Semi Weekly South Kentuckian

Is it an Incurable Disease?

In the City of New York there is being erected on the west side of the Central Park a hospital for the treatment of what have heretofore been supposed to be incurable diseases, with the hope of ameliorating the lot of those afflicted, and perhaps of finding means of restoring them to entire health. It is one of the problems of this complicated life of ours why some innocent persons are afflicted with diseases that are painful and often fatal. Nature treats good people worse sometimes than she does the vilest of the race. The murderer can take our life, but he is usually merciful enough to make quick work of it, but nature often precedes the killing by years of torture. One of the diseases so far deemed incurable is cancer. It is a morbid growth that fastens itself upon some sensitive part of the system. It makes life a torment while it lasts, and has so far always ended in a terrible death. Medical science has afforded no relief, though numberless remedies have been tested. It is now stated that a Brazilian plant called alveloz has alleviating if not curative properties in the treatment of this painful disorder. It is a resinous herb, and causes the patient exquisite pain. Consul Atherton, of Pernambuco, called the attention of our State department to the virtues of this plant, and it has been tested by Dr. Smith Townshend, health officer of the District of Columbia, with alleged good results. If it should prove of value, it would be a great boon to a very afflicted class of sufferers.—From Demorest's Monthly for April.