The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-06
CANCER AND RADIUM.

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A timely warning against blind
faith In the cure Of cancer by radium
was addressed to the public recently
by Representatives Of the American
Society for the Control of Cancer
speaking at a meeting In Soldier
Memorial haM in Pittsburg, Pa This
meeting had been arranged by the
Twentieth Century club and the Pitts
burg Academy Of Medicine, with the
cooperation of the American Society
for the Control Of Cancer as one Of a
series Of public meetings in various
parts Of the country, at which rep
resentatives OF the national organiza-
ton will endeavor to spread the mes
sage Of hope for the cure Of cancer
which is still to be sought only in ear
ly recognition and competent surgical
treatment.
The delegates Of the new national
society who spoke at Pittsburg ex-
pressed the combined opinion OF the
executive committee. including some
OF the foremost surgeons Of America,
who base their views on enormous and
widely distributed professional ex-
perience. According to this view. the
radium treatment Of cancer IN - yet
a matter Of experiment. and the sue
cessful results have been obtained
cancers, particularly OF the skin.
Even granting that in the course Of
time radium may prove Of much
greater value than has been the case
in the past. It was pointed out that q
sufficient quantity Of radium and the
required experience In its use will not
be available for some years, and In the
meantime It Is practically certain that
large numbers Of people are likely to
be deluded by false hopes. The first
principle in cancer treatment is the
extreme danger Of delay: and thus far
q thoroughly qualified operation seems
to hold out the only hope for q cure.
OF the thousands Of cancer cures
brought forward from time to time
practically none yields satisfactory
results, and the warning cannot be
made too strong against public faith
in the frequent announcement Of can
Ger cures by other than surgical
methods.
According to the opinion expressed
by these speakers radium has prob
ably been shown to exert a definitely
curative effect on certain of the mod
erately malignant and superficial can
GERS Of the skin. mouth and other
readily accessible mucous membranes.
provided that it II applied while the
disease il still local and in the early
stages.
Radium definitely relieves suffering
when used in the advanced stages OF
deeper-seated cancers: but In those
cases It improves only the visible or
tangible manifestations and exerts no
effect upon the disseminated disease
as a whole. It is believed that there
is as yet no proof that radium has
finally cured any one case OF ad-
vanced and disseminated cancer.
Europe, where the popular furore
about radium appeared earlier than It
did here, has already been devastated
by the appearance Of great numbers
Of dishonest and fake, money-gettin8.
radium cure establishments conducted
by individuals who possess little or no
radium, and have no knowledge Of fts
use. These people promise cures. but
are, in reality. unable to obtain even
those palliative effects which are pos
sible from radium. Much harm has
also been done there by honest and
educated enthusiasts, who have been
led to premature confidence in the
curative effects Of radium by the ex-
citement of witnessing the temporary
relief Of symptoms and decrease OF
tangible tumors which 1t undoubtedly
produces even in advanced cases.
Statistical evidence to support the
advice and warning to seek early
operative treatment was presented by
Mr.. Frederick L. Hoffman, statistician
of prominent insurance company.
who made one Of the chief addresses.
to Mr. Hoffman the record
ed experience Of the best hospitals
goes to show that earliest possible
operation for cancer seems to offer
the only hope for cure. These records
are distinctly encouraging, ana prove
that at least the initial
loss Of life in such operations Is very
low. The statistics of private prac-
tice also prove that the risk Of recur-
renee is gradually becoming less. while
the percentage Of distinctly favorable
results IL increasing.
WHY TEACH FARM FACTS?
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