Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-08-10

ulSSeHllndleu dnQ ReneIdllZeu III INC S1S-
tenn, il can no longer be cured by remov-
ing, or by treating in any other way, the
original focus or settlement II is then
incurable.
HOW CANCERS SPREADS.
The way in which cancer invades a
healthy human body is thus very much
like the way in which contagious dis
ease invades healthy city. Today the
city is free from diphtheria, but tomorrow,
from one cause or another, case breaks
out in certain house. The inhabitants
of that house are then, OF course, exposed
TO the disease, and some of them are
pretty sure TO contract il. II the friends
of these unfortunate people were allowed
TO go freely in and out OF the house they
would also be exposed to the disease,
and some OF them would probably con-
tract it. So they would infect the inhab-
itants of their own houses, in other parts
of the city.
II would have been easy TO save the
city from an epidemic of diphtheria by
treating, or removing from it, the first
case and by disinfecting the first house in
which that case occurred. The epidemic
would certainly have been prevented il
all who had entered the first house and
who had been exposed TO the disease had
been removed TO some safe spot where
they were not in contact with other peo-
pie, and kept there until they were cured.
In short, while the disease is confined to
one house the epidemic is easily con-
trollabIe and curable, but after the disease
has spread into many parts OF the city it
is likely 10 spread more and more, and is
virtually out Of control.
II is much the same thing with cancer
cells in PERSONS body. The disease
begins with the affection OF some one lit
tie spot in the body, ant for varying
length OF time, often for long time, re-
mains localized in that one spot. If dur
ing that time the one spot is removed
and its surroundings disinfected, we can
be sure that there will be no more trouble.
When il has been allowed TO persist until
il is generalized and has spread into other
parts Of the body, it cannot be cured by
any treatment of the spot that il first oc-
cupied. 1t has become incurable, even
though that one spot may be the only
one at which it is as yet conspicuous.
In another way cancer in the human
body is like contagious disease in a
great city. In every city there are GER
tain districts in which, from the character
OF the population and from their insani-
tary habits and crowded way OF living,
contagious disease is more likely TO occur
than in the districts that are inhabited by
the better -cared-for parts of the popIila
ton; and those are the places that should
always be most closely watched by the
health authorities. So in the human body
there are certain localities that are the
favorite seats OF cancer, and that should
be specially watched.
The use OF the analogy between cancer
in the human body and the spread OF con-
tagious disease in city must not, how
ever, lead anyone TO suppose that cancer
is contagious. On the contrary, as far as
we know, il is not contagious from one
individual TO another.
CAUSES OF CANCER.
II is, OF course, important that all dis
charges from cancerous sore should be
collected and destroyed, and that all
clothing that has been worn by patient
ill with cancer should be thoroughly boiled
before il is worn by another person.
Other people should not be exposed TO
contact with the secretions of cancerous
spot even though we do not know that
they are contagious; but there is certainly
no danger in ordinary social contact with
those who are afflicted with the disease.
The disease is probably not hereditary.
II is so common that it would be extra
ordinary if sooner or later there were not
more than one case Of il in many families,
but there is no evidence of its being dis
tinctly hereditary.
AS yet we know little or nothing of why
cancer occurs in given person, but we
do know the conditions in the body that
make cancer likely TO occur at certain
spots in that body. Almost all cancers
appear at some spot in the body where
there has been long-standing chronic
inflammation or irritation, or where there
has been previously, and usually for a
long time, some apparently harmless lump;
and although it is impossible in an article
of this length to speak of all the seats
and forms OF cancer, few Of the most
common may be mentioned.
The importance OF an apparently HARM
less lump or growth is to be estimated
largely by its persistence and the age OF
the patient. Temporary Jumps and those