WIZARD IN A VIILAGE

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 284, 4 January 1930, Page 8

WIZARD IN A VIILAGE

THO US AND PATIENTS A DAY. MANY "MJRACULOUS CURES." SPARKS FROM GLASS TUBE3V A much talked. of medicine man has arisen in the middle of Europe. He is merrily dispensing advice and allegea cures to thousands of people while the Public Prosecutor watches with no little uneasinoss. In the picturesque village of Galspach, just on the frontier between Austria and Bavaria, this "wonder doctor" has esfcablished himself. He is styled "Professor" by his assistants and "Your Emincnce" by a crowd of ferventlv optimistic patients. He works in a large suitably darkened room in which at least one or two hundrecl auxious people can be found at any time of the day. He is most democratie, our wonder ptofessor of Gnlspach, and he makes no divtincfcion between his patients. — High and Jow must queue up in order of arrival and gvadually they are .permitted to approach the surgery. Winle progressing slowly in dignified single file, they must undiess the upper part of the bouy, aud, whether they like it qy not, obey existing. rules and regulatins, keeping quiet eveii when they arrive before the doctor. The doctor is. a giant of a man, with an imposing black beard, and be works with terrifio speed; in his shirt. sleeves. Two doctois assist Jiim, but merely handle the eiectrical _ apparatus and weird glass tubes which constituto the wizard's lmploments of trade. Ho observes each patient as he or she aj> proaches, and with a gas-fiilod, rayemitting glass tubs touches for- a few seconds head, neck, and chest. His oiagnosis is th&n complete. BUSHELS OF V1VID SPAEKS. The treatment consists in leading a ray-bush, electrically loaded, over the body of the patient," drawing busliels of vivid sparks. No wonder the respectable citizens of Galspach have become dizzy with excitement, says a correspondent of the Daily Express. In the mysterious glass tube, which is similar in its construction to rhe Geisler tube, a strange colour tranformation' takes place as soon as the body, of the patient is touched It is supposed .that there is one characteristic colour for each disease, which enables the medicine man to make his diagnosis so rapidly. With lightning speed lie recogniscs the. patient' s trouble and appiies the corresponding light ray treatment, The medicine man says he gives his services solely in the interests of suffering humanity. Just for the sake of good order, an entrance fee of three Austrian schillings, — approximately two shillings — a head is charged, and a thousand patients are supposed to call daily. Malieious tongues will say that the good professor's charity is by no means an unprofitable one. The correspondent says : — "There can Jpe little doubt that this individual, in spite of his medical degree, is a clever quack who utilises a personality. and knowledge of men, in effecting cures by sheer suggestion. There can be no better proof of the fact that his system cannot be based on any real scientific discovery, than just the efficient mass production .of his cures. CONTRADICTORY STORIES. "So many contfadicting tales of the professor's marvellous abilities are being spread that detached observefs find plenty of food fbr- scepticism. There -is one camp of firm believers in the professor's power, people who will swear that he, and he alone. has cured tbem.

"Among the superstitious peasants, the most amusing stories. are circulated. They claim for the professor super-hu-nian physical strength, - and that he is ninety or even 110 years of age. He never sleeps, but treats .patients from early morning till late at night, and then he studies again till daybreak to improve his healing methods. He is keeping his notes in Arabic script, and it is impossible to receive broadcasting within a radius of miles whenever the professor is doing a bit of eoiicentrated thinkingl "Tho position of .the autliorities is not an enviable one. The wonder professor is qualified to practise, entitled to use his particular system aud to treat as many people as he likes. He is clever enough to keep just within the confines of the law. Popular resentment against any interference . with his practice would undoubtedly be strong and might conceivably lead to a little revolution in and around the village of Galspach."