NEW ASTHMA CURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 6 (Supplement)

NEW ASTHMA CURE.

'A new treatment for bronchial asthma and the " bottled sunshine" for the treatment of rickets and allied diseases were ,» among the exhibits at the recent London Medical Exhibition. •

For many hundreds of ; years, the Chinese, who suffer mnch from asthmatic diseases, have been using a drug obtained from a herb called "ma huang.'*, Supplies of the crude herb were difficult to obtain, as the Chinese refused to allow supplies to bs taken out of their country. European scientists, therefore, went to work, and after years of research, they have succeeded in producing syntheti-" cally a remedy, which they have called " ephetonin/ possessing the same curative properties as the original Chinese drug.

It is claimed that this discovery will create a revolution in the treatment of asthma,, as, unlike adrenalin, which has to be given in the form of a hypodermic injection by doctor or nurse, it can be carried about in tablet form and taken by the sufferer whenever an attack is felt to bo imminent.

"Kittled sunshine," or vigantol, ia stated to bei 20,000 times richer in vitamin D, that invaluable aintidote to iic;!:ets, than co Ih'or oil, and possesses none of its disadvantages. The exhibition was a professional one, and the general public were not admitted.