NEW LEPROSY CURE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 April 1928, Page 11

NEW LEPROSY CURE

T EPBOSY, the most dreaded of dis- - ease’s, has at last been conquered by British scientists. After ten years' investigation it has boon found that hydnocarpus oil, obtained from the fruit of the hydnocarpus tree —a native of South-east, Asia —is a cure for the disease. In five years the number of cases will have diminished enormously and in ten years it is believed the disease will be almost, extinct.

Stations for the treatment of leprosy with 'hydnocarpus oil are to be started all over the Empire in places where the disease is rife. The effect of- the discovery was described in London recently" bv Sir Leonard Rogers, who started the research work in India and is honorary secretary of the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association and a lecturer at the London School of Tropical Medicine. “There are 4,000,000 lepers in the world,” 'Sir Leonard said, “and of these 416,000 at least are in the Bfi fish Empire. There are 150,000 in our African possessions alone. Already vastly increased numbers are coining for the new treatment. In Uganda, for example, 2000 arc expected to be under supervision by the end of the year. In Great Britain there are not more than 100 cases —mostly noil-in-fective. 11ydnocarpus trees are being planted in all suitable countries, so that'ample supplies of the cure will be ai hand. “Over 1000 hydnocarpus try: ‘seeds’ have been distributed in Uganda and other places. The tree won’t grow in England—it requires a fairly warm climate. Tt has been established beyond doubt that nearly every ease of " leprosy can be cleared

MEDICAL VICTORY CLAIMED

up and prevented from gc-.ng on to the infective stage by proper., treatment. In any country with good education and civilisation we can reduce leprosy enormously in a few years. In places like Africa, where leprosy is appelling, it will take longer. “Natives are coming in greatly growing numbers to the missionaries fr.i treatment now the new euro is becoming known. In Nigeria a year ago there were 80 patients; now there are «iO. Osii association is supplying hut accommodation and drugs to the missionaries. Ten years ago the great difficulty was that we could do toothing except impose that wretched segregation which meant imprisonment for life. The result was that we got only advanced cases. Now that wo can treat them as out-patients they are coming forward in the early stages.

“People sometimes come home from the tropics with leprosy, but under the good climatic and sanitary conditions in. this country infection is almost unknown. Directly a new. ease is found, in any country, we examine everyone ie the house every six months for five years. This will enable us to clear up Ml per cent, of eases before they reach in infective stage. In ten years veryfew would remain.”

•Sir Leonard said that they proposed to enlarge various centre* of treatment in the outposts of the Empire, and to create others, for a great mass attack on leprosy. Leprosy has existed in some countries, notably India from the beginning of history. In China it has been traced for 2000 years. Robert the Bruce jf Scotland died from leprosy in 1329. It is not regarded as hereditary.