The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-04-20
FACTS coNcERNiN0 CANCER
Disease More Prevalent Among the Rich
Than the POor.-No Radical Cure

This disease appears to he largely on
'he increase. From the report of the
registrar general we learn there were
Niif'o deaths in England from this cause
'lurlnS the ten years from 1861 TO lSti1,
an annual increase OF a4S. From 1870
10 l>12 the annual increase was S27.
though We have no statistics ut hand
medical practitioners are generally in
cliaed 10 admit that this dis. -ase is
-''c,:,-.cirGly on the increase in the United
States
1T seems TO be more prevalent in the
heated and intense life OF cities than in
il eou=try: aloo':,SS III no r, According
to French a,thor;Fy. the proportion of
cancer In Frame among the wealthy
rlasses is about loo in l,OJo; anon the
poorer classes - in l,010-l0 per cent. of
o. the former and per cent. OF the lat
ter IT sccins to be a morbid growth up-
on civilization, as il is rarely founa
among savage men. Like fhe scale and
other fruit pests that prey upon cur
orchards and vineyards, the shadow OF
this baleiul parasitic growth hev, IS
around the homes OF ease and luxury
and high living, rather than pioneer
rab:nS the camps and huts of miners,
ioSgers, hunters and fishermen. Obser-
Vat on shows that IL is foad of localities
1t IS said 10 be wholly unknown in the
Faroc islands. In Iceland in one year
there Were only thirty-seven cases out of
oa,n q inhabitants. { tonsider .ng the geo.
graphical extent OF ENGLAND it is more
prevalent. n ialignant and fatal there than
tisewherc, and among n-lish spcakin.
people Iha.' any other race. 1t IS to be
found n-orc largely among women than
men and more among those who have
beea mothers. 1t is most likely TO ap-
pear between the ages OF 3 an 60. 1t
stands almost alone rs disease that in
treaseS with our exritei life and prus-
T'erity, and while health laws and ini-
proved sanitation are raising the stan.l-
ar OF health this hideous and loathsome
naiady rests as a blot upon our vital
As Tar IS known cancer does not arise
from any MICRO Organisms or germs md
consequently Is not infectious or con-
fagious. IT cannot be caught nor given.
But 4 IL be true that canc, rous pc sons
60 not PROPAGATE the disease it's almost
certain they bcset consumptive children,
and consumption is always a result OF d.
biiity, want OF general health, whatever
may bc The immediate cause. Still
cancer often attacks persons in the most
vigorous health, and consequently Is
hard 10 claSsi in terms of cousatioI.
III as sad commentary on our boasted
healing art, W TIA ats rich heritage OF more
than a thousand years. that this disease
Is still ,l.rsseI among the incurables.
Many OF our most learned and widely
experienced physicians confess that they
have 10 ia IN IN any known remedy, anil
belle e THAT al that can i've done is to
nercifulv 1T the wretchcl sufferer rs
soft y INTO the grave rs possible. There
are a lew who still think that electricity
may furnish some alienation, bat as Z
curative agent 1t has but few followers.
IL seems 10 be = melancholy concurrence
among medical men that no confluence
can be placed in medication, AMI that as
long As the etiology OF tho disease is
wrapped IN mystery, it IS n waste ot trime
10 discuss ITS .erapeutics. The knife Is
noy about, the only accepted remedy
with the profession throu@hnut the
world, ut even that it Is admitted can
only avail IN the Incipiency of the dis
case, which is liable to break out again.
Ii IS always n local disease ut the start,
but spreads by means of blood V; ssers
and Iymphatics, hrst to the nearest giant,
then more distant and when this occurs
it IS no longrr local but stitutiouaI,
and the surgeon Is powerless. At the
start cancer seems closely allied with the
tumor family, and has usually become
Constitutional before 1t unmasks itself.
once in the blood 1t is hopelessly beyond
all surgical radicatiop-.., r----.., 4, ..-.