New Britain herald., 1925-04-03
ROMANTIC SEARCH
 FOR LEPROSY CURE
GhaqlmoOsra Oil Found Only After Long Asiatic Journey

,arville, Louisiana, after treatment which included the use of chaul- moogra oil. Is the climax of an ad- venturous chapter in plant explora' lion.
 Joseph F. Rock, leader of the Na- tional Geographic society expedition to Yunnan Province, China, is the plant hunter who braved tigers, crocodiles and wild elephants to get seeds from the chaulmoogra tree so plantations might be established in Hawtii which would yield the heal ing oil. Accounting his experiences dur Ing his tree hunt in southeast Asia, Dr. Rock writes to the National Geo. graphic society:
 "Chaulmoogra oil is obtained from the seeds of a tree known as Tarak- togenos Kurzil King. named by Sir George King in honor of its dis coverer, Kurz.
 Treatment Known To Natives
 ''The natives of southeastern Asia have long known of the curative properties of Chaulmoogra seeds in sldn diseases and especially in lep- rosy. They relate in their pre- Huddhistic legendary history that one of the Burmese kings exiled himself voluntarily and retired into the imgles making a hollow tree his abode, Here he partook of the fruits and leaves of the Kalaw tree (Taraktogenos Kurzii,) and in time his health was restored.
 Owing to the high price of the oil In the United States and the probable scarcity of 1t in the near future, due to it's successful applica- ton in the treatment of leprosy in Hawaii, I was authorized to obtain seeds of this species, to be introduc cd into Hawaii and our tropical pos sessions, with a view to establishing Chaulmoogra plantations"
 (In his search for the Chaulmoo- Era tree, Dr. Rock went first to Siam, enterong the country by way of Singapore. He proceeded by rail to Bangkok, thence to Chiengmai and back to Korat, then to Chiengmai again. down the Meh Ping river to Raheng, across country by way of Meswat, kawkareik, and Kyondu to Moulmein, to Amarapura, sagaing and Monywa by rail, up the Chind- win river to Mawlaik, then eastward through forest and over mountain 10 Kyokta, where the seeds were final Iy obtained.)
 Swinls In Crocodile Waters
 At Chiengmai chartered a house boat for a journey down the tor tuous Meh Ping river to Raheng. and thence overland to Moulmein, Bur ma. I left Chiengmai December 2, 1920, on commodious house boat manned by Lao crew, an interpret CT, a would-be cook and boy. Many times during the day I would stor the boat and climb the mountains tc explore the forests and collect plants
 The river at this season beine low, it was difficult to make a land. ing. We tarried only long enough tc dispose of many bags of rice, the cause of our constantly grounding or sand banks Once l lost patience and, being In negligee, quietly jumped overheard and swan ahead of the boat, expecting it to follow soon. Anxious calls from the cap, tain urged me to return to the boat quite q difficult matter against tht current. The waters, I learned aft erward. are said to be infested witI crocodiles.
 When I called on the governor O Meswat he was holding ocurt for tn trial Of elephant thieves, who carr, on prosperous business near tn border. Leaving his chained prison CTS sitting or the floor, the magis trate accompanied me to the rest house where Siamese officials sto when en route from Raheng.
 "By the Old Moulmein Pagodas,
 Our path lay across the Kav kereik Hills, which are covered wit glorious verdure, end it was in thi region that first encountere Taraktogenos Kurzii. UnfortunateI, it was not in fruit. I was informe by q Burmese village quack tha July is the month in which tn Chaulmoogra fruits ripen. We hur ried on and finally reached decader but beautiful Moulmein on Christ mas eve.
 My next point of venture was tn Kalana range of the Martaban Hill where the natives said kalaw, C Taraktogenos Kurzii, could be founc
 "The mountains rise abrupt from the plain, are strewn with hug boulders, and are intersected by nr merous rocky creeks on whose bank grow species of Hydnocarpus, late indentified as H. castenea, and calle by the natives KaIaw, but 1t was nt the long-sought-for Taraktogent Kurzii.
 T made a last trip into the hi of Oktada and found that ! Shwaloo, my interpreter, was corr as to the presence of tigers, for the were fresh tracks leading not f. from the camp to the top of Il ridge. Only few hours before the b cat had stalked over the sandy tra to his haunts in the dense, low, han boo forest, which we had to pen trate in a bent position in order reach the Kalaw trees.
 Tn all our rambles for three da' we found only one tree with son TO mature fruits, which secure and the seeds of which l forward
 0 America.
 First Trees Found
 After two days marching throul dense forest and crossing the Kh dan stream many times, we reaeh' Khoung Kyew. Here found my fir genuine Chaulmoogra tree, son miles distant from the village pr per. Wild elephants live in herds these jungles and often come baths in the stream in the daytim First we entered a dense Dipteroca nus forest, then one of bambt