March 1, 1909.],
no other way of settling the matter in a manner which, in the eyes of the world, will redound to Japan's credit, for insistence on the letter of an agreement maintained for two years as a secret has naturally tended | to excite suspicion and to alienate sympathy. We share the view that it would surely be to the advantage of Japan to make a graceful concession, to waive the letter of the law, and to offer to submit the
matter to arbitration.
THE CURE OF LEPROSY.
(Daily Press, 27th February.) The news of the successful treatment of leprosy which was communicated a few days ago to the Medical Congrass now sitting at Bombay indicates that a remedy has been found, at last for the cure of this terrible disease which has hitherto been regarded as incurable Captain WILLIAMS of Bushiretold the Congress that as a result of experiments with Professor DEYCKE's remedy known as Nastin," extending over a period of eight months, he bad cured two lepers, two others had been approximately cured, and a
CE
fifth patient had remarkably improved.
for seven years,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. supply of the remedy gave out, and the Doctor states in his report that the number of patients with whom the trial was made and the number of injections given had not been sufficient to enable him to express an opinion on the results. His appeal to some generous donor to provide a sum sufficient to obtain a new supply of Nastin suggests however, that, so far as the treatment had gone, the experiment was not unpromising. Though it had lasted twelve months with out any very remarkable result, it is important to note that the two men on whom the trials were made had been lepers Director was of opinion that the Nastin Evidently the Medical treatment in the initial stage of the disease is more likely to be effective, for in appeal- ing for the necessary funds to enable him to make more extensive trials with Nastin, he says it is proposed to have a separate building where those may stay who are in the initial stage of the disease and are willing to submit to the treatment for a few months or a year. The results obtained at Bushire
are so encouraging that if the Director of the Tungkun Leper Home has not yet been placed in a financial position to obtain the supply of Nastin he needs for more extensive trials, we trust this further! reference to the matter will elicit some response,
Nothing is said in the brief telegram as to the stage the disease had reached in the patients referred to, but as the report covers a period of only eight months we assume that the patients who have been cured or alpproximately cured in that time could only have been in the initial stages of the disease. It is nevertheless a remarkable medical triumph. Nastin, the new remedy, has received a good deal of attention recently. The inventor of it is Professor DEYCKE, ate Director of the Military School of Medicine at Constantinople. The new treatment was officially brought to the nctice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies early last year by Sir PATRICK MANSON, who suggested that Protessor DEYCKE should be given the opportunity to make a practical and exhaustive trial of his remedy at one of the Colonial leper asylums, and the institution at Mabaica, in British Guiana, was mentioned jas offering special facilities for the purpose. The Government.
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
Hongkong and Shanghai Bank should be held Wasn't it curious that the meeting of the in Race Meeting week and disclose a record of good business done? I don't mean to suggest that it was cause and effect. It is merely a coincidence.
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Reflections after the Races are not profitable, unless they be never to bet again, but even should such a resolution be contemplated it is found difficult to adhere to it next year when possibilities fascinate the ordinary individual, the event looms large and its financial After all the excitement was pleasureable and the fun was good, and if one has not depleted his finances too seriously one ought to feel the better for three or four days when carking care was driven to the winds and even business ceased themselves, and for that we ought to be glad, appreciable. The change to other people-must have been
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subsequent experience to the friends who were with him, they accompanied him to the fantan house, where other numbers had been turning up but immediately the broker put his money down the figure four brought him a fair return. The next time he betted on the figure one. He stopped. And the gamblers stopped too, and won again. And so on for seven times. Then it returned home, well satisfied with their good fortune. Some of our friends who dabble in occult sciences might be able to furnish an explanation. I can't.
The pring exodus has commenced. The first journey and preparations for departure are contingents are already on the homeward noticeable in many houses. Next month how- ever should see the big rush.
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The inadequacy of magisterial sentences crops up again. Last week Mr. Wood sent a man who returned from banishment to six weeks' entence of six months' imprisonment for a imprisonment, while Mr. Kemp imposed a like offence. The comparison suggests that the former gentleman either regards the offence as less serious than the other or else he holds different ideas on the subject of punishment. Perhaps we might do worse than give some con- sideration to the Spanish system which still
obtains in the Philippines of codifying punish-
ments. It makes impossible such anomalies as those recorded. Each offence has a stated punishment.
