The San Francisco call., 1896-03-05
An Unknown Quantity to Medi-
cal Science, but Very
Effective.
DISCUSSED BY DR.. G. L. FITCH
In the Interests of Suffering Human.
ity It Should Be Studied
and Used.

1t now seems reasonably certain that
the japanese remedy for leprosy is about
to be applied to lepers in the Twenty
sixth street hospital in this City. There
may of course be some delay consequent
upon securing the full amount needed for
purchasing the medicine and getting II
from Japan, but Supervisor Benjamin, who
has undertaken to collect the money, re-
asserts his conviction that he will be able
to provide at least enough of the remedy
within few months to try it here.
Physicians who have been consulted
about it declared they would like to see it
tested, although strictly speaking it is un-
known to science in its true character, and
for that reason recommendation by the
medical men might be taken as unprofes-
sional. In q general way the remedy is
known as mixture of Japanese herbs, but
.hey are not distinguished by botanical
names, nor have they been classified or
studied by western botanists.
So the remedy is understood more in its
effects than in its own character. And yet
the doctors say its application can do no
harm to the lepers, while it may do much
good. If nothing more, it alleviates the
intense sufferings of the Iepers, and thus
gains the attention and support OF physi-
clans as 4 palliative worthy of trial in the
interests of humanity.
Some more light was cast upon this rem
edy, now tamiliariy known as the Goto
cure. by Dr. George l.. Fitch yesterday.
Dr. Fitch was Government physician un-
der King Kalakaua in Honolulu and had
supervision Of the lePer receiving hospital
there, and also Of the leper settlement at
Molokai He saw the Goto remedy admin
istered in Honolulu and watched its effects
closely for years.
81 nave seen it work so much good" he
SAID, ''that | cheerfully recommend it. |
don't know the Latin terms for the herbs,
but | have the formula In japanese terms,
and it would be an easy matter to study
the herbs and classify them al any time. l
suspect there is some arsenic in it.
Because it is not known to science some
doctors will say its use is unprofessional,
that a physician should not use remedy
he knows nothing about But, as I've
SAID, have the formula in japanese, and
the medicine is well worth studying. 1t is
called 'Goto remedy from DR.. Goto, who
was born in leper hospital in Japan, of
which his father had charge, and his
fathers father. Indeed, the family has
been devoted TO the treatment of leprosy
for many generations. Young DR.. Goto
came here to San Francisco some years
ago and took course at the Cooper Col
lege OF Medicine. He went to Honolulu
and treated lepers there, and later re-
turned to his own country, where he is
now practicIng among the lepers.
II know that DR.. Goto'S patients have
proved that his remedy was quite success
full. and while the people of Hawaii know
he has not made any brilliant cures he has
at least alleviated the sufferings of the
afflicted and so he has abated the ravages
f.k I'M hxy no %
imagine there is no suffering with leprosy,
no real pain. That is an awful mistake,
for at times the suffering is frightful. For
illustration, lepers commonly have SEN
sation that some part OF them Is buTnin g
up, literally being consumed as by fire,
and they have all the sensation of burning
by fire. One woman l saw felt that her
right arm was burning up and she held it
in bucket of water for three weeks. and
she would cry out against the horrible
burning pain. A man afflicted with the
disease laid for three months exposed to
the trade winds of the islands to cool him.
self, and those winds are fearfully cold to
the natives. His only relief was in opium.
Il have seen several cases where leprosy
disappeared and to all appearances the
sufferers got well under the Goto treat
ment.'
Then you would favor trying it here on
the City lepers?"
Il should certainly advise it. Get it by
subscription if not any other way.
would do anything and everything pos
sibIe to help those poor creatures. Surely
a few hundred dollars is not much tc
expend in the cause of suffering human
ity. About $500 would be enough to buy
the remedy to treat all the patients out
there in the Pesthouse. An apparatus for
boiling the herbs and applying the rem
edy would have to be constructed. The
herbs are boiled into a strong tea, will
call it? or decoction, and then the pa
tient is put into the decoction, which is
almost boiled, along with him, and he is
STEPPED in it for considerable time. In
addition to this he is given pills, and that
is practically all there is to it,"
Supervisor Benjamin hopes to be out
again in few days and then he proposes
10 make a collection with which to buy the
Goto medicine.