The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-08-23
sSs-isisS.D I UsUlfRNsDi.
Eastern Plant That Has Wonder
full Healing Power.
CURES CONSUMPTION.

System of Experiments With Fcnu-
greek, an Eastern Plant, Which Is
Said to DO a Cure and Provcnta-
tive Of All Forms Of I'ubcrcu.
lOsis.
A special to The News and Co,,r-
Ter from Washington says Secretary
Wilson, of the department Of agri-
culture, will soon begin experiments
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
VIII combat tbs a OF consump-
ton.
The virture ascribed to f~enuereck
is It's ability to build UP tho very tis-
sues that the germs of consumption
tear down. Experiments with won
derfully satisfactory results in tho
growth of this plant have beenimade
In California, Nebraska and Now
Mexico, and the announcement will
soon be made of it's introduction into
the arid west section Of Texas undor
irrigation by the department of ag-
riculture.
But a short time ago fenugreek
was almost unknown in America OK.
copt as a constituent of condition
powders FOR grain and vegetable CON
Stunning animals. For perhaps nun
dreds of years, however, 1t has been
known IN the East, where It has n
widespread use as a food and medi-
cine for both man and beast. It's
main use in hat section Of the globe
was what suggested It's Introduction
IN this country as a ure for consum-
ptiOn.
Since time immemorial the Jewish
maiden of Tunis has been one who
desires much fat n such a dainty
weight as ESQ 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 time-honorcd traditions Of their
lot have handed down the use of fen
ugreck as a fat forming substance,
and eve 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 tho chances for recovery were
greater. came to the conclusion that
fenugrcek 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 clover, and, indeed
is easily mistaken for hat plant UNI
less the two are closely compared.
The seed of the plant is the part used
in the consumption cure, there being
several ways by which 1t can be ple-
pared. Perhaps the easiest way Is to
put a tablespoonful In a tumbler of
water and let IL stand over night,
drinking the water In the morning.
Another method is to mix a coffee
spoonful Of the seed in strained hon
ey to kill the bitter taste, and then
eat the mixture. The women of Tun.
is, In their quest for fat, eat tho seed
in the form Of a confection and mix
ed with olive oil and in many other
ways
Prominent among the few p)iysi~
clans who have tried the plant in jhc
treatment Of consumption is Dr.. A. S.
Mansfelde, treasurer of the Nebras-
ka State Medical Association, WHIP
has probably carried the experiment
further than any other American
practitioner. He was the first to re-
port to the department If agricul-
ture the use of the plant as a cure in
this country.
Although Dr.. Mansfelde has re-
ported concerning ono case it was Of
q nature to show the great possibili-
ties Of the plant. The patient i'm
question was a young Irishman, who
was intho 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
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 the bureau of
plant Industry, is responsible for
bringing f%cnugreek to the notice of
the American people. While travel
ing in the East he was struck with
the prevalence of fat ONE and on
cnquiring into the cause got on the
track of the plant. He did not think
a 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 well
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
it was in cOmmon use as a relish for
meats II as q 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~cnugreck 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 cure 1T Of its ills.
Fenugreek is planted i'm the fall
the same as winter wheat and comes
up carly In the spring. 1t attains n
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
II who has ever handled condition
powders, such as are given to stock.
At present there is but m
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
seeu and plant industry.
Speaking of the medicinal value
OF the plant DR.. Mansfoldo says:
There can be no doubt that beyond
the carbohydrates and the bitter con-
tents increasing the appetite,
ting else must be contained in the
seeds that causes the assimilation of
fat md the doDOeition I'm tha tineune