The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-11
SCIENTISTS STILL
SEEK CANCER CURE
They Deny That x-Ray Has
Brought More Than Tenn
porary Relief.

LONDON, Aug 9.-The published
statements in regard to medical dis
coverieS, chiefly in connection with the
X-rays and radium, follow one anoth-
er in such rapidity that it is the com
mon belief that at last cure for can
GER has been found.
The series of experiments in Great
Britain and the continent already have
been described. They certainly are
such as naturally to rouse the hopes OF
the experts Investigating this great
problem. They are at least on the right
track. 1t would be rash and unjust1-
fable at present to say more.
Yet the statements constantly ap-
pearing in the daily press are raising
false hopes among the sufferers that
cure has been found at last. One such
was made yesterday to the effect that
an important discovery had been made
by the eminent psychologists who
have been engaged entirely for the last
six months in research work at the
laboratory of the Royal College of Sur
geons, under the auspices of the cancer
research fund. Drs. Murray and Bash
ford, who are among the appointed in
veStigators, refuse confirmation.
Nothing, they declare, is being neglect
ed by the committee, and consequently
much research has taken place in re-
spect to incipient cancers y the lower
animals, yet the cause of these often
are entirely different in nature from
those in man, the parasites and cendi-
tions being different while the treat
ment which would be adopted and
prove successful in the animal cases
never could be applied to human be-
ings.
"A cancer cure. said one physician,
will never be discovered by one man.
When it is found it will be by the contin
uous efforts of everyone engaged. One
little clew leads to another. Nobody hides
anything or tries to hide from col
league
1t must be noted. too, that there is not
the slightest intimation in the report pre-
scented a week ago to the first annual
meeting of the cancer research fund that
any definite result of the experiments
was imminent. Prof. Duguet, an eminent
Paris physician and professor of tho
the experiments hitherto have revealed
nothing wherein to base scientific treat
ment. He says: I'VE still are cropping
in the. dark: In regard to the reported
long experience in the largest hospitals
of Paris makes me most skeptical. Be
lieve me. these cures are not definite"
The Middlesex hospital in London is
the pioneer in cancer research in Britain
and it receives the suggestions of cures
from all parts of the world weekly. Many
are given fair trial. but hitherto with
out success. The MiddleSeX's doctors au-
thorize the positive statement that, while
they do not claim the have effected any
thing like cure by means of the X-ray
trea tments, yet the pain has been abol-
iShed
Edison's experience of the ill effects of
prolonged exposure to the Xrays is not
a new thing in London hospitals. where
it has long been found that demonstrators
daily in the presence of the rays are liza
BILE to epithelioma, a malignant growth
of the skin nearly allied to cancer.
Two workers in the radiagraph depart
Nf4 II hos ifol m
enforced holidays with their hands in
jured.
But this is not common experience
where precaution is taken. Some of the
continental hospitals are employing
leaden screen when taking photographs,
so that it only is necessary that the sur