Evening journal., 1914-12-02

Cancer is chiefly a disease of middlel
and adult life and at these ages it isI
more to be dreaded than tuberculosis,
pneumonia or diseases of the digestive
system. In 1912, out of the total mum
ber of deaths from cancer in the United
States. "a per cent were deaths of per-
sons aged - and over. Cancer accounts
for one sixteenth of the deaths from all
causes at the ages above 45. The NOR
tality rises with age and shows a rate of
$50 per 100000 of popultion among per-
sons aged 10 and over, as compared with
lis per 100000 among persons in the
40's. As is generally known, cancer is
more common among women than men.
At ages 40 and over. of the women who
die. about one woman in eight, and OF
the men that die, about one man in
fourteen dies of cancer. The disease
now takes an annual death toll of about
5000 in the United States and largely
because of public ignorance and negli-
gence it proves fatal in over 90 per cent
Of the attacks.
These statistics, interpreted without
difficulty. point to the surprising impor-
tance of cancer as an enemy of society.
The figures mean that this disease di-
rects its onslaught largely against
mothers and fathers of families. At
tacking alike rich and poor, educated and
ignorant. careful and careless its insid-
ious onset occurs at the most useful
period of life and death is most common
at the age when the care and guidance
cf children and the continuance of bust
ness responsibilities make the mother
and father the most useful members OF
society.
Cancer is thus prominently a de-
stroyer of homes. tuberculosis in its
greater cathalicity. spares neither child
dren nor admits Roughly speaking, can
Ger at ages over 4O causes as many
deaths as consumption. The war against
the white plague has long been in prog
ress. and now we'll organized community
efforts are effectively attacking infant
mortality. It is no disparagement TO
these efforts TO consider the relative inn
portance of the two classes of disease.
The less of a babv'S life is of course
sorrow, and too often doubly sad be
cause it is preventable. II represents
also the loss Of r potentially valuable
unit of society. But the ultimate total
Of miserv and suffering entailed upon the
community may well be considered
greater when cancer removes the parent
who is the main source of support of a
family.
The only cure for cancer at pres
ent known is its early and complete
removal. Cancer, If removed early.
has been proved conclusively to be a
durable disease. IF neglected, and
not removed in its earliest stage. It
Is practically invariably fatal The
paramount Importance of its early
recognition and early removal is
therefore evident For this purpose
the assistance both of the public and
The medical profession is requisite.
and grave responsibility rests on
both. II is only by their mutual CO.
operation that the ravages of this
terrible disease can be lessened The
following information should be of
vital assistance to the public. II is
no eXaggeration TO say that. II acted
upon the result would be the saving
annually Of many hundreds of lives
which at present are inevitably lost
Cancer. in its early and durable
stage, gives rise to no pain or symp-
toms of IN health whatever.
Nevertheless, in its cOmmonesi
situations the sign of II in its early
stages are conspicuously manifest Tc
Witness.
In case of any swelling occurring In
the breast of a woman after 40 years
of age, a medical man should at once
be consulted. A large proportion OF
such swellings are cancer.
Any bleeding, however trivial. oc-
curing at the change of life should
invariably be submitted to a doctors
investigation, and cancer which is
then durable. If neglected till pair
occurs. it means cancer which is al.
most always incurable.
ANY irregular bleeding occurring a.
the change of life should be submit
ted to the doctors investigation. L
Is not the natural method of the
onset Of the change of life, and in {
large number of cases means com
mencing cancer.
Any wart or sore occurring on thu
lower lip of man after As years o
age is almost certainly cancer. I
removed at once the cure is certain
If neglected the result is inevitably
fatal
Any sore or swelling occurring oil
the tongue or inside of the mouth il
a man after As years should he sub
mitted TO a Coctor's investigation
without delay, and the decision a
once arrived at by an expert micro
scopial examination whether II is can
Ger or not A very large proportion