The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-14
CANCER CURES.
GREAT DISCOVERIES IN ms yasAT-
MeNT PROMISED US.
The Parasitic Theory said to TIE Verified.
The Structure Of Canccr-Symptoms Of
the Dlsease-Ths Tozlno Treatment. I

Cancer Is a subject which is receiving a
largo share Of attention from the medical
profossiofr Just now. IL is promised that
we arc on the eve Of great discoveries both
as 90 the nature and the treatment of this
terrible disease.
Enthusiastic surgeons, adopting the re-
Gently developed parasitic theory, ere
bringing forward cases which they claim
prove IL. Ono such was the death "a few
weeks ago OF DIR, Edward ". Burnette Of
New York. he operated on "a patient for
cancer and shortly afterward cut his check
while shaving and developed cancer in
that place.
The t~horoughness with which the ques-
ton Of inoculability has bean investigated
may be- judged from the following state
ment in the last number of The Post
graduate;
"Hahn in 1886 chloroformed q woman
suffering from an inopcrable cancer of the
breast. cut out three fragments from the
growth and t%ransplantcd them TO the 9TH
er breast. The woman died three months
later from n generalization OF the cancer,
m the astrological examination showed
that the nodules developed at the inoculat-
ell points had the same structure as tho
original tumor.
Bergman also confesses TO having re-
peated Hahn's experiment, thus establish
ing the autoinoculability of tho disease"
Involved with tho question OF contagi-
b!lity and inoculability is the new toxine
or serum treatment. A solution obtained
! from the microbo of erysipelas is injected
into malignant tumors. Up 10 the present
better results have been obtained by this
treatment In sarcoma, another form OF
pnalinnant t,tnnnr than IN panpar
At the same time the results from the
treatment OF cancer by the knife have been
steadily improving, chiefly owing to the
present method Of removing all the in
yolvod area and its contiguous chains of
glands. According TO the writings of Drs.
Weir, Dennis and Bull in this country a
permanent cure is now obtained In every
third or fourth case. The other two or
three die after greatly varying periods.
This is a wonderful advance on the condi-
ions of five years ago.
In order that the public may appreciate
the Importance of these matters IL will be
well TO explain the nature ~ cancer, tho
theories of its origin, its symptoms, etc.
Cancer is the popular name for what is
known scientifically rs carcinoma. IL Is
defined as a tulno composed chiefly OF
epitheliai or skin cells, differing more or
less In their type N arrangement from
the normal epithelia cells and having %
tendency TO unlimited growth. The cells
grow into the surrounding connective it's
sue, which is thereby stimulated TO in
creased development.
An extraordinary fact about cancer 10
the lay mind Is that no tissue Is found in
the composition of the tumor which is not
normally found In some orther portion Of
A. -, r.. H. la.,.t.- IL A. ,x,,l
misplaced tissue.
IL Is certain that cancer is hereditary In
certain families, but IL is probably u dis
position tocontract the disease rather than
the disease itself which Is inherited.
Moles having hairs on them nave fire.
quently become the seat Of cancer. II a
hairy mole causes pain IL should certainly
DO removed.
Surgeons advise the removal Of all tu-
mors, even II not malignant, because they
may become so. Nonmalignant growths
sometimes become malignant after middle
life.
The great remedy for cancer Is early ex-
tirpation. In cases of removal within tho
first six months OF the appearance OF tho
disease there arc SO per cont cases of rccoy-
cry where the region is VI oTserablo one.
The longer the operation Is delayed tho
less the chance of recovery. There have,
however, been cases Of n permanent cure
after fou or five cancers have been re-
moved from the same place. Whore the
cancer appears atscveral places the chances
of recovery are less.
The symptoms of cancer, IL not situated
on parts exposed to view, may exist for
some time, even a year or more, without
attracting the attention of the sufferer.
If the cancer forms in the skin, an OBJ
servant person will first notice q little
pimple which does not disappear and of
which tho crust Is continually renewed.
1t itches and provokes the patient to irri-
tate IL.
He will then notice that IL is beginning
90 increase In size. 1t is usually slightly
elevated, and tho removal of the crust re-
veals an liberated or eroded, readily bleed.
ing, slightly cxcavated surface. IL pos
sosscs a hardness disproportionate to its
size.
When it attains n considerable size, a
sharp, shooting pain Is felt. Pain Is one of
the Characteristic Of a malignant tfmor
which distinguishes IL from n ~noninalig-
nant.
This state Of affairs may remain IN
changed for many years to finally undergo
either progressive or retrogressive changes.
In the latter case the cancer cells may be
destroyed by granular degeneration or be
so hemmed In MS TO bc unable 20 develop
further. These favorable changes are rare.
New York World.