ACETIC ACID TREATMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1934, Page 5

ACETIC ACID TREATMENT

HEALTH SPECIALIST IN COURT. COURT RESERVES ITS DEISION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Decision was reserved by Mr. E. Page, S.M., in a case in which George Millward, a seaman, claimed a total of £9B 16s from John Murdock Miller, a health specialist, for alleged negligence and unskilful treatment. The case was that plaintiff, suffering from constipation, consulted defendant, and plaintiff alleged that defendant falsely and fraudulently/.represented that he could cure him. It was alleged that the treatment was by acetic acid and that great pain and suffering was caused without a cure being effected.

Defendant denied negligence and also that a cure was promised. He merely undertook treatment. Medical evidence was given that the treatment was useless.

Giving evidence defendant said he had been practising as a. health specialist for 10 years. He had treated hundreds of patients and had had about 95 per cent, of success. His treatment was purely external. So far as plaintiff was concerned he did not guarantee a cure after the treatment. Millward did not say the constipation was better, but admitted that his breathing had improved. To Mr. Ongley witness said he had applied acetic acid to a man suffering with cancer on the knee and had effected a cuie,

Mr. Ongley: You effected the cure? Well he was able to walk about again. Mr. Ongley: You don’t know whether or not he had cancer? No, I don’t know. Prior to becoming a health specialist, witness said he was an accountant and for 17 years ho had been experimenting with acetic acid in the treatment of the disease.

Re-examined Miller said he had treated about 700 people during the last ten years. He never held himself out as being able to cure cancer. Five witnesses called for the defence stated that they had received treatment from Miller with acetic acid and hot packs and had been cured of various complaints. Some of them said Miller had cured them where medical practitioners had failed.