The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-26
CANCER is ON The INCREASE.
so SAYS DIR. LEWIS, STATE
COMMISSIONER or HEALTH.
Two Towns South OF Utica where Many
Cameo Houses" Were Discovered
The spread Of smallpox supplying
Antitoxin for Diphtheria and Tetanus.

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ALBANY, Feb. 25.-Cancer as a disease
Is on the increase. This declaration Is
made by DR.. Daniel Lewis Of New York
city. the State COMMISSIONS OF Health
In his annua report TO the Legislature,
who says that this conclusion Is justified
by returns from other State Boards OF
Health and foreign countries. A cancer
laboratory has been established In con-
nection with the University Of Buffalo
and q building erected with private funds
10 carry on this particular line OF research.
Here the State Department Of Health will
carry on its work In this line, and Com
missioner Lewis urges the State to annually
appropriate a sufficient sum to maintain
the institution. The Commissi oner be-
lieves that this branch of work must be
continued until the means OF reducing the
great mortality from cancerous diseases
have been discovered. The Investigations
at the State laboratory at Buffalo this year
will include experiments Of the treatment
OF cancer by the use OF the Roentgen rays.
The East Central Sanitary District has
shown the highest mortality rate from
cancer In the state. and the town Of Brook
field, located some miles south OF Utica,
stands preeminently first in its sacrifice
OF life 10 this disease. This town, during
the ffteen-year period. isso-isoo, had a
total mortality Of 720 deaths from all causes,
OF which e~ighty-two were due to cancer.
A special investigation in this town, now
being conducted by DR.. Lewis. shows a
large number of cancer houses so-called
from their having had two or more cases
Of cancer develop In them. With this
investigation only % well under way
and far from completed, eleven such houses
are known.
Near by, in the township Of Plainfeld.
there has been discovered a special cancer
centre, where nearly all OF the houses within
a radius of ~one-quarter mile have had
from one to Ave cases each. Such a con-
dition as here discovered. as well as the
general high mortality rate for the town
OF Brookfeld, with its numerous cancer
houses, lends support TO the belief that
cancer Is an infectious disease, widely
dist ributed in the world. but with definite
endemic foci Of the disease.
Commissioned Lewis recommends that
he he empowered by law to require vacci-
nation in every locality where perfect protec-
ton against smallpox eQuired IL. He insists
successful vaccination Is a perfect protection
against this disease. From November.
1900, TO the end Of November. 1901 one or more
cases OF smallpox occurred in 40 places in
the State. During that time there were
100 cases. with 10 deaths, outside Of New
York city, and 1852 cases. with. 42e deaths,
III view f"N wy dAh AiNt illhIilifllc ulrllltls
At the end of the year smallpox existed
in 10 localities, in all Of which there was but
one case except in New York and Buffalo,
where il is declining in prevalence, at Bing-
hamton and WATERFOWL, where there are
several cases, and in lumber camps in the vi
cinity of Upper Lake in the Adirondacks,
which region, from its exposure TO the
Province Of Ontario, where 1t is widespread,
and from which our cases have come is our
present chief source of concern. The records
Of the department show that last year there
were 1850, $50 births. 1871, 7ss deaths and "a, $50
marriages. The birth-marriage records,
however, are not as complete as they should
be.
Commissioner Lewis says the State anti
toxin laboratory located In Albany Is doing
good work. The laboratory has begun TO
place at the disposal OF the department
enough diphtheria antitoxin TO supply the
needs Of the various State medical, charit-
able and penal institutions and will shortly
be able 10 supply those entitled TO receive
the same under the ruling Of the depart
ment. Active work upon the production
Of antitoxin for tetanus will begin during
the coming month. The value OF the use
Of the diphtheria antitoSin in the treat
ment of diphtheria Is generally accepted.
Recent experiments in the treatment OF
Fourth Of July pistol wounds, which com
monty result In ~tetanus, have demonstrated
that the use OF tetanus antitoxin Ia practi-
cally a sure means of preventing this dis
ease.