VOLUME 39
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1920.
Number 7C.
CURE FOR LEPROSY IS NOW
THOUGHT TO BE CERTAIN
Scourge Of Humanity For Ages
Yields To Treatment By American
Physicians—Wonderful Results
Washington, Sept. 30.—Leprosy, a
scourge of humanity since early his
tory, apparently has been conquered
by officers of the United States pub
lic health service in the leper colony
at Kalihi, Hawaii. Forty-eight suf
ferers of the dreaded malady, who
have been subjected to a new method
of treatment, have recovered to such
extent as to warrant their release on
parole and, after a year, not one has
shown a symptom of recurrence.
As yet, no announcement of a “cure’
has been made officially, for some of
the government medical experts are
frankly skeptical of the results. It
may be years before an official and
final opinion is iven.
The limit of the official claim is
set forth in a joint report to the pub
lic health service made by Dr. J. T.
McDonald, director of the leprosy in
vestigation station and superintend
. ing physician to Kalihi hospital, and
by President A. L. Dean of the Uni
versity of Hawaii, as follows:
“It has been sufficiently establish
ed that chaulmoogra oil contains one
or more agents which exert a marked
therapeautic action in many cases of
leprosy. We can not say as yet that
the disease is cured, since we have to
test adequate to establish such a ver
dict. Whether or not the apparent
cures are real and permanent, it is
evident that we have a valuable agent
at our disposal in the control of the
disease.”
Chaulmoogra oil in its crude state
is no new drug for the treatment of
leprosy, but in its raw form it prov
ed so nauseating and pginful to pa
tients that it had to be temporarily
dicontinued. Science turned towards
its derivatives and Drs. McDonald
and Dean report “it was found that
the ethyl of the fatty acids were thin
fluid oils lending themselves readily
to intra-muscular injections and were
readily absorbed.”
Injection of the oil derivative by a
syringe has brought a new hope to
the leper, for at Kalihi hospital “in
jection day” is described by the doc
tors’ report as an ocassion for merry
making though of painful experience
for the sufferers.
“The standard treatment,” the re
port says, “now consists in weekly in
jections of a preparation which con
sists of the mixed ethyl esters of the
acids of chaulmoogra oil with two per
cent of iodine in chemical combina
tions. The amount used starts at one
cubic centimeter and is gradually in
creased to a maximum of four or five
cubic centimeters for adults.”
Accessory treatments of iodine lini
ment, ointments and sun baths are
employed as measures to improve the
general health and mental attitude of
the patients.
Drs. McDonald and Dean are of the
opinion that leprosy of the nerve type
as well as the nodular cases should re
ceive the new treatment. They re
port astonishing results with the nerve
cases.
“We believe our remidies arrest
the disease”, they say regarding the
nerve cases, “and prevent further de
struction of hands and fingers, even
when, as in long standing cases, nor
mal function can not be fully restored.
“During the past year we have done
better than simply arrest the destruc
tive process; we have had the great
satisfaction of peeing marked im
provement in a considerable number
of these purely neural cases', and ap
parently a complete recovery in oth
ers. One young man who came in
with a decidely ataxic gait, unable to
r;,’se his body on his toes and with
one hand so weak and deformed that
h had been compelled to abondon the
use of the typewriter a year before
entering so far improved before his
parole that his disability in walking
had not only disappeared but he be
came one of the leading tennis play
ers and one of the swiftest runners in
the compound.
“A woman with all fingers absorbed
to less than half their original length
after a year’s treatment, became able
to write, to sew and knit, and to exe
cute many movements and functions
of which she had for years been de
prived.”
Regarding the virulent form of lep
rosy, the doctors report that “in many
cases, the lesions disappear, except
for scars and permanent injuries, and
the leprosy baccillus can no longer be
FRANCE HONORS GENERAL
JOHN J. PERSHING
Highest Gift of the French Govern
ment—Presentation at Fort Myer
By French General Fayolle.
Washington, Oct. 1.—“In the name
of the American army that fought in
France,” General Pershiig today ac
cepted the award of the medaille mili
taire, the highest military decoration
with the gift of the French govern
ment.
The presentation was made at Fort
Myer by the French general, Marie
Fayolle, who commanded the first A
merican troops that entered the firing
line on the western front.
The parade ground at the Fort pre
sented a colorful picture, the French
tri-color everywhere floating in union
with the Stars and Stripes as General
Pershing, in isolated figure in the
center of the field, was approached
by General Fayolle and the medal pin
ned on his breast after a brief address
by the French officer.
