SALAMAN IN WITNESS BOX

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1927, Page 11

SALAMAN IN WITNESS BOX

INDIAN HERBALIST ON TRIAL CHALLENGE ISSUED TO DOCTORS. INTENSE CROSS-EXAMINATION. By Telegraph. —Press Association. Auckland, Last' Night. The hearing of six charges of attempting to obtain from David John O’Carroll and Charles Lawrence Paekmon sums of money totalling £3 log Bd, by falsely representing he was a person capable of diagnosing and curing ailments and skilled in treatment' of diseases, preferred against an Indian kerb “arah,” Abraham Wally Mohamid Salaman, aged 40, was continued in the Police Court to-day. Mr. R. W. McKean, S.M., was on the bench, and Chief Detective Cummings prosecuted. Salaman told the court that some of his patients were so grateful to him that they had presented him with medals, and he produced several which were suitably inscribed. Salaman then issued a challenge to tho doctors: “If they like to take ten patients from the Auckland Hospital, I will diagnose them against any doctor in Auckland,” he said, and he added that he was prepared to pay £5O to the hospital funds, if tfliey discredited his diagnosis. Cross-examined, Salaman admitted that he was not registered as a chemist or medical practitioner in any country in the world. Chief-Detective Cummings: “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 case,” Salaman complained. “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 I am still learning,” he said, in reply to a question regarding his qualifications. Both constables had no faith in him. he said. “All the others had faitlh.” “You give all your patients pills?” he was asked. “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. "Did your ancestors believe in the patent medicines that are used now?” asked the chief detective. "I never give patent medicines,” eaid Salaman. “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 yea, in some cases.” “Would you feel yourself qualified to perforin an operation?" “Oh no.” "They’re suffering from 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 as to what three medical men had said about him yesterday. “No,” he said, when asked if he had shown indecent cards to any of his patients. Several witnesses who claimed to have been cured by accused then .gave evidence. Annie Maria Marshall said her son was operated on for cancer when a fortnight old. Dr. Carrick Robertson and Dr. Sweet stated that the child had only a fortnight to live, and there was no hope for him. Salaman prescribed donkey’s milk, mare’s milk or goat’s milk for the child. Goat’s milk _ was given and the trouble disappeared, and the child had been in good health since.

At this stage the hearing was adjourned till to-morrow.