The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-06

or other like remedy, but III the kn1Ie.
AS DR.. Charles H. Mayo has expressed
1t:
1.-THE risk is not in surgery, but IN
delayed surgery"
Preparations for the congress were |
commenced long ago. Among other
systematic steps taken at many places
throughout the country a meeting
was held at the New York Academy |
Of Medicine on May 10 last. where
several men presented a symposium
Of opinions on the subject one OF
these papers, entitled Public Educa- |
ton in Cancer" was read by Dr.. Willy
Meyer, attending surgeon to the Ger !
man and the Post Graduate hospitals,
and has just been published in the
New York Medical Journal. Without
definitely stating that he accepts any
Of the theories as to the direct cause
Of carcinoma, DR.. Meyer leans decid-
eddy toWar the theory that q living
organism is its cause.
The public continually asks whether
cance is contagious, and to this DR..
Meyer replies in the negative. Never
has it been observed" he adds, that a
faithful wife assisting a nurse attend
ing a sick husband for months and
years has become infected with the
same trouble; never has it been re-
ported that a surgeon pricking him
W. Al G4S Soa1O1 VI oh WV -
carcinoma was attacked with the dis
ease. n yet this has occurred fol-
lowing an injury received during an
operation for tuberculosis. Evidently
transmission must go in carcinoma in
a different way from individual to in
| dividual."
Early Surgery Advised.
The question as to whether cancer
can be cured with an operation DR..
Meyer answers with a decided EYES,"
provided the patient goes to a surgeon
in the early stages of the disease. OBJ
servations throughout the world con-
firm this.
"And just think" DR.. Meyer con-
tinues, sin what an advanced stage
these patients not infrequently reach
the surgeon. How man more could
have been saved had they come to
operation at an earlier period. Hence
the watchword is and always will be:
Early Operationt~
"But early operation depends on
early diagnosis. To make both pos
sible l think special courses should be
given In u colleges on the early
symptoms of cancer. It is necessary
first to educate the profession itself
on this most important question, al
though 1t is undoubtedly true that In
many instances the family physician
Is not to blame If his patients reach
the surgeons at a late period Of the
disease. 1t is the patients themselves
who often do not consult their ply
%sicians"
During the presentation Of his ad-
dress at the Academy of Medicine DR.
! Meyer told his fellow practitioner
! that In his opinion there car be nc
. question as to the need Of educating
Il public along the line Of which he
was speaking. and illustrated this
8 need by mentioning instances familia,
s. l fN NOn6ioo1 von~ ~ o~cSlo~~h
s tice.
"Our female PATIENTS he said
q have to learn that a tumor OF tn,
: breast, though it be of but SLOW
e growth and occasions any pain
is, nevertheless, most dangerous How
= many times do we hear the state
II ment from u patients, Well. it di'
n not hurt me, SO I waited. because
thought the tumor was OF no I'm
~portance.' The public must be laugh
: the climinal truth: they must lear
n that every tumor is a surgical disease
o The public must be taught hat il
: event Of a rather rapid onset Of SO
a called indigestion which remains un
4 relieved despite everything the ply
% stefan may have tried. and in tn
&c absence Of tenderness over gall blad
III der and appendicular region, the pres
l. ence OF a cancer OF the stomach mus
T, be considered. They themselves shout
-. UO>HSS0 " IIS pOiIll OA l11S1Sl1I
~ upon an examination under anaes
u thesia, or if that too should still leay
~ doubt, on an exploratory laparotom,
rms certainly is no plum desideratun
A Goa That Was Desired.
Think what they have learned
10 regard to appendicitis. How the
~ come to us today with the Statement
Doctor, L had a pain in the rigl
SIDE or my abdomen; It also hurt u
US on pressure. I hear from my frient
ne that this is a sign of appendiciti
al flease xamin me and il necessal
remove n appendix This is the go
we nave been working for as regar,
ne TINS t~reacherOus disease for mar
years. How many lives are save
=. by the proper recognize
I'd OF the dangers Of appendicitis nv -
fh- public at large.
ses AT this moment it Is scarce
.ns necessary to discuss the question
'cn now the public should be instrr,cte
The ball. fortunately. has been sta,
m ed. We all know Of the n mn