Drawn up in a single line behind
General Fayolle were a score of allied
military attaches, while a little in ad
vance of these stood Secretary Baker,
Prince De Beran, the French charge
d’affaires, and General March, chief
of staff.
“It gives me the deepest pleasure,”
General Fayolle declared in present
ing the medal, “to confer upon you as
the commander in chief of the valiant
American soldiers who fought in
France the highest decoration of my
government.”
Accepting the honor on behalf of
the American army, General Pershing
expressed his “deepest gratitude,” ad
ding that it was a particular pleasure
to receive the medaille militaire from
the French general who commanded
the first American troops to enter the
firing line in France.”
Preceding the presentation, General
Pershing and General Fayolle review
ed a line of cavalry and field artillery.
Whole. World Waits For Our Verdict
Washington, Oct. 3.—President Wil
son in his first campaign appeal made
directly to the people, urged the en
dorsement of the League of Nations
issue at the election and declared “the
whole world will wait for your ver
dict in November as it would wait for
an intimation of what its future is to
be.”
The President characterized as “ab
solutely false” assertions that Ar
ticle Ten of the League covenant
would make it possible for other na
tions to lead the United States into
war. There was nothing in the cov
enant, he said, “which in the least in
terferes with or impairs the right of
Congress to declare war or not de
clare war according to its own inde
pendent judgment, as our Constitu
tion provides.”
“My fellow countrymen” was the
President’s method of addressing his
communication to the people. It con
tained no mention of presidential
candidates by name, but was confin
ed to a brief defense of Article Ten,
and an arraignment of those who he
declared had “grossly mislead” the
public with regard to the treaty.
The President said that those who
had spet their lives, as he had, “in
familiarizing themselves with the
history and traditions and policies of
the nation must stand amazed at the
gross ignorance and impudent audac
ity which has led them to attempt to
invent an ‘Americanism,’ which has
no foundation whatever in any of the
authentic traditions of the govern
ment.”
Register! You want to maintain
a good six months school, that your
children may have the advantages
“you may have lacked. Register.
demonstrated.”
In the continental United States,
there are 200 known sufferers of lep
rosy, but public health officials be
lieve that 10 times that number exists
known only to the family doctor. The
Louisiana state leper hospital at Car
ville has been bought by the govern
ment and the public health service
plans to enlarge it so as to provide fa
cilities for the treatment of 500 pa
tients. Dr. O. E. Denney, who is ex
pected to be placed in charge of the
new hospital, plans to build the “best
laboratory in the world” for the study
of leprosy. Treatment like that given
at Kalhi will betfollowed at the Louis
iana hospital, and research also will
be conducted with a view of discover
ing a new “cure” and for improving
the new method.—Greensboro News.
RAPID GROWTH OF URBAN POP
ULATION SHOWN BY FIGURES
Cities Growing Seven and a Half
Times As Rapid As The Rural
Districts.—U. S. Gains
Washington, D. C., Sept. 30.—Cit
ies are increasing in population seven
and a half times as fast as the rural
districts, the Census Bureau disclosed
tonight in a compilation of figures
covering approximately eighty-five
per' cent of the new census. The fig
urers indicated that the complete cen
sus would show the majority of the
population to be city dwellers.
For the last ten years the rural
growth was but one-third as great as
it was in the previous decade, but the
cities almost maintained their rate of
growth, getting five new inhabitants
from 1910 to 1920 for each six added
during the preceding years. All pop
ulation centers, even the small coun
try hamlets and towns, showed a
greater proportionate increase than
the purely rural districts. The great
est increases, mowever, were by cities
of ten thousand more inhabitants.
While the bureau attempts no expla
nation of the reason for the increas
ing imigration to the cities each year
during the last decade, presumably
higher wages, shorter working day
and home conveniences attracted the
rural population especially during the
war when wages in big industrial cen
ters went up rapidly.
Although showing a check in the
rate of population growth for the
country as a whole, the bureau’s fig
ures indicated that the complete cen
sus would place the total number of
inhabitants of the continental United
States at approximately 105,768,100, a
gain of 13,795,840, or 15 per cent.
Cities would absorb practically all
this increase, it being estitnated that
12,172,800 would reside in towns of
2,500 or more, while 1,623,040, wquld
be added to the farms and small ham
lets. For the countryside itself the
increase would be approximately a
million and a quarter.
Such a movement of the people will
place the urban population at approx
imately 54,769,100 and the rural pop
ulation at 50,972,000. In 1910, the
rural population outstripped that of
the cities by almost seven million
people, there being 49,348,883 in the
country and 42,623,383 in the cities.
