The Dolores star., 1915-01-01
PREVENTION OF CANCER.

Study OF the cause and cure OF can
Ger has led to q vast amount Of re-
search work being done among tho
lower organisms. including fish, rats.
mice. dogs. rabbits and the like. and
these Investigations have developed
many highly Illuminating facts Of In
tense interest and Significance to the
human family.
Bonnet In 1888 was probably the
cancerous disease OF the thyroid gland
among trout Following this sugges-
tion. investigators have found that
trout and other fish quite generally
all over the world are afflicted with
what appears to be carcinoma begin
ming in the thyroid gland and from
there spreading to the adjoining bones
and muscles. The disease attacks
chiefly fish over two years old and the
general trend Of opinion appears to
be that its origin Is in some way con.
nected with the food supply.
Gaylord found the disease to be con-
stantly present or endemic In not less
than rs per cent of the hatcheries con-
tanning salmonoids throughout the
United States. and that 1t became cpl
demic and attacked all classes Of fish
In general from time to time. He also
observed marked variations in the gen.
eral severity and characteristics OF
the disease In different epidemics.
In one hatchery more than SO per
cent OF the tumors showed the struc-
ture of carcinoma. while In an ed
demic encountered In another locality
the growth was in general more like Q
simple goiter,
Marine and Lenhart endeavored. by
. comprehensive series Of expert
ments. to discover any possible con-
nection between the ordinary goiter Of
fish and animals and the so-called can
cerous affections Of the thyroid gland.
They discovered that young fish we're
more affected than the old. that the
glandular engagements were checked
by the addition OF iodine to the water
Of the pool and that the removal Of
the fish to an open brook effected .
cure. These investigators consider the
tumors to be directly related to the
water supply. but do not accept the
prevailing opinion that the disease 10
true cancer.
They consider that there are three
factors which, In some way still OBJ
scure. influence thyroid enlargement.
namely. limited water supply, over.
crowdins. and overlooking with high
ly artificial and incomplete food. They
found the water OF the hatchery was
not intrinsically goiter.producing. be-
cause fish did not develop the disease
unless one Of these other factors was
also In operation. That Is to say. the
fish must either be fed with an In.
complete food. or the pool must be
overcrowded with fish. which In the
end amounts TO practically the same
thing. In order to produce the disease.
And II the Incomplete food was re-
placed by a complete food or the over
crowding was corrected. then recovery
took place even though the nsh re-
NAMED In the same pool.
The significance OF the above TO hu.
mainly lies In the fact that so far as
hsh are concerned the water Of the
stream Is synonymous with food be-
cause normally FISH derive their oxy'
gen and all other food matter directly
from the water In which they live:
hence. II too many individuals are
crowded Into a given pool or the water
normally does not carry Sufficient ma
terial 10 maintain the group the weak
or ard less alert must Inevitably suffer
a deficiency OF necessary elements,
Whether these giandular enlarge
ments resulting from food deficiencies
are or are not true cancer In not ma.
terlai ut this time. because we do not
yet know whether cancer begins rs q
malignant growth or whether . simple
hypertrophy or enlargement In. In
some way not yet Understood, convert.
ed into u malignant disease. But.
granting that they begin rs simple be
nign enlargements. as they undoubted'
ly do. we do not know and are gen
orally quite unable To determine nj
what stage an enlargement changes
tIoHt
type. Every enlargement should bs
viewed with suspicion and concern
and should receive prompt attention
At the hands Of some competent per
son This care should also extend TO
all hypertrophies: that IL 70 say. to
all and any enlarsements or thickan.
ipgs Of tissues anywhere In the body.
whether II BE- . gland or only the tis.
sues Of the nose. because these by.
pertrophies or thickenings indicate
tendency 10 overRrowth or hyperpiasia
from . disturbance In mctabolism. =
lack Of nutritivs balance usually due
10 some deficiency and quite certain
ir time 10 have grave consequences In
tho dsvslopmsnt Of some one Of the
dencieney diseases u not Of cancer.
A reasonable regulation Of ones
habtts and ia1sisencss viii easily pr
init Of the naintssancs u the spirit q
youth 10 he ends Of ones days. and
A. a