SALAMAN’S CHALLENGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 April 1927, Page 9

SALAMAN’S CHALLENGE

INDIAN HEALER IN COURT SIX FALSE PRETENCE CHARGES ‘‘lf they like to take ten patients from the Auckland Hospital. I will diagnose them against any doctor in Auckland." With this dramatic challenge, the Indian healer. Abraham Wally Mohamid Salaman, prefaced his defence in the Police Court yesterday, when he appeared to answer six charges of false pretences, based on the allegation that he had represented himself to be a “person capable of diagnosing and curing ailments, and skilled in the treatment of disease.”

The prosecution alleged that Salaman had told two constables, who had called on him in co* -ouence of a complaint received, that they had certain ailments, whereas three doctors testified that the two men were perfectly healthy. “Inadequate and useless” was how Dr. Milsom described Salaman’s methods of diagnosis. He did not think that there was any .herbal matter in the medicine and pills supplied to the constables. The stethoscope produced was quite a good one, and of the kind generally used by qualified medical practitioners, “and sometimes by motor mechanics,” the doctor added. “I think errors of diagnoses, in wellestablished diseases, are few and far between—about 1 per cent,” Dr. Milsom said, in reply to a question from Mr. Schramm regarding his examination of the constables. INCORRECTLY LABELLED William T. B. Armitage, a fullyqualified chemist, who took an inventory of the /drugs taken from Salaman’s premises, said.that in some cases bottles were incorrectly labelled, and contained various kinds of poisons, which the witness considered would be dangerous in the hands of an unskilled man. There was only a small percentage of herbs, compared with the quantity of other stuff, the witness said. At this stage Chief Detective Cummings suggested that the court be adjourned in order that the exhibits might be viewed at the police station. “It would take the best part of the day to bring them down here,” he said. “There are several loads.” Detective Knight produced a statement made by the accused on May 2JJ. 1922, in connection with a breach of the Pharmacy Act. Mr. Schramm objected that the statement was not admissible. * Mr. McKean ruled that it was, but noted the objection, and the statement was read. In this the accused said that he came to New Zealand about eight years before from India, where he had been a dyer. In Wellington he manufactured dyes, and afterwards worked for a draper. Then he had a disagreement with his wife, and came to Auckland, where he worked for a hat manufacturer. Then he set up as a "manufacturing chemist.” “PEOPLE FLOCKED TO ME” “People flocked to me with their ailments,” the statement ran. "I gave the people the usual stock medicine, which I purchased. I know by the looking at a patient as soon as he comes into the room what he is suffering from. “My cures brought me so many people that I had to move into my present premises.” After Detective-Sergeant O’Brien had been sworn, the court adjourned to the police station, where two cells full of exhibits were viewed. When the court resumed, the detectivesergeant continued: “I found certain pamphlets, documents, and visiting cards on which Salaman described himself as a ‘manufacturing chemist,’ and on others as an ‘lndian herbalist’ or ‘herb atah.’ These are only a few of thousands.” The detective also found some indecent photographs, he said. A clause of an indemnifying form of agreement “To A. W. M. Salaman” read by the witness ran:

“I agree that I am fully aware that you have no medical or surgical qualifications, and no knowledge of medicine of any sort other than such as you have gathered by verbal instruction from your ancestors in India.” SALAMAN IN THE BOX When his turn in the witness-box came, late in the afternoon, Salaman told the court that he was 42 or 43, and had been in New Zealand for about 16 years, and had practised as a herbalist all that time. Before that he had worked with- his uncle in India at the same business. He had practised in Auckland since the 1918 influenza epidemic. His knowledge had been handed down to him from his great-great-grandfather. “I can make chemicals that no one else in New Zealand can make!' 1 he asserted. “Such as ——?” Mr. McKean asked. “Analyne dye and perfume,” was the reply. The accused said he had* a contract with the New Zealand Government dui'ing the war for dyeing khaki uniforms. Salaman then explained certain entries in his record book of patients, and why he had prescribed various medicinal ingredients. 6,391 PATIENTS He denied that he had told the constables that they had the complaints alleged by them. "I have treated 6.391 patients in the premises at Ivhyber Pass,” he said. “The cards were printed in 1921, but the Health Department told me not to use the name ‘chemist,’ as I was not qualified, so I had some more printed.” The accused said that he had bought a job lot of a bankrupt chemist’s stock last year. He did not know exactly what the purchase included, but there were two cart-loads of it. “About £3OOO worth of stuff has been seized by the police, including £ 800 belonging to my wife. There was a hundi edweight of analyne dye. “The evidence of the analyst is not correct. He is too young, and has got no experience,” Salaman told the court. He offered to bet £lO on his version of the ingredients certain of the capsules (produced) contained, against any analyst in Auckland. “The question before the court is: Did Salaman honestly and sincerely believe that he would do some good to these people?” Mr. Schramm said, in opening the defence. “If he set out to do them good, and not to swindle them, he must be held not guilty of the offence with which he is charged.” The case, which lasted from about 11 a.m. until 5.40 p.m. yesterday, was resumed this morning. MEDALS FROM PATIENTS When the case against Salaman reopened just before noon to-day, the Indian “Atah,” told the court that some of his patients were so grateful to him that they had presented him with medals, and produced several which were suitably inscribed. Salaman then went on to allege that Detective Knight spoke to him in the passage of the court yesterday. “He asked me, ‘Why you not -do what I told you to in 1922?’” Salaman said. “I said, ‘There are plenty more herbalists in New Zealand. When they close I’ll close.’ ” “We’ll hound you down till you do,” the accused then alleged Detective Knight said to him. “Two people were sitting on the step and heard him. They are both here to-day.” “Several doctors are very jealous of me,” Salaman said, “especially Dr. Share. He was responsible for the prosecution against me in 1922. I am a Hindoo. He is a Chammar —the lowest caste of Hindoo.” DOCTORS CHALLENGED Salaman then repeated his challenge against the doctors of Auckland, and