“For several censuses,” said the
bureau announcement, the country has
not been growing as rapidly as the
city, but the difference appears to be
greater at this census than before.”
The urban population, the announ
cement added, increased at a rate of
25.5 per cent while that of the rural
districts, including the villages and
towns under 2,500 population, was 3.4
per cent. For the strictly farm ter
ritory, the rate was 3.2 and that of
the villages was 4.7 per cent.
Among the urban centers, cities ex
ceeding 50,000 increased at 26.4 per
cent, those of 10,000 to 50,000 at 26.7
per cent and those of 2,500 to 10,000
at 18.8. From 1900 to 1910 the per
centage rates of increase for these
three classifications of cities were
35.6; 33.7 and 27.8, respectively.
Up to .ten days ago the announce
ment said, the count of population es
timated as 85 per cent complete, had
reached 92,098,281. For the purposes
of comparsion between city and coun
try, the bureau reduced the figure to
90,586,742 by eliminating the popula
tion of the insular possessions and
places in the United States.
Of the total poulation that classi
fied as urban was reported as 52,494,
749, the cities over 50,000 population
having 32,533,038 inhabitants, those
of ten to fifty thousand, having 11,
771,224, and those of 2,500 to 10,000
having 8.190,487. The rural popula
tion was 32,025,961 in the country dis
tricts and 6,066,032 in the villages un
der 2,500 in population.—News and
Observer.
Death Near Wilson’s Mills
Mr. Isaac Parrish, one of Johnston’s
oldest citizens died of heart dropsy
at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J.
A. Spence, near Wilson’s Mills last
Thursday night. He would have
been niety years old next January if
he had lived. The burial took place
at the grave yard on his farm Friday
afternoon. Mrs. H. G. Gray and Mrs.
J. E. Medlin, of Smithfield, are two
of his grand-daughters. *
Until just before his death he had
never called a physician to see him
but once and then it is said he did not
need his services.
REMAINS OF HERMAN E.
HIGGINS LAID TO REST
Funeral Held at Centenary Methodist
Church—House Filled With
Relatives and Friends
The remains of Herman E. Higgins
the second of the two young men from
our town, who gave their lives in the
World war, arrived here Saturday
morning. Sunday at 11 a. m. the fun
eral services were conducted from the
Methodist church by Rev. S. A. Cot
ton, assisted by Rev. H. W. Baucom.
The flag-draped casket was covered
in flowers, and a great concourse of
friends, gathered to pay the last tri
bute of respect to the memory of the
Smithfield boy, who had been brought
back to sleep in the bosom of his na
tive soil until the resurrection.
Beautiful and appropriate music
was rendered by the choir, Mendell
sohn’s Funeral March was played as a
prelude, Nearer My God to Thee, Je
sus Lover of My Soul and Lead Kindly
Lights were sung in the service and
“0 Paradise” being softly intoned
when the funeral cortege left the
church.
The opening prayer by Mr. Baucom
invoked divine aid to hasten the com
ing of the day, when all men would
recognize the fatherhood of God, and
the brotherhood of man, and would
therefore live in peace together.
Mr. Cotton’s short remarks were
singularly appropriate. He read a
brief sketch of the life of Private Hig
gans, as follows: He was bom March
2, 1892, went to camp September 19th
1917 went to France May 5, 1918, was
a member of the 30 Division and help
ed to break the Hindenburg line. He
was wounded in two different engage
ments, and died with the marks of the
conflict on his body. His regiment
was ordered home in the spring after
the armistice, and he was ready to em
bark; but the ship’s doctor, upon ex
amination found that he was not well
enough to sail, so he remained behind
in a hospital, and before the ship had
leached Amerioa, his spirit had found
its eternal home. He died of Influ
enza and Pneumonia, to which his re
cent wounds doubtless made him an
easy victim.
Mr. Cotton spoke feelingly of the
boy whom we all knew, and whom we
had thought of merely as a citizen of
our town and country, but said that
his heroic services in the cause of
freedom and righteousness, had im
mortalized him as a citizen of the
world. He referred to the parents of
the soldiers who died in defence of
civilization, as the true aristocrats of
the iand, and said that next to the pa
rents, ranked the surviving comrades
who had risked their lives in this glor
ious cause.
Besides his father and mother, the
deceased is survived by a young wi
dow, who was Miss Blackman, of Ben
son and two little childem, two bro
thers and one sister.
