the quiet of midnight hangs over the town your neighbor's house or perhaps it's your house asleep asleep save for one member of the family just one week ago mary bronson discovered that she has what may be a symptom of cancer it can stop they say almost unnoticeable and then it grows and grows a heart that never stops is it contagious can my family catch it my friend look here the american cancer society maintains this office and many others to help people just like you mrs bronson don't be frightened don't go away it can strike george reeves who owns a local hardware store glenn and who's always so healthy for oil meet a clock expert never sick a day of his life even ruth condon the picture of health one out of every eight in one year in the united states one hundred and seventy five thousand people die of cancer more americans than were killed in the war from pearl harbor to peace in tokyo bay unless we get a new knowledge and vastly spread what we now know one out of every eight americans now alive will die of cancer one out of eight and  this one of them are worried housewives does mary bronson have cancer well she knows she might have and she is an intelligent woman so at last she decides to return to the office of the field army of the american cancer society inside is her worker in the field army she seems nice doesn't she mrs bronx certainly not frightening at all this was it closes the door to ensure privacy for a confidential talk you see she knows exactly what you mean she understand and she has the answers to cancer is not contagious cancer is not inherited not a disgrace and cancer can be cured if it's caught early enough mrs bronson only two out of ten with a lump in the breast have cancer and even in those cases seventy five percent can be cured of treated in time so you see you are wise you are very wise not to waste more time it's vitally necessary to see your doctor as soon as you notice any of these seven danger signals any sort of the does not heal particularly about the tongue mouth or lips a painless lump or thickening especially in the breast slipper tongue irregular bleeding or discharge from the nipple or any natural body opening progressive change in the color or size of a wart more birthmark persistent in the gesture persistent hoarse unexplained cough or difficulty in swallowing any change in the normal bile habits see your doctor at once about any of these warning signals don't wait and worry delay may be fatal cancer is often curable of treated in time the telephones to make an appointment with mrs bronson's family position doctor out of an examination is an absolute necessity the examination is over and mrs bronson is feeling much better because now something is being done about her trouble is no longer alone science is fighting by our side dr out us and explains the nature of cancer it's like a gangster in the body and outlaw cell that won't stop growing say it starts in the breast it grows there and then expands through the lymphatic and circulatory system to a nearby vulnerable spot in the armpit then it moves up to a gland in the neck and then it really starts to spread throughout the body the only way to stop it is three move with the cord so scattered to impossible to remove so the one thing to do is to catch it early while it's still just in one little spot there is still the most important question of all to be answered mrs bronson wants to know how to tell whether she has cancer there's only one way you'll need a minor operation called a biopsy it isn't serious the surgeon will simply remove that small lump you've noted and a pathologist will examine it to see whether it's harmless or cancer the chances are by far that it will not be cancer but suppose it is how is cancer treat most common method of treatment is surgery actually cutting out every last trace of the cancerous tissue a second method is x ray the x ray carefully applied destroys cancerous cells but not healthy t the third method consists in the use of radium a small amount of radium is applied directly to the affected area today the american cancer society has launched man's first great mass attack upon cancer by organized research laboratories of outstanding medical institutions intensive study goes forward the national academy of sciences through its national research council has selected ninety eminent specialists to guide  coordinate the work i work so vast that it is far more costly than all former efforts combined to work the american people must continuously support by its contribution now there's just one thing more mrs brown the doctor must have your permission to perform a complete operation for cancer if you find that cancer is present mrs bronson agrees wholeheartedly if there's any there let's get rid of it fast the biopsy itself is a fairly minor operation but the excitement comes later when the tumor has been removed the operation must be stopped in mid flight confident told the pathologist can bring in a very tumor is harmless or cancer in order to make the necessary microscopic examination a very small piece of the tissue is removed and this tiny section must then be frozen this is done simply to harden it so that it may be sliced to a very thin way for special equipment quickly freezes the tissue meanwhile in surgery the operating team is waiting the surgeons hands in the air to keep them sterile nothing moves but the clock waiting waiting  is put on a slide and the slide is then heated to speed up the process now the slide must be dyed to identify exactly the cells the pathologist needs to see in a moment he'll have the answer and surgery will know whether a minor biopsy has to be finished or a vitally important cancer operation is to be performed which will  and here is the answer the tissue was healthy mary bronson does not have cancer the ugly nagging fear that plague has been banished in the only way it can be banished by a complete scientific examination her own physician our friend dr out us and is on hand to give her the good news the moment she's awake you can leave the hospital in a couple of days mary and you can start smiling again filled with relief and gratitude mrs bronson returns to the office of the american cancer society as others have helped her she is determined to help others she volunteers for any type of work in the fight against cancer some of the work is routine such as preparing surgical dressing but some of it is interesting and exciting such as radio talks helping to educate the public in the facts about cancer some is very rewarding such as lightening the hours of lonely children in terminal care at the blood donor center she learns a lively and unusual task how to type blood and there are many helpful and gratifying duties as a nurse's  includes fund solicitation and let each who passes her consider tomorrow those dimes in dollars may help save me from cancer her greatest thrill comes in the knowledge that she is helping to save a life when she brings in a neighbor who has a cancer symptom but is afraid to find out for sure any time cancer a suspected delay may be fatal the only sure way to triumph over cancer is to catch it early time is