The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-18
.RAO|UM USE DANGEROUS
N CANCER TREATMENT
DIR. Francis Carter Wood Makes An
nual Report TO President of
Columbia University.

New York, Dec, 17.-Many dangers
oeset the use Of radium in the treat
ment of cancer tumors, DR.. Francis
Carter Wood points out in his annual
report to DIR. Nicholas Murray Butler,
president of Columbia University.
The report was issued today.
DIR. Wood is at the head of the
Croker Cancer Research Fund at Co
lumbia University, which has the in
come from s3,o00,000. lie has under
him distinguished corps. of investi-
gators at the laboratories on Morning
side Heights
After experiments on thousands of
mice. rats, guinea pigs and other ami
mails, DIR. Wood finds the use of ra-
dunn in some cases and in INSULT
cient quantities results in the spread
Of the tumor rather than its reduc-
ton. He asserts radium is inferior to
the knife as a method of treatment
OF the usual Cancerous growth, and
sanctions the use of radium only in
1hoperabie cases. and then only under
very strict limitations. Dr. Woods re-
port says:
since the opening Of the laboratory.
more than ten thousand microscopic
sections. chiefly of tumor material
have been examined and filed for ref
erence.
During the year the fund received
100 mice. bearing spontaneous tumors.
among them number of new and in
toresting types which have been trans
planted
During the year number of So
called cures were investigated. but il
was shown that none possessed the
slightest curative effect on tumors in
animals, they cannot, therefore. be
expected 10 influence human cancer.
In continuation OF work on the
therapeutic action OF radium we have
"ndeavored with large doses to infiu-
ence sarcoma Of the guinea pig; this
il slow growing and therefore more
suitable for making tests OF the value
Of this physical agent than are the
tnmors OF mice. as the death Of tho
animal is less likely to result.
While the size of some Of the tu-
mors treated WAS slightly reduced in
others growth was more rapid than
before and in no case was any cure
effected
Has stimulating Enec'.
AS a bY-produCt to this investlEa
ton, DR.. Frederick Prime has been
able to add interesting confirmation
TO the work of certain. BIOLOGISTS on
lower animals. in showing that ra-
dunn in small doses also has a dis
tfnctly stimulating effect upon mann
malian cells such as occur in tumors,
while large doses Just sufficient TO
kill the neopiasm may reduce the rate
OF growth considerably
This explains many of the reports
by physicians treating human tumors
to the effect that a growth disa ppeared
but returned after being quiescent for
considerable period In some of
these human cases the tumors have
remained latent for one or two years
only to grow later and resist any fur
ther rsdium treatment
These experiments are thus of
practical Importance because they
show that in treating a tumor OF any
size. unless very large quantities OF
the radium are used. the portions OF
the tumor AT a considera BILE distance
from the~radfum may he stimulated
and grow more RAPIDLY even though
locally the tumor may diminish IN size
and they point to the necessity of
careful study of nature. extent and
distribution OF human tumor before
a decision IL made as to whether ra-
dunn can justirably be applied thera-
peuttcally.
Despite the fact that II IL becom-
ing more and more evident not only
from our work. but also from the pub
lished reports OF others that radIun
cannot be regarded as satisfactory
, method for the cure of malignant tn
mors there Ia no question but that 1t
IL the beat palliative treatment We
have in cases of tnoperahle recurrence
after previous surgical removal of the
mass of the growth
1T Is unauestlonably possible 10
prolons life in a few instances and 20
make the patients more comfortab le
by the judicious and intelligent en-
pioyment of large quantities Of ra-
dun"