We can quite understand the tired feeling which now prevails in Manila. The strenuous days of the carnival, with its prolonged joys, are over, and its citizens are realising that twenty- four hours per diem of enjoyment is too much even for the American constitution.
ยท
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recall the smile which followed Nan's statement Those who patronised "A Country Girl'
that she would be engaged at night counting beans.counting how many made five, as she subsequently explained. But even Nan would be nonplussed had she been confronted by the mathematician who in demonstrating to his class the use of the slide scale said: "We will now multiply two by two." He gravely announced we may take to be four." the result as 3.9, which for practical purposes how many beans made five.
Probably he knew
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I don't know whether it will popularise whisky or popularise suicide, but I could not help being struck by the news which I read in a home paper mitted suicide by drinking a pint of whisky, suffocation consequent on alcoholic poisoning being the verdict of the jury. Whisky has many uses, but this is the first recorded instance of its being utilised for the purpose of commit- ting suicide. But I don't anticipate our good capacities remove them from all danger in this folks in the East will worry over this. Their;
direction.
RODERICK RANDOM.
HONGKGNG.
of the Colony readily acceded to Lord to worry. The Races took most people out of the other day that a domestic servant had com- CREWE's proposal to permit Professor DEYCKE, in co-operation with Demerara Governmeut bacteriologist and the the medical superintendent to apply his remedy on an extensive scale at the Mahaica There were many tales told of men suddenly asylum at his own expense, being allowed raised from a status of financial depression to such laboratory and other facilities as my but there is a charming simplicity about the story comparative affluence and corresponding elation. be required in the course of his work. Accordingly Professor DEYCKE went out to
of the Chinaman who after studying the board British Guiana at the end of last year, and sweep, noticed a compatriot nervously fumbling to see if he had drawn anything in the cash the remedy is now, we presume, under test. a piece of paper. The latter was unable to read It goes without saying that the experi- English, but his joy can be imagined when his ment is regarded as of the utmost import-mat the ticket which he held was worth $8,000. accomplished compatriot informed him ance, for, should it prove the success Professor DEYCKE confidently hopes, it is
There would be jubilation in that man's house anticipated that the Imperial Government
when he got home. will take steps actively to encourage the adoption of the remedy in other British Colonies. Those in charge of leper hospitals, however, do not need much encouragement to try any new remedy which is shown have had encouraging results. The
to
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related to two men who fancied a certain horse The funniest story of the races I have heard when it appeared and on being informed by a bystander that its name was such and such went and placed their money on it. To their disgust they saw the animal coming in last, but what was their surprise to find that their tickets were for
Austin Road, Kowloon on Saturday. This An Indian died of plague in a house in
makes only the second case of plague in the colony since January.
Ordinance of 1900 prohibits the transmission Governor under section 18 of the Post Office A regulation made by His Excellency the
by post of opium, morphia, morphine and cocaine.
It is interesting to note the revival of the use of the birch road, as many as five prisoners being ordered by the hief Justice on Feb. 23rd to
imprisonment.
successes announced by Captain WILLIAMS, the winning horse. They had been wrongly be birched in addition to their sentences of
luckily backed the winner. Some people have informed as to the name of their fancy but had
the luck.
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R.A.M.C., at Bushire, are certain to lead to a trial of the remedy in every leper asylum in the world. We recently drew attention in our columns to a medical note in the report of the Leper Home at Tungkus, near While writing on the subject of luck, I should Canton, referring to an incomplete experimention the experience of a local broker. He ment which had been made there with this contemplated a Sunday trip to Macao and over- remedy, and appealing for a sum of money
to enable that Director to obtain a pew supply of Nastin, Dr. KUHNE, the Medical Director of the Asylum, made a trial with Nastin on two patients, but the
night he had a dream in which the figures 4,1. kept recurring. On landing at Macao he was conveyed in a ricsha to his hotel, and as he intended retaining the vehicle he went behind
it to note the number. There he saw the same figures 414. As he had related his dream and
On Thursday a lukong was brought in from Shatin in the New Territory to Victoria suffering from injuries, which, it is believed, were re- ceived through accidentally shooting himself. He died in the hospital yesterday.
A marine from H.M.S. Bedford reports to the police that between Sunday night and Mon- day morning he was robbed, probably by a ricsha coolie, of a Benson silver watch valued at eight guineas, a double gold curb watch chain, and a in all worth about eighteen guineas. gold stone in the form of a Freemason's emblem,