KEROSENE CURE

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 227, 25 October 1929, Page 8

KEROSENE CURE

Per Press Associatio

WORD OF WARNTNG FROM A DOCTOR. OPEN MIND OF MEDICAL MEN.

HAMILTON, Last night Diecussing the elaims of Yfr L. N. White to having cured ltimself of cancer hy iujections of heated kerosene, Dr. Elliott, of Wellington, president o: the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, said in ait intei'view here to-day tliat there was a danger that the broadeasting through the press of alleged cures might possibly be productive of harm if kerosene merely aeted as a destruetive agent. Tbere are seyeral destruetive agents wliicli liad been used for cancer, such as caustie and arsenie, but tliis group of cliemicals was not viowed with l'av- | our and was not equal to the knife I in a favourable situation. It was difficult to believe that, whilc it might have a local aotion, kerosene would have any penetrating efi'ects. so even if proved to be beiieficial locaily its adoption might give a, false sense of security, cansing delav. Dr. Elliott recalled the IMatt treatment, which became tlie vogue for a eonsiderable period hut proved of no merit. To diseover a cure for cancer would not necessarilv mean that tlie cause had been ascertaTned, but it was probablc that the disc.overy of the cause would precede any methods of treatment. If the public were not given false security, it was all to the good tliat the question of cancer sliould be discussed in tlie opou. Witli regard to White's case. before any pronouneement was made it would be necessarv to obtain definitc in formation concevning the growtli — wbetber it was actuallv cancer or not. Tlie medical profession maintained a perfectlv open mind witb regard to tbe problem.