The evening times., 1899-07-08

New York, July S.-The alleged discov-
cry of the cause of cancer by DIR. Lambert
Lack, as published by the London Patho-
logical Society, is meeting with scant re-
spect on this side of the ocean.
The learned doctors claim, that cancer
is due TO an injury of the mucous MEM
brane and its allied structures, is secuted
by eminent surgeons and patbologists of
New York.
In refutation Of DR.. Lacks theory they
explain that in a great many cases OF
malignant cancers the mucous membrane
is not affected at all, but that the disease
finds root and develops in various exter-
nal portions of the body-the hands, the
feet, the thigh, the cheek bone, the breast,
etc.
Again, local authorities absolutely deny
that the fact has been established that
cancer is brought about by any germ.
They say that probably cancer germ docs
exist. but that il has never yet been iso-
lated and that therefore the claim OF DR..
Lack, based upon what he calls the ac-
cepted scientific opinion that cancer is
caused by a germ goes beyond the well
understood theories of modern surgery.
The following medical and surgical au-
| thorities gave their opinions yesterday
concerning the claims Of DR.. Lack:
DR.. w. Gill Wylie: Il am not prepared
to express definite opinion upon what DR..
Lack has discovered. / will say this,
| however that / do not believe DIR. Lack
has discovered any very important truth
| about cancer. We have known for twenty
years that cancer is purely a local disease,
and that if the infected parts are eXtfr-
pated in time absolute cures are enected.
Often. of course the disease may have
taken hold in different portions OF the
| body, and then, il goes without saying, an
| operation in one part Will not eliminate
the vicious growth in another. l can say
positively, however, that there Is nothing
| constitutional about the disease OF can
cer.''
Dr. Willy Meyer: Il do not believe, from
what | have learned so far, that DR.. Lack
has taught US anything in regard TO can
Ger. What he says about the disease be-
ginning with an injury is not clear to me
How does he account for :he ndnl,rous
cases Of cancer that have their crigln IN
portions of the body far distant fiom any
mucous mebrane?"
DR. William T. Jenkins, health commits
sioner: The cable from London, in regard
10 the paper read by DR.. Lambert Lack
at the last meeting OF the London Patho-
logical Society, on the subject OF cancer
is the most interesting piece OF news oul
profession has received through the daily
papers for many months. / am not suft
that DR.. Lack is absolutely right, but
believe he is On Las II.hi rack. AS DR.
Lack presupposes the existence of Seril
that causes cancer, he would do a grea
service to mankind and his profession i
he would isolate this germ and thus def
nitely demonstrate its existence"
WI. William II. Park. bacteriologist o.
the health department: 1T is mistake
to say that scientific men regard il as {
well-acepted fact that cancer is the result
CT any germ. As a matter of fact We have
never yet been able TO trace the disease L
any germ, although most Of US believe tha
there is germ at the bottom of it. NJ
. bacteria have been found in cancer which
. have been proved TO have any relation 4
the disease. The theory advanced by DR.
Lack is very old. The fact is that an in
Jury to any portion Of the body predis
poses il to the attacks of disease of an,
. sort, cancer among the rest. When can
Ger attacks only those portions OF the bod
that can be readily removed it is now an
. always has been durable by surgery; oft
en-. however, l may say usually, ii involve
the inner organs. and then, of course, ex
tirpaticn is impossible. i do not believ
!. that DR.. Lacks essay. has added much [
. our fund Of knowledge"