The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-08-23
REMEDY FOUNsfBj.:
Eastern Eastern Plant Plant 'fi1latt Has iWifpnadier-
full Healing Power.
CURES CONSUMPTION

NNlLII GIIv-
greek, an Eastern Plant, Which Is
said to DO a Cure and Proventa-
tive of All Forms Of Iubcrcu.
losls.
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 the
famous food called fenugreek. which
scientists the world over are hailing
as possibly an agency of nature which
Will combat the ravages of consume
ton.
The virture ascribed to fonugreek
Is It's ability to build up the very It's
sues that the germs of CONSUMPTION
tear down. Experiments with won
derfully satisfactory results In the
growth OF this plant have been made
In California, Nebraska and Now
MeXico, II the announcement will
soon DO made of It's Introduction into
the arid west section Of Texas under
irrigation by the department of az
riculture.
But u short timo ago fenngreek
was almost unknown in America ex-
cept as a 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 it has a
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 beer one who
desires much fat and such a dainty
weight rs $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 100.
The time-honOred traditions of their
lot have handed down the use OF fen
ugreck 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
sumptive case, keep flesh on their
patient the chances for were
greater, came to the conclusion that
Va "oitb oO VI HlcdJ uSt tJ
them. Accordingly it was introduce
ed and many report hat they have
used 1t with very satisfactory re-
suits.
The fenugreek plant itself is not
unlike common clover, and, indeed
Is easily mistaken for hat plant I'M
less the two are closely c0mnared.
The seed of the plant is the part used
in the consumption cure, there being
several ways by which 1t can be PIE
pared. Perhaps the easiest way Is to
put a tablespoonful in n tumblcr OF
water and let 1t stand over night,
drinking the water in the morning.
Another method is to mix a coffee
spoonful of the seed in strained hon
cy to kill the bitter taste, and then
eat the mixture. The women Of Tun-
is, in their quest for fat, eat the seed
in the form Of a CONNECTION and mix
ed with olive OIL and in many other
ways.
Prominent among the few pl.ysi~
clans who nave 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
practitioner. He vas the first to re-
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 one case 1t was of
a nature to show the great possibili-
ties Of the plant. The patient in
question was Il young Trishman, who
was inthe last stages of the disease,
and although in the end he eventual
~ died, his lungs being SO far gone
that they could not sustain any bodi-
~ vigor, he is reported to have taken
on flesh and continued to do so for
several weeks until the end came.
David Fairchild, agricultural OK
plOrer, In charge Of the seed and
plant distribution of tho bureau of
plant industry. is responsible for
bringing fcnugreck to the notice of
the American people. While travel
ing in the East he was struck with
the prevalence Of fat women and on
enduring into the cause got on the
track Of the plant. He did not think
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 tho 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 use as a relish for
meats and as 4 medicine. Many leg
ends have been founded on the plants
great medicinal value. 1t is even
stated that Mohamct himself once
said that If the people knew tho val
ne of f~cnugrcck they would obtain il
ever at the price Of gold. Another
legend claims that if a bag OF the
seed was tied to Il cancels back
would cur 1t of its ills.
~Fcnugrcck 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 VINO has ever handled condition
powders, such as are given to stock.
At present there is but acompara-
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 tho bureau of
seed and plant industry.
Speaking Of the medicinal value
Of the plant DR.. 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
seeds that causes the assimilation Of
fat aud Tho InnncifIon Il, ~ ;,, x,