The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-12-18
FACTS REGARDING CANCER.
observations of European Specialist
ON Its Prevalence, Sex Susceptf-
bility and other Peculiarities.

Prof. II. de BOWS, of Reims, has con-
tributed two interesting papers in
La Semaine Medicale of September 10
and of September "a, 1902. In the first
of these papers he makes inquiry as to
the increase in frequency of cancer,
its predominance in cities, and its
prediction for the female sex. He
takes up the question as to whether
these hypothesis are true or false.
In his second paper he discusses the
role of the principal contributing fac
tors in the etiology of cancer. These
contributions are noteworthy for sew
eral reasons. It is truism, says the
Philadelphia Medical Journal, that
statistics are susceptible of almost
any Interpretation that one seeks to
draw from their study, providing that
proper use of the figures considered
is not made and their limitations defin-
itely set down. Prof. de BOWS has
based his work entirely upon the
study of statistics, but he has consid-
cred his facts wisely, and he points
out the Importance of a proper in
depreciation of figures in order that
error may be avoided. For instance,
it has been claimed that the mortality
OF cancer in cities is greater than in
rural districts. In order that this
should be determined intelligently we
must know the population of the dis
tricts considered, and this must in
clude the ages of the inhabitants, the
distribution of the disease in the sexes
| and the number of males and females
| in the population, as well as the pop
ulations of the districts compared per
acre. De BOWS is of the opinion that,
were statistics in the rural districts
compiled with as much care as those
in cities, it would be found that cancer
is no more frequent in thickly pop
ulated districts. A point which must
not be forgotten is that many patients
from the country go to cities to be
operated upon, and in many instances
die there, the urban mortality rate
from cancer being swelled.
He believes that, when the various
periods of life are considered, decade
by decade, the sexesare affected equal
ly. His paper contains an admirable
photography of this subject. He has
carefully analyzed the mortality rate
OF cancer and includes table of this
mortality of most of the civilized
countries of the world.
His conclusions, based upon his
analyses of these figures, are interest
ing. Cancer of the mouth and upper
air passages seems to be increasing
slightly, while cancer of the extremi-
ties has decreased. The chief increase
IN the number of cases appears to be
due to the increase of cancerous vis-
ceral affections, and this increase,
shown in tables, is probably more ap-
parent than real. He states emphat-
ically that there has not been a great
l increase in this disease in the last few
years; nor does he believe that the
theory advanced that carcinoma at
tacks patients earlier in life than
heretofore is founded on fact. The
contrary opinion has been conclusive
~ proven. The age of maximum fire.
quency of cancer appears to be in
round numbers, 70 years for males.
and Is years for females. He reviews
the influence of race, and states that
there seems to be somewhat Tess
receptivity on the part of the south
ern races than those of the northern,
but we are ignorant of the exact meas
ure OF this receptivity. De BOWS has
carefully studied the figures based
upon geological, geographical, mete-
geological, social, professional, dietet-
ic and certain other factors. But
he does not believe that they rest
on an incontestable statistical base.