The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-13
SCIENTISTS REJECT
CURES FOR CANCER
All Fail in Tests at Croker
Research Laboratories in
Past Year.
DIR. WOOD TELLS OF WORK

the Crocker Cancer Research I<Sbora-
tories at Columbia University. made
public yesterday . report OF the work
accomplished during tho past year In
the laboratories. which are the largest
Of their kind In h world.
It became known for he FIRST time
that DR.. Wood and his associates had
spent quite as hue time in the study
Of cancerous growths In human beings
az In the observation OF tumors and
tho like in rats. mice, chickens. guinea
hens and other animals.
The wards Of ST. Luke's Hospital fur
nish the Columbia scientists with the
necessary subjects for the study OF ma
lignant growths in man. and this oppor-
tunity has been taken advantage Of
to tho fullest extent because of Dr.
Woods connection with the hospital
board.
During the past year" said DIR.
Wood In his report, 'the laboratory
building, at Amsterdam eel and
10th street, has proved to be most
satisfactory In every respect. With the
extension OF the work OF the fund a
certain amount Of equipment has been
added, and all portions OF the building
are now in active use for the purposes
for which they we're planned. with the
exception Of the chemical laboratory.
which has not as yet been furnished
with the necessary apparatus.
way 10 Immunity sought.
A at the present time no important
problems for chemical investigation in
cancer exist except such as are ex-
tremely difficult. require a large stan Of
experts and cannot be expected to
yield results commensurate with the ex-
penditure required. it mas been consid-
cred wise not to divert the income OF
the fund in this direction. but rather
10 take w for the present the more
obvious questions which have presented
themselves along the line OF %therapeu-
tics and the investigation OF the nature
OF cancer and production of immunity.
The preparation OF such chemical sub
stances as have been required in some
of the Investigations has. therefore. been
carried out In the laboratory of st.
Luke's Hospital by subsidized workers.
the equipment there being amply sufii-
Client for all these needs. and as the work
is similar to that already being done at
the hospital laboratory It has not inter-
fered In the least with the routine at
that institution.
9Th difficulties referred 20 in the
previous report as to the obtaining of a
sufficient number OF lima for expert
mental purposes have been overcome and
during the past yea no shortage has
existed. This Is shown by the fact
that during the year ended June 80.
1915. some $4,000 mice, 10000 rats. 300
rabbits. 1000 guinea pigs. 1900 chickens.
&c. have been obtained and used in in
v~estigation.
"In addition to these normal animals
we have been fortunate In obtaining
during the year 430 spontaneous tumors
In mice from a special stock which Is
being bred In order to allow OF a study
Of the incidence OF cancer in these ami
mails.
"a carcinoma OF the kidney region
In a chicken was accidentally discovered
at autopsy and was ~transplanted into
a hundred animals. but no further
growth was obtained.
''Cur~s" Prove Disa p~pointing.
I'm conformity with the terms o.
the deed of gift OF the Crocker Fund
Investigations ave been carried out on
the effectiveness Of certain so-callei
cures for cancer. but unfortunately no
one OF these agents has been shown "a
possess the slightest influence on tumors
In animals. Some of them have been
tested In cases OF hopelessly inoperabls
ca in man. with equally unsatis-
factory results. II is unnecessary 70
enumerate here the names or na.ur
OF these cures they have been widely
advertised and are still being extensively
used by physicians. despite the knowi-
edge that their therapeutic effect Is
nil.
A showing the necessity for a large
n constant supply OF animals for ex-
perimental work, II Is OF Interest to note
that for the radium experiments alone
1000 mice and $500 rats have thus
far been used,
An interesting and somewhat uu,
expected development Of the eXtramura
work has been the sending to us by
physicians of a large number Of patient,
from various parts OF the country roi
treatment with radium. Many of tn,
cases referred for adium treatment ar,
found TO he operable and are therefor
transferred directly TO the surgeons a,
II. Luke's and other hospitals with mos
satisfactory results. The directors con.
nection with st. Luke's Hospital as di.
rector OF the laboratories of that I'm,
stitutlon has enabled him to follow sucl
developments in those patients as ar,
OF scientific interest. This relationship
obviates for the present any necessit,
for the II to Obtain wards OF its owr
for tho study Of cancer in man and per,
mits the use Of the income FOR pureI,
experimental work"