The interment was in the new ceme
tery. The former service men of
Smithfeild, attended the funeral in
uniform, and acted as pall bearers and
guard of honor. Private Puckett, of
Camp Meade, Md., was detailed by the
War Department, to accompany the
casket from New York to Smithfield.
Johnston Man Dies in Wilmington.
Mr. Alonza M. Underwood was tak
en very ill on Thursday, September
30th about nine o’clock and died at
his home in Wilmington the same day
at 1 o’clock. The funeral was preach
ed in Wilmington by Rev. Mr. Mann,
a Presbyterian minister, after which
his body was taken to Wallace, N. C.,
the former home of his wife for bur
ial. He was a brother of our towns
man, Mr. J. D. Underwood. He had
been foreman in the cotton compress
of Messrs. Alexander Sprunt & Sons
for about twenty-five years. He
leaves his wife and two daughters,
Mrs. Leo Bishop, of Miama, Fla. and
Mrs. William McCormick, of Wilming
ton. Mr. Timothy Hudson, of Dur
ham and Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Under
wood, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Register, of
Smithfield, Mrs. J. T. Hudson, of
Meadow township and Mrs. J. T. Gran
tham, of Goldsboro are among the re
latives who attended the burial.
Mr. Underwood was reared in
the southeastern part of Johnston
county near Newton Grove.
Cox Running on the Socialist Ticket
Another Mr. Cox is running for
president. The Socialist Labor party
has named William H. Cox, of St.
Louis, for president, and August Gil
haus, of New York for Vive-President.
REVIVAL MEETING BEGINS AT
CENTENARY M. E. CHURCH.
Preaching Will Be Done by Rev. J. C.
Wooten, Presiding Oder of the
Raleigh DistfidL
A series of meetings will begin
Wednesday evening at the Methodist
church and will continue for a week
or more. The pastor, Rev. S. A. Cot
ton, has secured Rev. J. C. Wooten,
presiding elder of the Raleigh Dis
trict to do the preaching. He has
been especially fortunate in his selec
tion, Rev. Mr. Wooten being a preach
er of power and deep spirtuality. Dur
ing the pastorate here of Rev. S. A.
Barnes, he conducted a series of
meetings, and the people of Smith
field will welcome him back. Those
who have heard him since he has
been presiding elder of this district,
know the force of his messages.
There will be two services each day
after Wednesday, one in the evening
at 7:30 and a day service the time to
be announced Wednesday night Spec
ial singing will feature each service.
The pastor cordially requests all
pastors of the town and their congre
gations to join with him in these
meetings, to help make them fruitful
for time and eternity.
CLAYTON NEWS
Clayton, N. C. Oct. 2.—Mrs. C. D.
Bass spent Tuesday in Raleigh on
business.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Musgrave, are
here from Tennessee. They have
decided to make their future home.
Mr. Mugrave is in the mule business
here.
Mr. B. C. Allen, of Philadelphia, is
here on a visit to his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. W. T. Allen.
Miss Nancy Pope, of Raleigh spent
the past week-end with Miss Zelda
Barnes.
Mrs. P. A. Wallace was hostess to
the Woman’s club of Clayton at her
home here yesterday afternoon at 3
o’clock.
Mrs. Thurman Smith and Miss Bar
bara Gulley spent Friday in Raleigh
shopping.
Miss Annie Batten, of Wilders
township has accepted a position as
clerk at the Post Office.
As a result of the resigination of
Mr. D. H. Williams, mail carrier for
Route No. 3, Mr. Leamon P. Jones has
been appointed to supply temporarily.
Mr. Williams has carried mail on this
route for nine years.
Mr. Leamon Barrow is back on his
same job at Home’s store after
spending two months in Greensboro,
at which place he took a course in
cotton grading.
Mrs. John J. Misenheimer, of Char
lotte, enroute to Houston, Texas, to
attend the Confederate Reunion, stop
ped over a few days this week with
her parents, Dr. and Mrs. E. H. Mc
Cullers.
Mr. Paul C. Duncan, of Roanoke
Rapids, spent several days here this
week.
Mr. Will R. Smith, of Selma, spent
last Sunday here.
Priscilla Club Entertained
Kenly, N. C. Oct. 1.—-On Thursday,
afternoon from four to six o’clock,
Mrs. J. G. High was hostess to the
Priscilla club. The home was attrac
tively decorated with red flowers.
The hostess was assisted by Mrs. A.
