San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-04-26

| VI IuC uluCOuN membranes, VI VI
the walls of the glands. Then the
cells, released from all restraint.
msinuate themselves into every
vacant space they find in their
path, reach the vessels, and are
carried away by the blood, or by
the lymph, to invade the Visccra
or the ganglia.
This is by no means a hypOthP-
sis, but a fact, the truth Of which
has been proved and can be read
lily checked by ANY one desiring
to do so. In the new spots which
they have chosen for their abode
the cells that have been trans
planted go to work and construct
glandular tubes or flat surfaces Of
mucous cells which have the most
striking resemblance to the Clc-
ments of the tissues that gave
them birth. We draw special at
tentiOn to these facts, as the ell
tire discussion is based ON them.
We say it a second time-that we
find in secondary tumOrs Of the
liver, lungs or whatever the organ
may be, is by no means an agglO-
meratiOn of microbes, of bacteria,
but cells, cells entirely similar to
those of the panCreaS, stomach or
skin, according to whether the
pancreas, stomach or skin was the
seat Of the primitive cancerOuS
growth.
The introduction of the micro
bian idea into the problem is GER
tainly pOwerlGss to explain the
tranuplantation Of cells from one
organ to another, and, besides
this, the track followed by the
elements that have been trans
planted can sometimes be follow
ed from their starting point to
their jOurneys's end without
break in the chain. Nor can the
role of the bacteria be a direct
one, as microbes are unable to
produce cellular elements differ
ing from their own structure, and
we know by the general law which
governs the development Of all
beings that every cell springs
from a cell Of the same spcrtacIrS
as itself,
Quite the contrary. Whenever
the bacteria vegetable cells find
themselves in the presence Of the
cells of man or Of animals a con
fist arises between the two which
can only end by the total dCstrUc-
ton of the one by the other. There
are but few exceptions to this
rule, and even they are more APP
parant than real, but it willnot be
possible for us to develop this
point of the subject as it deserves.
The multiplication Of CamcCrOus
cells in an organ situated at a
distance from the organ that gave
them birth is always preceded. by
what may be termed a process OF
cellular grating. The cells that
have been transplantcd ON to a
new spot developed at its eX-
penSe, like any other form Of
parasites. Consequently in can
cerous tumors the only injecting
and invading agents are the cells
themselves. 1t is against them
that the organ tries to defend it's
self.
The question of the contagious
character of cancer has been dis.
cuSsCd latterly to a considerable
extent, but the cases that have
been published to prove the idea
have so far beGnnOt at all cOmrIu-
siVe, and it will be necessary to
await future develOpements. Still,
we must add in closing that, as
firm believer in the process Of
cellular grating, we do not see Il
priOri that any objection can
be made to the ide of grating by
contact; and it is our opinion, a
fOrtiOri, that some day the feast.
bility of inOculating cancer will he
experimentally proved, particu-
larly if care be taken to expert
ment with animals of one and the
same species. DIR. BRAULT.
MedeCin DIES HOpitaux de Paris.
PUBLIC OPINION.