ bottle of the juice prepared in the
way mentioned, which I hope may give
m the United States the same good
results it has given us.
Barao de Santa Cruz (chemist), treat
ing the juice by water and afterward
BY alcohol, obtained resin (of which I
,end small quantity that seems to
contain the active principle of the plant.
This resin has powerful irritating
lction and has been employed in
he proportion of ! or 3 to 100 with
'aseline."
A portion of this medicine, when it
lrived. was, secured by DR.. Smith
POwnshend, the health officer of the
District of Columbia, for the purpose
'f trying it on patient, Capt. Dugal,
} man about IS years of age, who was
from a cancroid of the nose,
f long standing. The effect was mar
'elous. The wound began to heal from
he first application, and in very short
ime it was, to all Appearances, cured. :
The Sun correspondents saw Capt. Dugal
'efore the treatment, and has seen him
everal times since. The cure appears
o be permanent DIR. Townshend says
le is now treating lady for cancer of
he face, and is apparently attaining
he same good results. He hesitates
bout expressing its virtues as specific
or cancer, but says that in these two
ases it seems to have accomplis he'd
What no other remedial agent known to
has done.
The quantity received by the depart
nent of state was small. The depart
aent has ordered another supply, and
Dr.. TOwnshend has also written to
)onsul Atherton requesting that sup
'ly be sent to him at his expense.