The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-02
DRUG THAT
CURES
LEPR0SY
OIL Extracted From an East
Indian Tree Found TO Ba
Very Efficacious.

St Louis, June 2.--Dong Gong, a Chi
nese leper, who for nine months has oc-
cupied an isolation house near the quar-
antine station on the outskirts OF this
city. is recovering from his mslady.
Hardly trace now remains OF the
symptoms which last summer led more
than 200 st. Louis medical men TO the
unanimous conclusion that Dong GonG
was a victim OF lcprosy.
Discoloration has disappeared from the
patients face and limbs, and feeling has
returned TO the spots OF flesh which were
insensible to the pricking OF pins OF the
touch OF hot irons.
DR. Martin C. Woodruff, superintendert
OF quarantine. who has charge OF the
case. says that II the patient continues
10 improve at the present rate no excuse
for holding him will remain two months
hence. and he will be discharged
Chaulmoogra oil. he product OF an
East Indian tree, has been the sole treat.
ment administered TO Dong Gong aside
from fresh air and a liberal diet Of rico
and pork chops.
DR. Woodruff commenced the chaul.
moogra oil treatment Immediately after
taking charge OF the patient and attri-
butes the apparent cure 10 it's use.
Commencing with Ave drops OF oil
day. DR.. Woodruff Increased his patients
dose 10 forty or sixty drops three times
a day II was heroic treatment. but ths
nauseous effect OF the heavy drug was
partly avoided by the use OF capsules I'm
administering the oil.
In appearance chaumoogra oil is like
tallow. and II left In a cool place IL soon
becomes hard as a candle. To be ad-
ministered as medicine 1t has to be r,elt-
ed I'm hot water.
The oil Is the product OF the seeds OF
the tree known as gynocardata odornta,
which has no counterpart among Arieri-
can trees.
When the Chinese was first taken to
quarantine. after three weeks coni'ne-
ment I'm the old city hall. DIR. Louis
Knapp was his attendant Dr. Knapp left
n wife and family 10 take charge of the
patient I'm the hope that he might lisccv-
er a cure for tho disease. He was given
no opportunity TO experiment. as Jr.
Woodruff promptly took charge Of tho
case and commenced the oil cure.
The volunteer nurse became lonely and
discouraged, and resigned after four
months. A veteran small pox muse was
assigned TO take his place.
DonRS appetite was poor Wnen ne Wds
first taken to his hillside home, but fresh
air and exercise gave him capacity Tor
an amount OF food twice as great as that
eaten by an ordinary man, and the guam
tity OF rice and pork required TO aprease
his hunger has been prodigious
The patient is not beef eater aud VIII
not touch vegetables or farinaceous fccd
other than his beloved rice, so that h!s
commissary has had an easy task, ex-
cept in convincing the city supply depart
ment that one man could eat as much
food as the patients monthly reauisition
showed.
The popular belief that leprosy has
never been cured is disputed by soi1s high
authorities" said DR.. Woodruff.
Eat least two cures by the use OF chHHl-
moogra oil are on record. DR.. Robert
I.iveing, who treated forty cases Of lep-
rosy I'm England. reported two who re
covered after taking the oil cure persist
emily.
"one of the patients lived fourteen
wears after his recovery without showing
a trace OF the disease"