Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-02
Cancer and AIImviaI Soil.

Lofl0O0 run.
[ spoke a short time ago about NJ
Charles Blanc having died of cancer, and
pointed to the conclusion that his malady
was to be in some degree traced to the al
luvial situation of the Palais MaZarin,
where he resided. OF that disease, / said
that it haunts lOw-lying Fiver-sides and
the mouths of streams which serve as sew
ers. Perhaps it might be of interest to
some of your readers to know ON what
data have to go. Raspail first called my
attention to the fact seventeen or eighteen
years ago. He was, in Holland, struck
with the prevalence Of cancer in the low
living districts, and still more along the
mouths of the Scheldt and the Rhine. He at
first ascribed the frequency of the malady
to the electrical conditions produced by
the metallic plates which the women of
different Netherlandish localities wear on
their heads to support their tall lace and
muslin cars; but he also found that in the
tidal region of the Seine, where the soil is
alluvial, there was great deal of cancer,
although no metal entered into the head
gear. He pursued his observations at the
mouths of other rivers. They led him to
believe that conditions of soil and atmOs-
phere which developed scrOfula were
also favorable to cancer. a malady which
is apt to first show itself in a CLAN
dular region. Trosseau used to advise
patients in whom he discerned a
cancerous tendency not to Sc fare du
mduriS sang by fretting, and to try and
live where the soil is dry, the air brisk,
and the aspect sunny. have known of a
good round number of deaths from cancer
in those quarters of the city where there
are underground water courses, and along
the Seine Count Won GoltZ, the Prussian
Ambassador for many years at the Court
of the Tuileries, lived close to the river.
When Madame Louis Blanc was attacked
with the cancerous malady of which she
died, she had been for some time residing
in the part of the Rue de Rivoli nearest
the Seine.
Many years ago, in making an eXcur-
sion down the Shannon, | was appalled, at
the number of cancerous old women, who
stretched out their hands for aims at the
landing places. Near Athlone as many
as three miserable beings, with faces on
which the disease was greedily feeding,
presented themselves together. A car
man who noticed that the sight of them
gave me "a turn said: "a power of
widows dies round here of cancer. We're
used to seeing them and have got hard
ened. It's all the fault of the board Of
works, that is paid to drain the country
and won't do it. My own
mother-heaven be her bed,-
died of cancer. She had a bad tooth
when the river flooded the house; it ached;
her face swelled up; the doctor lanced it,
and in eighteen months time she was in
her grave" 4 cancerous tumor or ulcer
broke down the constitution of the Duchess
of Kent at damp FrOgmore. 1t would be
very easy to get at statistics showing
what geological and atmospheric condi-
tions most favor cancer if patients ON adj
mission to hospitals were asked to state
in what localities they had been residing
when the disease first showed itself. |
have never seen a cancerous face in the
chalky uplands of Kent, but have seen a
good many about Dartmouth, the Hoo
marshes, WOolwich and Chelsea.