The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-27
Certain Cells Sure TO Restore
s Normy Conditions.
mr.. EDISON'S LATEST THEORY
WorId-Famod Inventor Believes That The
Problem VIII Soon Be Solved by
Sklllful Surgeons.

New York. Aug. N.-Proiting by his oh
servations OF the effects on tissues ol
the human body when they are unduly
exposed 20 the rays OF the new element
radlum or TO the Rosntxan " rays
Thomas A. Edison has formulated n new
theory concerning the cause AMI progress
of cancer. and he suggests course OF
Treatment.
Mr.. Edison watched carefully the pro-
gress Of the cancer which developed from
n slight flush on the back OF one OF the
hands OF his assistant. Charles Daily.
who has since lost his arms. The dis
ease had It's origin in burns By the Roent-
gen rays Mr.. Edison believes that II the
treatment he now proposes had been APP
piled in Daiiy's case in the beginning he
would have been cured.
There are In the human body. Mr..
Edison says. certain ameboid cells whit N
are capable OF movement and seem al
most to be gifted with intelligence Their
sole function is TO restore shattered and
Injured tissue. In the case OF cut.
wound or even an ordinary burn nature
store normal conditions and succe eds
IL no other influence interferes.
2 CELLS CANNOT DO THEIR DUTY.
With a burn produced by radium or
the Roentgen rays Mr.. Edison finds there
are entirely different phenomena. The
rays apparently destroy not only the
tissue but also the ameboid cells. The
result is that the wound will not heal.
Nature, however. says Mr.. Edison. does
her best even under these conditions. IL
ts here that Mr.. Edison thinks the cells
display a species OF intelligence, for when
tho cells in the neighborhood OF the I'M
jury fail 20 heal the wound they arc
themselves destroyed and there is i'm,
mediately rush of fresh cells from other
parts OF the body 70 the seat of trou-
bic. There seems then TO be an inn
provement. but II is only apparent
Soon mass OF reddish granula tions Is
Eeen on the surface. Instead OF being
limited in area, like ordinary granula-
tions. they attain enormous size. and
presently grow into what is known as
rose" cancer. All this time there is a
steady influx Of amebod cells. until the
rest OF the body is bare OF them. Then
the diesase has full sway.
As an antidote 10 this Mr. Edison be-
lieves that the blood OF a healthy per-
son. untainted by cancer or other malig-
ildut uiScdSt, viii pToNlue enough strong
emeboid cells to overcome the injury
in practice. some blood from a healthy
subject would he drawn off into a sterile
hypodermic syringe and then injected
into the region Of the part affected The
disease would then be attacked by germs
possessing the strength TO conquer the
malady.
FOR SURGEONS TO WORK OUT.
! Mr.. Edison was asked how he would
apply the idea 10 cancer in an organ in
the interior OF the body and not due to
the injurious rays He replied that IN
his opinion certain persons were affected
peculiarly by certain foods that caused
the destruction Of the ameboid cells
Friction sometimes tended 10 destroy
the cells. as in cases OF smokers can
Ger OF the mouth. The treatment of in
ternal cancers according TO his theory
was, said Mr.. Edison, question 20 be
solved by the surgeons and not by him
self.
Mr.. Edison says he does not propose
20 do anything 10 work out his theory.
sayfng that this, too. was matter for
the surgeon and scientific physologist