T.B. CURE?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 8

T.B. CURE?

COMMON PLANT USED.

PLENTIFUL ON GUMFIELDS.

SUBSTITUTE FOR SOAP.

DEPARTMENTAL INVESTIGATION.

Kumarahou, a common pliant of the gumlands of the Auckland Province, which is known- colloquially by the gum' diggers as/'poverty," and in scientific circles' as' Pomaderris clliptica, is said to be an ingredient of the. alleged cure for tuberculosis.

Great interest' has been aroused by a recent announcement by the Rev.* E. Ward, vicar of the Church of the Aseension, Point Chevalier! that he had discovered a cure for tuberculosis, and on Monday the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy) gave an undertaking that the claim would be investigated. Complaint was made that on a previous occasion two or three years ago the Health Department had failed to follow up similar representations. In keeping with a reputation of being prompt and definite in anything uc undertakes, Mr. Stallworthy, on .reaching Wellington on Tuesday morning, had a busy day looking up the official history of the Rev. Ward's reported discovery." "If there is a ray of hope to sufferers the Rev. Ward's .•treatment ehoulcL be thoroughly, investigated and. promptly tested under medical supervision." said Mr. Stallworthy. this, morning. . "I have already arranged for that to be done." • Sometimes Called "Soap Plant." The plant which Mr. Ward says: he lias used with success has been the subject of the following.report, by Mr. B. C. Aston.'Of the chemistry section of. the Department of. Apiculture: — "Pomadcrris . elliptica, or kumarahou. is a common plant of the gumlands of the Auckland Province... It grows abundantly on Pirongia Mountain's lower slopes.- It is cultivated in gardens for its fine yellow flowers. The gunidiggers use the leaves as soap. It is sometimes called the soap plant'. It.forms a copious lather on macerating with water. Apparently saponins or eonie similar body are present. On April 4 of 1923 Mr. John J. Molloy. district school, Ka'whia. wrote to the editor of the Agricultural Department's publication and stated that it was a stomachic of no mean order, as ho'and others .had proVed by' personal, experiment. ' It could hti taken in. any ■quantity and any • length of time without unfavourable reaction. It was usual to make a decoction of" the leaves. ind flowers and bottle for use. It was bitter to taste, but caused a sweet and pleas-, ant after feeling in the mouth. The plant grew to a height of three feet and was hard to transplant." Medical Properties Little Known. Mr. Aston added in his communication to the Minister that as far as he could gather at present the Maori had no use for the plant before the pakeha landed in New Zealand. He stated that Pomaderris was a genus of distinctly southern distribution, being found in. Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. There were about species in all. The plant, was classified in the family which included cascara and buckthorn, Little was known about the' medical properties of any of the species. 'Five of the. .species were, in New . Zealand, some rare and' others plentiful.' ' The plant/.'was largely grown in 'Wellington gardens. -".','. '.. ,' "Prevention' is better than', cure,".said Mr. Stallworthy in- conclusion, ."and although there is always' doubt about the, efficacy '■ of ' various treatments of tuberculosis, there could be no doubt of the great need of every step being taken to combat the disease," ' The Minister came to Auckland this morning in connection with the Christmas seal campaign, which is now in full swing over the post.office counters.