Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-03
KALIHI LEPERS
IMPROVE Under
OIL TREATMENT
Chaulmoogra Extract, While
Not Established as Perma-
nent Cure, Gives Results
THIRTY PATIENTS HERE
GETTING BETTER DAILY
Manila Press Despatch States
That % Victims Have Been
Discharged as Cured"

I = i - b y
Marked Improvement is apparent in
the condition of about 80 inmates OF
the Kalihi receiving station who. dur.
ing the last four months, have been
treated with chanlmoogra oil. which is
derived from an East Indian plant, ex.
tenstiyeiy grown in South America,
and which has been used in the treat
ment OF leprosy for more than 40
years.
This is according to Moses T. Clegg.
assistant director OF the investigation
station at ,Kalihi, who said today that,
while 1t is yet little early to predict
any complete cures, those patients now
under treatment by this method are
daily improving.
That complete cures may have been
effected through treatment with the
oil is evidenced in a recent press des;
patch from Manila, which states that
% lepers at Culion have been dis
treatment with chaulmoogra oil. de-
veloped by DR.. aiercado, a Filipino
physician. In all, 80 cases we're
treated, the despatch continues, and
Or. Mercado thinks he Is justified in
regarding the oil as specific for the
disease.
Mr. Ciegg points out that chaulmoo.
gra Gil has for years past been used
extensively in the treatment Of lep-
rosy Several years ago it could be
administered internally only through
the mouth. but recently process has
been perfected by which 1t may be.
combined with olive oil and injected
hypodermicaIly. The treatment has
been in use at the local station for
about four months.
TO DR.. Victor G. Heiser, surgeon
IN the Uhifed States public health
service and director of the health serv-
fee IN the Philippines, Is due the credit
for the perfection OF the new system
OF treatment with the oil, believes Mr..
Glegg. Although tie credit is largely
given Or. Mercado, who is an assist
ant to DIR. Heiser, first articles ex-
planning the new treatment were, writ
ten by DR.. HeiseI in 1914.
I'VE have been treating patients
here with;-the oil for the. last two or
three months and hope to get the same
results as have been obtained in the
" says Mr.. Clegg. AT the
present time q large number of those
patients who, have been treated are
showing marked improvement.
This treatment has been used for
years and has given better results
than any other known treatment. The
seeds are crushed and
boiled in water, after which the oil is
extracted. While am not positive.
believe the treatment is in vogue at
the Molokai settlement"
sMr. Clegg says that the treatment
may be administered to patient In
any stage OF the disease and that II
may be applied internally or exter.
nally. Although % persons have been
in the Philippines as appar-
entity cured, they doubtless are kept
under close supervision, Mr.. Clegg be-
lieyes.
The medical profession and leprosy /
experts are by no means ready to
hail the chaulmoogra oil treatment as
a sure cure, or even as permanent
cure in isolated cases, but merely
agree that the effects following the
new form of administering the oil by
injections is given great
to persevering work
along the same lines.