New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-27
EDISON ON CANCER.

It is a remarkable coincidence that within
the last two or three weeks the world should
have listened to practical suggestions about
cancer from two Of the most famous of living
electricians, Graham Bell and Thomas A. Edi-
son. Anything which either of these men may
care to say for publication will always be lis
tened to with profound interest. Even when
they touch upon a technical subject which ap-
parently lies outside their own department Of
research, they are sure to have a respectful
hearing.
Professor Bell it Will be noted did not pre-
tend to have had any special experience either
with the painful disorder in question or with
remedial agents. He did not commit himself
to the virtues of radium All that he attempted
to do was to point out a possible way of over
coming purely mechanical difficulty often en-
countered by practitioners. Since y rays would
not penetrate far enough to affect cancerous
growths when deeply seated, he asked if it
would not be practicable to inclose a bit of
radium in tiny glass tube and sink it to the
proper level. Obviously, it is out of the ques-
ton thus to introduce vacuum tube into the
body. Mr.. Edison felt justified in going little
further He outlined theory Of causatiOn, and
based upon it a curative recommendation. He
fancies that the trouble is due to the disappear
ance from the patients system of certain or
ganisms which ordinarily fight disease. BY
replacing these with others, contained In the
blood Of healthy persons, it seems credible 10
him that the progress OF the malady can be
checked.
OF course the correctness OF these opinions
can only be determined by Psychologists and
physicians, and without doubt the latter will
give them the consideration which they de-
serve. To the layman. however, the views en-
tertained by Mr.. Edison will not appear alb
surd While the "amoboid body to which he
assigns the duty Of lighting disease may not be
identical with the phagocyte, its function is
the same One conception is no more foolish
inherently, than the other, though it may be
less thoroughly substantiated by observation.
The uninitiated will ask, moreover, Why, If the
power Of resistance against one malady can be
enhanced by an importation of blood, the same
result may not be expected from the same
method in 4 campaign against another?
After all, what is probably the most striking
feature Of Mr.. Edison's recent utterances is
that he appears to array himself against a
practice that has been received with favor
though it's virtues are not fully established
He is inclined to regard x rays as a cause
while others use them as a cure The benefits
thus far secured have been limited, and no one
can yet say that they are going to be lasting.
Nevertheless, there is just now an increasing
faith among medical men in the feasibility of
checking cancerous growths on the surface OF
the body and other cutaneous diseases by the
radiation of a vacuum tube. Thus Mr.. Edison's
attitude looks little defiant, but he has an ex-
ceptional excuse. His own and Mr.. Dally's I'M
fortunate experience with Y rays in conse-
quence of improper protection and overex-
posure, have naturally made a strong impression
on his mind There may be fallacies in his rea-
soning and he may not convince other experts
but his hostility to the rays first observed by
R0ntgen is certainly ineligible.