Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1915-01-07
CcOpydsht lSlL BY A S cray)
MORE ABOUT CANCER.

uoVoQ That cancer lS eSbenIlhhy pIOU'
lem Of growth. II 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 10 nothing more
than q growth OF the organism beyond
its individual mass, which erects q
part into a whole" Unfortunately. be-
cause Of this fact, there Ia but little
hope Of any Immediate and material
check being put on the Scourge.
Ths prevention Of cancer is clearly
Q matter Of individual initiative, Just
NJ Ii the prevention Of IRE.
I firmly believe that any consistent
evolutionlst 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-
lions apparently closely allied thereto
The word consistent" Is used ad.
ViSedly because few Of Us are consist
emit evolutionists. We are hyphen-
ated evolutionists, evolutionists by
profession, but not by conviction. II
is the fashionable doctrine now and
we must always be In fashion and do
and think exactly - everybody else;
but down In our secret souls we cher
lsh q lot Of supcrstltlous nonsense
that makes disciplined knowledge i'm
possible and that Il Q menace to the
whole world Of orderly thought Be-
sides, It requires o considerable effort
deliberately to start out to achieve O
comprehensive understanding Of any
givon subject. and we really haven't
the time to do that. II 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 dan
ger to the individual through arrest OF
nutrition reproduction is fastened.
Lifo Is very flexible and very per
sistent and will not be cut of. 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
It is the same with animals, including
the human animal.
Rapidly growing plants and animals
do not reproduce, and II 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 1t is the same with
the human race.
II is among the poor and the under
fed in our city slums or in the inferior
producing sections of the country that
you will find the least indications OF
race suicide" BY keeping this idea
In mind We shall not be surprised to
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 the
family. This Is a universal biologic
law we'll worth the consideration Of
some of our eminent statesmen" The
phenomenon OF decreasing birth rate
confronts every nation progressing in
we'll distributed wealth, and 1t Is not
matter to be reached by legislation.
Only starvation will correct It, and
conversely q perfectly logical way to
exterminate the slums Of our large
cities would be to feed the inhabitants.
The slums would not then swarm
with III nourished children" because
nature. recognizing life to be secure
from danger Of starvation. automatic.
ally would reduce the number repro
iuced, Just as she does in the corn
field. the flower bed, the apple orchard
or among the wild weeds Of the field
or the forest.
Obviously It is easy now to apply
this same universal law Of propagation
TO the billions Of individual lives that
constitute our bodies, provided we
have trained ourselves to think
straight. From the instant Of impreg.
nation an intense cell proliferation
multiplication by dIvision) begins and
normally continues along definite bio
logic lines to maturity. Maturity is
that state wherein the individual cells
reach the limit Of their nutrition alb.
Eorbing ability, the normal reproduce
i've functions come into play and a
biological balance Of the entire organ
ism is maintained for the normal life
period Of the organism. all parts
Of which are composed Of stable
adult" cells. But II the organism
IL persIstently deprived Of some
essential cell element. those starved
cells, acting under the lash Of hun
ger, rebel and. following the law
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