The Detroit times., 1912-01-13
CHEMICAL IS FOUND FOR
TREATMENT OF CANCER
German Scientist Discovers
Serum To Take Place of
Knife.

NEW YORK, Jan. 13.--Thef paper
containing the significant portions OF
Prof. A. Won Wassermanns report,
made, Dec. n. to the Berlin Medical
society. on his new-found specific
remedy for cancer and malignant tu-
mors In mice has just arrived in
this country.
This II not a cure for human can
Ger. the experimenters say. That will
be later. n IL comes. But IL Is the
second demonstration in quick sue
session by the school of German
chemists led by Prof. Enrich that
chemical may be evolved that per
forms the act or surgeon, with In
finite nicely and delicacy, removing
only the tissue OF the disease.
Contrary to the cabled reports, the
strains OF malignant tumors provided
by Prof. EhrlichNto be engrafted upon
the thousands OF mice that were used
By the experimenters, and designated
BIZ Prof. Ehrlich, as carcinoma and
narcoma strains, i" never recover spon-
tnneously In the bodies OF their hosts.
The report, I'm part, says:
Upon the basis OF these facts we
can state with certainty that II is pos
nfble. with the aid of a specially pre-
Dared eosin-selenium compound intro
dllced into the circulation, 10 bring
about softening and resorption OF
these mouse tumors, and, II the size
az fumor Is not too large In proper
ton to the body weight OF the AMI
NAL. a complete cure without relapse.
The fundamental scientific fact Ii
established that, in spite OF previous
VIEWS TO the contrary, Ii Is not impos-
nible 10 reach and destroy tumor by
the seloctive action OF chemical
compound through the circulation.
we wish TO emphasize the fact,
however. that we have no basis to In
dictate that this remedy would behave
IN 4 similar manner toward human
tumors. We have not as yet ap-
proached this question. But begin
ninx has been made and solid foun-
dalton established. II does not seem
impossible that, with continued sys-
fematic efforts. progress in human
.fherapy OF malignant tumofs viii be
made. since Il has now been estab-
Ished that we possess, in selenium
and fellurium, substances that are
CAPABLE Of destroying living tumor
cells. and that we have also found
II possible by means of suitable chem
zeal agents 10 reach the tumor cells
through the circulation. and so cause
curative action. IL seems evident
that biochemistry must be looked to.
Tor future progress In this field"
DR. Frederick 8. Lee, professor or
ohysioiogy and histology in Colum-
bia university, when asked yesterday
whether he thought specific for other
organic diseases than cancer in mice
might be found. said that the sugges-
ton was new, and he would have to
think about II, but that II was Eek
cccdjngIy interesting"
ut should be remembered" he add
ed -that large majority OF the ex-
periments of medical research neces-
sariIy lead to nothing. Note In Won
Wassermann's report the hundreds OF
antccedent failures that have made
possible this apparently important
discovery. am constantly struggl-
ing to make the shortsighted anti-vfyf
sectionIsts see this; they have no
conception Of the intricacy Of this
biological experimentation, yet II
most be performed with the sacrifice
Of animal life II solid results for hu-
1nanity are to be achieved"
DR.. William 8. cambridge OF the
New York Skin and Cancer hospital
and honorary president OF the first
International Cancer congress, after
reading the report, declared 1t to be
most interesting and valuable con-
frIbution from men of assured interna-
fional reputation; the extreme con-
sorvatism shown In the report Is what
Is naturally expected of such men,"
Asked whether he trusted the az
sumption of the report that cancer is
purely organic I'm It's origin, oDr. Balm
bridge said:
PERSONALLY. I believe as they do.
But there are still authorities worth
listening to who uphold the parasitic
theory OF cancer, or, at any rate. be-
lieve that parasites complicate the dis
-. 81 \. j TO-