The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-19
Can Distinguish the Outline of
a Hand at IL Inches.
HELP is FROM INDIA.
Nothing Mysterious About the
Treatment.
Complete Restoration Promised
in Four Weeks.


millionaire, Charles Broadway Rouss. He
is DR.. Guelph Norman of Burmah, and
he has now had Mr.. Rouss for a patient
for one week
DR.. Norman's proposal to restore the
blind to sight was treated with disdain
by the regular medical fraternity, but
Il the patient himself is to be believed
a wonder has already been worked Mr.
fouss says he can see a little bit He
is yet skepticaI,and DR. Norman will have
to do much more before he establishes
the reputation here that he is said to en-
joy in the Orient-that of the Great Ply
sician.
The Eastern visitor announced on Wed
nesday morning that within fifteen min
utes he would cause Mr.. Rouss to see an
object placed at a distance of six inches
from the patients eyes. He kept his word
apparently, for when a hand was held
in front Mr.. Rouss' nose he said he could
see white object there, but could not
tell what it was
Dr. Norman said yesterday that when
he had finished his mornings work Mr.
Rouss would be able to see at a distance
OF sixteen inches. When the experiment
was made it was found that Mr.. Rouss
could see a hand move and could family
distinguish the fingers at a distance of
fourteen inches and could see the hand
outlined at sixteen inches.
Mr. Rouss did not allow himself to be
carried away by the seemingly good re-
suits, and said that he would prefer not
to make statement for publication until
something more definite had been accomp-
Hshed- DR.. Norman had assured him,
he said, that he would be able to read
the newspapers within four weeks.
Whatever may come of the pretensions
of DR.. Norman, he has made his advent
in this country under peculiar and inter-
esting conditions. It had been reported
all over the world that splendid for
tune awaited the person who would re-
store sight to Mr., Rouss. The sum grew
the story travelled until it was fixed
at several million dollars.
Mr.. Rouss has become a multi-miIlion-
aire and a merchant prince, and while he
does not say exactly what he would pay
to see again it is understood that he
would readily part with a million to the
person who overcomes his misfortune.
DR.. Norman has announced that he is
not seeking money, but has a higher and
nobler motive in coming over the sea to
try his skill. He asked no guarantee,
and when Mr.. Rouss wrote him that if
he came from India it would be at his
own risk he was nothing daunted
When he reached London and it became
apparent that he was really serious in
making the trip, he was advised that he
would not be allowed to experiment on
Mr.. ROuss at once, but must first prove
the efficacy of his treatment by curing
James Martin, an invfolate rule having
been made that the substitute must stand
between the wealthy merchant and the
horde of would-be sight restorers that
assailed him.
The Indian doctor replied that on no
account would he first attend the substi-
Mr.. Rouss' case at once. He did not wait
for answer to this ultimatum, but
sailed for New York, where he arrived
two weeks ago on the Gernanfc.
At the end of week he visited by
A. J. Smith, the confidential secretary of
the blind man. The doctor then had an
interview with Mr.. Rouss and was able
to gain his point, agreeing to treat the
substitute at the same time.
The treatment to which Mr.. Rouss is
now being subjected is of the simplest
nature, so far Iayman can see, but,
according to DR.. Norman, who admits
its simplicity it has behind it a medical
system old almost civilization, and
one that is derived from the Vedas, the
books Of sacred and heroic writings, en-
bracing the ancient philosophy of the
Aryans.
No medicine at all is given internally.
One consideration. not at variance with
modern medical science, is that the
highest of sanitary conditions shall be
observed. Dieting, too. along the
binary lines, is also a part of the treat
ment.
The pouring into the eyes once daily of
a colorIess liquid brought from India and
the massaging of the eyelids and temples
for ten minutes once day by the doctor
himself and once afterward by anyone
else, completes the treatment that DR..
Norman has come so far to give. 1t was
its great simplicity and the physicians
quiet eloquence that persuaded Mr.. Rouss,
grown skeptical through many disappoint-
ments, to place himself so completely in
a strangers hands
DR.. Norman is without popularity of
dress or manner. In the country of his
adoption he wears the Indian dress. and
sometimes the medals of the several titles
that have been conferred upon him for
scientific performances.
He is an Englishman, is about 20 years
old, and has spent "A years in India He
is tall and very slender, and has the stu
dents stoop. His thin face is clean shaven
except for a slight mustache, and he has
a quiet and easy manner. He ascribes
what he says he can accomplish to nat
ural causes and not to any marvellous or
superna tural powers.
Dr. Norman was not educated in medi-
cine according to the western idea He
belongs to an Oriental school which prae-
tees what it calls the science of life, and
which he explains as being the common
sense method of treating disease.
The system was evolved, he declares
/ ages ago, and has ever since been prac-
| ticed principally by the adopts of the east.
In what may be called its technique, the