Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-12-31
Copyright. 1914. by "A. S. Gray)
MORE ABOUT CANCER.

1t is coming to be quite generally be-
lieved that cancer is essentially prob
lem of growth. If this be true. then the
search for the "cure" or for the pre-
vention of cancer leads us inevitably
into the broad field of biological study
of reproduction, because, as Haeckel
says, reproduction is nothing more
than a growth of the organism beyond
Its individual mass, which erects a
part into a whole" Unfortunately, be.
cause of this fact, there is but little
hope Of any immediate and material
check being put on the scourge.
The prevention of cancer is clearly
matter of individual initiative. just
az is the prevention OF fire.
firmly believe that any consistent
evolutionist can, after comparatively
superficial examination of the biolog-
ical facts pertaining to the most log
ical theory as to the cause Of cancer,
maintain himself immune not only to
that disease, but also to many other
unWholesome and distressing condi-
tons apparently closely allied thereto.
The word consistent" is used adj
vlsedly because few of us are consist
ent evolutionists. We are hyphen-
ated evolutionists, evolutionists by
profession, but not by conviction. It
is the fashionable doctrine now and
we must always be in fashion and do
but down in our secret souls we cher
1sh lot of superstitious nonsense
that makes disciplined knowledge i'm
possible and that is menace to the
whole world of orderly thought. Be-
sides, 1t requires considerable effort
deliberately to start out to achieve a
comprehensive understanding of any
given subject, and we really haven't
the time to do that. If this were not
the real situation it is very obvious
that most of our physical and social
ills would speedily be corrected.
So long as individual nutrition is
abundant individual development pro-
ceeds, but at the slightest hint of dam
ger to the individual through arrest Of
nutrition reproduction is FASTENED.
Life is very flexible and very per
sistent and will not be cut off. On
every hand we have evidence of this
principle. Trees always die first at
the top, but it is at the top, too, that
they first flower and mature their fruit.
This principle will be found operative
all through the vegetable kingdom and
| 1t is the same with animals, including
the human animal.
Rapidly growing plants and animals
do not reproduce. and it is not until
the ability to absorb nutrition is
checked-that is to say, not until the
cells have reached the limit of nutri
ton absorption, or until normal growth
and maturity is reached-that repro
duction is possible. Here again we
find the same phenomena: The poorest
and most starved and puny are the
most prolific. And it is the same with
the human race.
1t is among the poor and the under
fed in our city slums or in the inferior
producing sections of the country thai
/ you will find the least indications o.
race suicide" BY keeping this ides
in mind we shall not be surprised tt
discover that among the highly
nourished rich families in the better
parts Of our cities and on the highly
productive soil Of the country in gen
eral we find but few children in thu
family. This is universal biologi,
law we'll worth the consideration O
some Of our eminent Statesmen" TIL,
phenomenon of decreasing birth rat,
c0nfronts every nation progressing ii
we'll distributed wealth, and 1t is no
matter to be reached by legislation
Only starvation will correct it, ant
conversely perfectly logical way t,
exterminate the slums of our larg,
cities would be to feed the inhabitants
The slums would not then "swarn
with i'll nourished children" becaus'
nature. recognizing life to be secur,
from danger of starvation, automatic
ally would reduce the number repro
duced, just as she does in the corr
field, the flower bed, the apple orchar,
Or among the wild weeds of the feel,
Or the forest
Obviously it is easy now to appl.
this same universal law of propagation
to the billions of individual lives tina
constitute our bodies, provided w
have trained ourselves to thinl
straight. From the instant of impreg
nation an intense cell proliferatiol
multiplication by division) begins an
normally continues along definite bic
logic lines to maturity Maturity i
that state wherein the individual cell
reach the limit of their nutrition al
sorbing ability the normal reproduct
i've functions come into play and
biological balance of the entire organ
ism is maintained for the normal lif
period of the organism. all part
of which are composed of stabl
adult" cells. But if the organism
is persistently deprived of som
essential cell element, those starve
cells, acting under the lash of hur
F, ger. rebel, and. following the la,