Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-02-07
TREATMENT OF CANCER.

For a heroic surgical treatment o.
cancer DR.. Robert II. M. Dawbsrn
visiting surgeon to the City and the
Polyolinic Hospitals, New York, hss
been awarded the Samuel ID. 0rost
prize OF 81 900. The prizs is award d
by t1e Philadelphia Academy o.
surgery. which is trutt 30 for the fund
The victory represents the work o.
seven wears OF careful study. DR.
Dawbarn has found so operation fol
malignant cane orous growths 10 the
head, where sueh groWths cannot be
cut out. The carotid arteries convey
tae main blood supply to the head.
rhe main carotids divide in toe neck
II t. branches. The opert tor consists
10 cutting out the external carotids on
beth the lett aud rigl t sides OF the
neck, thus depriving sill OF the head
save tue brain and eyes Of the main
supply OF blood. The operation is one
which q few years ago would have
meant death to the patiert, but now is
entirely practicable. The cut ing oil OF
10 blood supply not only stops tae
growth OF the cancer, bit, by co.,
tinued deprivation of nutriment,
causes the gradual but steady lessenine
of the growth. Tnis heroic tret t meni
has been as successful as 1t is daring
The first person operet ID upon by Dr.
Dawbarn went under the knife seven
wears ago. He had malignant growth
of 1e phsryDx. He is now In good
health and able to 1T md to business
every day. 1t Is said thtt If this plan
of treatment bad been known at the
time OF General Grants lait Illness nlt
life might have been gret t y ltssened
The Medical Record has the follow
ing Interesting article on cancer:
DIR. James Braithwsite has published
10 The Lancet an artio'e upon cancer,
10 which he puts forward the theory
that there are four ia(ths 10 the csusa-
tion Of the disssse, excess OF salt in
food being the mtst prominel Salt,
ne holds, is an esseI tisl factor, but re-
auires one or probably two OF the
OF hers to originate the malady. The
other fact )rs ere an overDourshed con-
d t on of the system proceeding from
the consumption OF two much foooi
aud especially of meat, and the impure
copdit on of the body, resulting from
the non oxidation of the food. The
fouit factor Is local irrits tlon or st M
stiou. DR.. Braithwsite, who Is on
the staff of the Leeds General Inhrm'
sry, was struck by the almost com
plete immuO tY of the Jewesses who
attended the psychological department
of thet institution to cancer, / 1ere hsV'
ing been but one case In period OF ter
yesrs. DR.. Funl tAll, late MID cal otficsi
| to the Jewish Hospital for Incurables
gives corroborative evidence ss to t1'
rarity Of cancer among Jews. The ar
yument is therefore made that this ap
parent immunity ia either due Il
race or diet. The latter he claims 81
the more probable cause. The Jew
| iorswear bacon and ham, and, as II hal
been ehown tlat the pig Is the only do
mestic animal never attacked by CAL
| Ger. by the process of elimination HI
concludes 1t must be the salt ant
| the flesh OF the animal tbs are at fau
The Jewa also eat less but ,her's mes
than do the followers Of most other re-
ligious. That diet has much 10 do VT
the Incidence OF cancer is belief cor
ct ,ntly gsining ground, and there ca
be no doub. that large quar- thy
salt Ia consumed by civilized people
bat the contention OF DR.. Braithwait'
that where salt is absent cancer Is at
sent. appears quite uDtensble, II nj
absurd.