J. Broughton and Mrs. Morgan in
serving the eats. The color scheme
was very effectively carried out in the
first course where the bright red pep
pers served as cups for the chicken
salad. Tea and sandwiches were serv
ed, also ice cream and pound cake. In
spite of the heavy showers the club
was well represented. We were de
lighted to have with us one of our old
members, Mrs. J. R. Sauls, of Wilson.
The majority of the members accom
plished a great deal on their handi
work. A few minutes were spent at
tending to business matters after
which the club adjourned to meet
again in two weeks.
Card of Thanks
I wish to express the heartfelt gra
titude of myself and Mr. Higgans’
family, to all those kind friends who
showed sympathy for us, during the
sad ordeal through which we have
just passed. We especially apprec
ir.te the attention of the former ser
vice men who put on uniforms and
served as pall bearers and guard >f
honor.
MRS. HERMAN E. HIGGINS
FRANCE AND GERMANY ON
FORMAL PEACE BASIS
- *
Diplomatic Relations Restored as
German Ambassador Presents
Credentials.
Paris, Sept. 28.—Wilhelm Mayor
von Kaufbeuren, German Ambassador
to France, today presented his cre
dentials to President Millerand at the
Elysee Palace, thus restoring the dip
lomatic relations of France and Ger
many to the pre-war basis.
In handing his credentials to the
President, the Ambassador declared he
would continue to devote his efforts
to the favorable development of re
lations between the two countries,
working along the lines of the treaty
of Versailles, and expressed his confi
dence that the French Government
would aid him in surmounting the dif
ficulties encountered.
President Millerand in responding
said he was pleased with the senti
ments expressed by the Ambassador.
The policy of France towards Ger
many, he added, would be inspired by
the same idea, “because the loyal exe
cution of the solemn pact which put
an end to the war is the only means
for the practical solution of the grave
difficulties between the two nations
which now prevent them collaborating
fully in the great works of peace.”
Government Report on Cotton
The government condition report
on cotton came out yesterday and is
t>9 1-10 per cent and the estimate
i sfor a crop of 12,123,000 bales. This
is a small crop and if financial condi
tions were not so bad in some foreign
countries prices should go up rapidly.
Shoots At His Wife But Misses Her.
I^ast Saturday night, Mr. John B.
Ryals who lives in the Douglas neigh
borhood in the northern part on Ele
I vation township while drunk shot at
I his wife several times while she was
running from him through a cotton
field. She was not hit but it is said
he swears he will kill her.
GLADYS NOTES
Kenly, N. C., Oct 1.—Rev. C. E.
Clark filled his regular appointement
at Mizpah Sunday morning and at
Oak Grove Sunday afternoon.
Rev. Mr. Whitley, of Kenly is con
ducting a revival at Mount Zion Free ’
Will Baptist Church this week. Ev
erybody is cordially invited to attend
the meeting.
Rev. C. E. Murray who has been
here for a few months is visiting his
parents at Saint Paul. He expects to
return to Richmond Theological Semi
nary about October 1st. Mr. Mur
ray has many friends here who wish
him much success in the Seminary.
The stock-holders of the Narron
Central Railroad Company held their
annual meeting here Tuesday 28th.
Several stock-holders were present and
seemed very much interested in the
success of the railroad. Some of the
officers were re-elected but a new set
of directors were appointed to serve
the coming year. Barbecue was
served free by the Sasser Lumber Co.
and other refreshments by the stock
holders.
Miss Algie Hare who is attending
the Teachers Institute in Smithfield,
spent the week-end at her home here.
She was accompanied home by Misses
Blansie Hallman and Myrtle Snipes.
SEE—S
Makes Still in Basement of Prison
The Superintendent and Warden of
the State Prison found a stil all ready
to begin the manufacture of Monkey
Rum in a basement of one of the pri
son buildings. It was the work of Jim
Powerhouse, a trusty who is serving
a life term. He is a genius with ma
chinery and besides keeping the elec
tric wiring of the .Peniteniary in or
der, supplies the current for electro
cutions—hence his name. He had not
made any whiskey with his still,
which he had just completed, and the
Superintendent thinks it fortunate
that he had not begun before he was'
discovered. He says the tank was too
weak for the amount of steam which
he was planning to torn into it, sad
it would have probably exploded kill
ing the would-be-manufacturer. The
negro said he hadn’t had a drink for
21 years and was somewhat thirsty.
Gov. Cox Winds Up Western Tour
Gov. Cox finished his speaking tour
of the west, Friday, at Tulsa, Okla.
He has made 200 speeches in 22 statue.
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