added that he was prepared to pay £SO to the hospital funds if they discredited him. “It's a good advertisement for him.” Chief-Detective Cummings commented, and then opened his cross-examination. Salaman admitted that he was not registered as a chemist or as a medical practitioner in any country in the world. The chief detective then produced the indemnity form which Salaman said that he had had signed by any patients for a long time. “How long,” he was asked. “This year?” “I don’t remember.” “Last year?” “I don’t remember.” Referring to advertisements which had appeared in the press. Salaman said that they had been paid for by the patients themselves. He had gone to the office with them. The chief detective then asked Salaman if he remembered treating a Maori child named Reiha, from Rotorua, who died shortly after. Salaman said that the child had come to him in a dying condition. “I never say to anybody yet I go cure them,” he asserted. “I never use that word.” The case of another Maori who died and was alleged to have been treated by the accused was then mentioned, but the “atah” said he did not remember. He denied that one of the constables had paid him 18s 9d. It was 8s 9d according to his book, he said. He denied putting the stethoscope on the constable’s legs or on his neck. “I don’t know anything about that,” Salaman said when the chief dectective produced the statement alleged to have been made by him in 1922. “You did not at any time challenge the accuracy of it.” “They never gave me a chance to speak,” Salaman said, and proceeded to deny parts of it as they were read out. “That’s not true,” he said several times, or else VI do not understand -that.” HEALER CROSS-EXAMINED “You were sentenced to a month on a similar offence to the present one, and appealed to the Supreme Court on two occasions?” “They never give it to me a chance to defend the base,” Salaman complained. “Did your ancestors use a stethoscope?” the chief detective then asked. “I do not understand the meaning of that word.” “Your great-grandfather,” it was explained. “Why do you pretend you do not understand when you used the word yourself yesterday,” asked the magistrate impatiently, “I acquired a knowledge of the stethoscope when I made a telephone —when I was a boy in India.” “You give all your patients all the same medicine, irrespective of what they are suffering from?” asked Mr. Cummings. “Oh, no! I learn from India and 1 am still learning.” he said, in reply to a question regarding his qualifications. “At the present time you are ill yourself?” “Yes.” “And you haven’t been able to treat yourself?” Then the questions swung back to the Supreme Court, where Salaman had defended an action for damages. “The woman did get £6OO damages against you, and she died subsequently?” the chief asked. “Under Dr. Share,” was the quick retort. PILLS FOR ALL PATIENTS Both constables bad no faith in him, he said. “All the others had faith”— turning over the leaves of his patients’ book. “You give all your natients pills?” “Oh, yes, with medicine.” “I won’t give any information. I won’t tell what the bottles contained,” Salaman said when the chief detective asked him about his stock, at present at the police station. “I don’t know what is in the bottles unless they are put back in the same place,” was his next startling statement, and then contradicted it. Questioned regarding a certain bottle labelled “Poison,” he said he could tell what it was, if the bo»tle Was brought down, “by looking at it.” “Did your ancestors believe in the patent medicines that are used now?” asked the chief, with more than a touch of irony. “I never give patent medicines,” said Salaman. “DOCTORS AGAINST ME” “Are you prepared to tell us what profit you have made during the last twelve months?” “I can’t tell.” • “Do you believe in surgery?” “Oh, yes, in some cases.” “Would you feel yourself qualified to perform an operation?” “Oh, no.” “They’re suffering from the complaints I put down here,” said Salaman, by way of cheering up the two constables who had visited him. “The doctors are against me.” was his reply to what three medical men said about him yesterday. “No,” he said, when asked if he had shown the indecent cards to any of his patients.