The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-07-11

- VIZ Po"S'S VI the system are not
destroyed for some time. And how, as
this disease IS cleaflya local one, depen
dant on these animalcule, i, should be
treated by local applications, such as will
entozoa, In It's body and roots or branches
which belougto to it-these being the re.
fproducing cause when the knife is used,
and then, by the suPpurative process which
takes place, the entire action of the parts
lie changed; and by this method the dis
ease may be radically cured.
We frequently hear medical men say,
if cancer is n local disease, why can it not
be cured with knifel and that the idea
OF these cancers having roots or fibres is
speculative. There is no speculation a.
bout it, and the reason every case, as
general thing, fails to be cured, is because
these roots or 6bres are not reached BY
it, and they remain as germs for repre-
ducti0h.
Sir, Ashley Cooper is of The opinion a.
bove expressed: "When you dissect schir-
rms tumor, you will see number Of roots
proceeding to considerable distancc."-
And rs to his opinion Of these roots re-
producing the disease, he says: "Remem-
Der that in operating if you remove the
tumor only, and not the roots before allu-
ded to, there will be but little advantage
derived; no glandular structure ror any Of
the roots should be allowed TO remain"
The old opinion, that cancer is origin
ally constitutional disease, was undoubt-
edly based upon the fact, that, after an
operation 10y the knife, the disease would
sooner or later return, because the knife
could not remove the constitutional taint
and the cancer would always manifest it.
self again if the constitutional tendency
was not destroyed. A belief in.this ten
dency of the disease is no longer sustained
by medical men who have bestowed any
attention whatever upon the subject
And it is generally known that the return
Of cancer, after an operation, is in conse-
quencc Of the failure Of the knife to re-
move all its roots or cells for il the small
lest portion is left behind, it furnishes the
germ for the reproduction Of the disease.
Now il must he evident, that, rs the knife
cannot safely enter into all the tissues
where the cancer exists, more or less cells
or roots must be left as the nucleus Of a
new carciuomatous formation. The ex-
animation by microscope after an opera
ton, rs recommended Ivy some, TO detect
il any Cancer cells are present. rs both i'm
practicable and impossible, in Consequence
Of the blood, ETC., present.
The theory maintained BY the most
talented physicians Of the present day is,
that cancer originates in coagulated ex-
udation, formed in the usual way, MANI
testing itself, At first, as finely granuIa-
ted matter, from which arises cells and
fibres.
DR.. John Hughes Bennett, physician
who has devoted SOME considerable atten.'
ton 10 the disease under consideration,
remarks: THE growth Of cancerous tu-
NOR takes place by rupture Of the cells
and development of the nuclei into indie.
pendent cells which give rise to others in
turn. The b!astema, inst supplied by the
original cxudatioM, is af,erward derived
from new vessels which develop Themselves
in the tissue, and by somo mysterious, Sc
lective power, abstract the necessary in
gradients from the blood. The growth,
once formed, increases slowly or quickly
according TO circumstances. The cacbec.
tic appearance which accompanies the
progress Of the disease is, he thinks, not
connected with the cause, but is rather
the result Of perverted nutrition occasion
ed by it.
These views Of DR.. Bennett concerning
the cellular character Of cancer, are now
the most generally maintained by medi-
cal men. But the question would natu-
rally arise, how can cells propagate them
selvesl Surely we have no precedence
for believing with DR.. B. that the mere
rupture Of cells will give rise to others
All cells with which we are acquainted,
are formed by organized beings, however
low in the scale Of existence they may be;
and the cells in cancer, their growth and
accumulation, we believe, ,as before remark.
ed, depend entirely on the existence Of
animalcula, which propagate themselves
aud which are the only "mysterious, Sc
lectiye power" that exists 10 them, and
which are also wholly independent ofauy
necessary ingredients from the blood, ," to
reproduce or support them. DR.. b. says,
"that cancer degsnerates and dies like
other vital formatieVR wing forms which
perpetua,e its x as long as they
receive nourisbs zsd etbat il can be
starved out by depriving it Of the fatty