The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-01
THE PARASITE
OF CANCER.

A number Of circumstances have COM
bined of late to direct the attention OF
the general public TO cancer. One is the
declaration OF high English authority
that this dreaded malady is increasing
in prevalence in Europe. Another is
similar statement OF Or. Roswell Park
OF Ruffalo. who is at the head Of state
Institution for the study Of contagious
diseases a third Is the announcement
from Paris that Or. Bra has at last
found the parasite which has long been
suspected Of causing cancer.
In England and Wales in the period
between 1910 and 1886 the death rate
from cancer increased from one in ev-
cry 5,6i6 OF population 10 one in 1895.
The mortality from this cause in New
York state grew from 2.s0S in 1857 10
4,45S in 1855. or nearly doubled In 10 or
II years And Or. Park In recent ad-
dress before the State Medical society
uttered the following prophecy: IF dur
ing the next ten years the relative death
rates are maintained we shall find in
1909 that there VIII be more deaths from
cancer than from consumption. small
pox and typhoid fever combined.
Again. the fact that the micro organ
ism responsible for carcinoma. IL there
be one. has so long eluded the search
made for il is not convincing. There
are microbes too small to be seen with
the best instruments ever made. al
though their existence is beyond ques-
ton. But one or these days. with inn
proved optical apparatus. II may be
possible 10 detect them. The same ar
gument applies 10 countless failures 10
cultivate the germs OF cancer ARTIFICIAL
". Perhaps a more suitable culture
medium one more nearly resembling the
human body. may yet be discovered in
which the cancer germ viii propagate
easily. Improved methods are needed
in this line OF research.
one OF the most striking reasons for
suspecting that cancer is contagious is
the tendency OF one particular locality
10 be haunted by cases OF this class.
The frequent occurrence OF the disease
in family points In the same direction.
Moreover. incubation OF animals wish
certain organisms which are not de-
rived from cancer nevertheless gives
rise to tumors that look Ike malignant
specimens. although they finally disap-
pear.
a different sort Of experiment, but n
rather more significant one is the
transplanting OF bits Of real tumors
from one animal 10 another Of the same
species Rats, horses and dogs have
been treated in this way with notable
results. A great deal OF this SOFT -
thing has been done az MoatPeiiier.
France by Bose: in Italy by san Feiice
and Bonciali and IN Vienna by Gussen-
bauer. Among the tests We're the i'm
planting or portions OF a cancer from a
man who had been dead three days IN
one of the lower animals. Bose declares
that he has even been able 10 effect a
successful incubation Of three human
subjects with cancer. Even were these
last declarations rejected. there would
still remain the well known transplant
tation Of cancer from one part TO an
other OF the same person.
Microscopic examination Of generous
tissue has often revealed the presence
Of minute objects. about whose real ma
ture opinions differ. one expert sus-
poets that they are a species Of proto-
zoa dow forms Of animal life corre-
spending 10 bacteria and 20 fungi in the
world: another takes them
for microscopic fungi. and third Is
disposed 10 regard them as cells Of hu-
man origin which have undergone de-
renerative changes. Similar objects
have been associated with smallpox.
measles and other diseases, although
their exact character and their relation
10 the malady have been yelled In
doubt
The announcement that Or Bra has
found a parasite which can be cultiVat-
ed and which when used 20 inoculate
animals produces tumors Ike real can
GERS is accompanied with few details.
The man Is not so conspicuous IN the
world Of science as some other French
but that does not prove
that he Is mistaken.
DR.. Bra makes no pretense or having
found a cure FOR cancer. He has un-
iertaken experiments such az would be
naturally tried by one who vas ia
ntiiar with the mode o. preparing anti
.oxines for diphthcria, tetanus. bubonic
plague and yellow fever. but thus FAR
without definite results. These meas
Ires can be taken only after the germ OF
, disease IL identified and is cultivated.
But II ne has done no more than ~ ind
The parasite Itself ne has achieved
notable triumph. Confederation - his
announcement viii be awaited impa'
.iently-