The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-08-23
REMEDY FOUND.
Eastern Plant That Has wonder
fuI Healing Power
CURES CONSUMPTION.

System of Experiments With Fcnu.
greek, an Eastern Plant, Which Is
Said to DO a Cure and Prcvonta-
tive OF All Forms Of Tubcrcu.
lOsis.
a special to The News AMI Cour-
Ter from Washington says Secretary
Wilson, of the department Of agri-
culture, will soon begin experiment.
ing In the arid lands of Texas on tho
famous food called fenugreek, which
scientists the world over are hailine
as possibly an agency of nature which
VIII combat the ravages of consump-
ton.
The virture ascribed to fonugreek
Is It's ability to build up the very It's
sues that the germs of consumnt,o
tear down. Experiments with Won
derfully satisfactory results in the
growth OF this plant have been made
| California, Nebraska and New
Mexico, and the announcement will
soon be made of it's introduction into
the arid west section Of Texas under
irrigation by the department of ag-
riculture.
But u short time ago fenngreek
was almost unknown in America ex-
copt as Il constituent of condition
powders for grain and vegetable con
Stunning animals. For perhaps hun
dreds of years, however, 1t has been
known In the East, where 1t has n
widespread use as a food and medi-
cine for both mar and beast. It's
main use In that section of the globe
was what suggested It's introduction
In this country as a cure for consum-
ption.
Since time immemorial the jewish
maiden OF Tunis has been one who
desires much fat and such a dainty
weight as $50 or 800 pounds Is a
thing to be desired. With her fat
is welcomed and she never complains
if she tips the scale at $50 or 400.
The timo-hOnOred traditions of their
lot have landed down the use of fen
ugreclk as a fat forming substance,
and even to-day 1t is still used.
Physicians recognizing the fact
that If they can, in treating a con-
sumptivc case, keep flesh on their
patient the chances for recovery were
greater, came to the conclusion that
fonugreek would be of great use to
them. Accordingly 1t was introduce
ed and many report that they have
used 1t with very satisfactory re-
suits.
The fenugrcek plant itself is not
unlike common clover, and, indeed
is easily mistaken for that plant UNI
less the two are closely %coinpared.
The seed of the plant is the part used
in the consumption cure, there being
sew al ways by which 1t can be pre-
y: Perhaps the easiest way Is to
put a Tablespoonful in a tumDler Of
water and let 1t stand over night,
drinking the water in the morning.
Another method is to mix Il coffee
spoonful Of the seed in strained hon
Gy to kill the bitter taste, and then
eat the mixture. The women Of run.
is, in their quest for fat, eat the seed
In the form Of a c%onfection and mix
ed with olive OIL and in many other
ways.
Prominent among the few pIiysi~
clans who have tried the plant in the
treatment Of consumption is Dr.. A. S.
Mansfelde, treasurer of the Nebras-
ka State Medical Association, who
has probably carried the experiment
further than any other American
III uCtiIlOllCls L q III HloI w lC-
port to the department of agricul-
ture the use of the plant as a cure in
this country.
Although DR.. Mansfelde has re-
ported concerning II case 1t vas of
a nature to show the great possibili-
ties of the plant. The patient in
question was a young Irishman, who
was inthe last stages of the disease,
and although in the end he eventual
ly died, his lungs being SO far gone
that they could not sustain any bodi-
~ vigor, he is reported to have taken
OIL flesh and continued to do so for
several weeks until the end came.
David Fairchild, agricultural OK
plOrcr, In charge of the seed and
plant distribution Of the bureau of
plant industry, is responsible for
bringing fcnugreek to the notice Of
the American people. While travel
ing in the East he was struck with
the prevalence Of fat and on
cnquiring into the got on the
Il great deal of the plant until later
when he learned that it was one of
the principal ingredients of condition
powders for stock. Putting the two
together lie thought that results we'll
worth the trouble could be received
from the plant and accordingly in
troduccd 1t into the United States.
1T is claimed by some that the
plant can be traced back as far as
the time OF Observation-Disclosures III, when
1T was in common use as Il relish for
meats and as q medicine. Many leg
ends have been founded on the plants
great medicinal value. 1t is even
stated that Mohamet himself once
said that if the people knew the val
ne OF fcnugrcek they would obtain ii
even at the price Of gold. Another
legend claims that if a bag OF the
seed was tied to a camcl's back il
would ure 1t Of it's ills.
Fcnugreck is planted in the fall
the same as winter wheat and comes
up carly in the spring. 1t attains q
height Of about that OF the ordinary
clover and. as stated before when full
grown looks about the same. The
odor Of the plant is familiar to any
one who has ever handled condition
powders, such as are given to stock.
At present there is but acOmDara-
lively small quantity Of the seed in
the United States. The department
Of agriculture, however, is able to
distribute quantities Of some size on
applications made to the bureau Of
seed and plant industry.
Speaking of the medicinal value
Of the plant Or. Mansfelde says:
There can be no doubt that beyond
the carbohydrates and the bitter con-
tents increasing the appetite, some
ting else must be contained in the