New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-13
Internal Remedies Worth.
less, DR.. Wood Tells
Columbia Alumni.
X-RAY AND RADIUM
STILL EXPERIMENTAL
Surgery Only Relief, Investiga.
tor Says-Disease Claims I
Woman in 5; I Man in 8.

Cancer patients derive not che
slightest beneat from shy OF the IN
'ernal remedies. so many o. which are
widely advertised for the cure OF can
cer.' according 20 Dr. Francis Carter
Wood, director OF the $4,000, 900 Crock
or Cancer Research Fund, who spoke
yesterday before the Columbia alumni.
Radium and the X-ray we're still in
the experimental stage. rsid the speak
er. and did not offer the same security
as prompt surgical operation b. mod
ern methods. As palliative treat
ment for inoperable cancers. rad.um
and the X-ray were q the utmost
value in prolonging the life Of the pa
tient and relieving pain.
That internal remedies are worth
less" said DR.. Wood, els not 10 be won
dered at, if We only remember that a
cancer IS al oyergrow,E OF The cells
Of our own body. 10 destroy these
cells would mean the destruction Of
the organ from when they arise. The
answer 20 tho widely advertised cures
Tor cancer Is best eXemplified by the
action Of Ulysses IN regard 20 certain
less repulsite sirens ,han the cancer
cure quacH. Ulysses stuffed the ears
OF Ms friends with wa and Rad him
self dashed 10 the mast that he might
not yield TO their seduction. II che
modern Ulysses would throw his peck
ctbook overheard ne would soon find
That the qusck sirens Isd lost inter-
est m his person.
Immediate Action Urged.
A drug for the cure Of cancer may
never be found Perhaps operative
removal will always remain the only
cure FOR cancer. possibly aided by
treatment with radium and the X-ray.
II this be- true we must look 20 I'M
provemsnt in diagnosis Tor aid, for AZ
one stage Of its growth a cancer is
always SNAIL and in NEST cases acces-
s.ble 20 operation. A physician should
always De consulted on The appearance
Of \ lump on any portion Of The body.
Some idea Of the frequency OF can
Ger may be obtained II we recsll that
in 1913 in England this disease caused
the death Of one man in eight and one
woman in FIVE between the ages OF
forty-fve and sixty. For women dur
ing this age period the cancer death
rate s higher than that from any other
disease; in men disease o. tho heart
and arteries has a slightly higher rate.
but cancer follows very closely. While
little progress has been made Of late
by the study OF cancer in man, the in
PRODUCTION of the experimental method
Of studying cancer as it occurs IN ami
mails has given grca. impetus % inve'-
tigatIOn and produced more facts IN the
last twenty years than IN all the pre-
ceding centuries.
Cause Still Unknown.
/ I'VE are still wholly in the dark as
/ to the cause OF cancer. II is certain
/ that in man and in many % the ami
mails there is no evidence that the
disease is caused by any extraneous
/ parasite entering the body and setting
Up cancer. We DO. however, know
that all kinds Of chronic injuries 10
+ the tissues. especially those which con
tinue into the age in which cancer most
frequently occurs, that is. above the
age OF forty, are most liable 70 give
rise 70 cancer OF those injuries some
can be remedied. for example, all
chronic ulcers and irritations caused
by burns. By the use OF irritating foods.
drinks. tobacco and similar habits.
Other conditions. Sucn as liberation OF
the stomach or intestines. II diagnosed
IN time. may be cured by surgical
means and The development Of cancer
prevented. Still other injuries, such az
chronic Inflammation OF the organs,
especially those which lie within the
bod. cannot at present be touched By
any known means. If cancer develops
in such damaged organs II may be re
moved If noted in time; otherwise II
goes on 20 an inevitable end
The Importance Of scientific den
tistry in the prevention of irritation Of
the mouth and cheek is just beginning
to be realized II has been discovered
that badly filed tooth or jagged
fragment of tooth may irritate the
cheek or gum and give rise 10 cancer.
So. too. many OF the moles which are
80 frequent on the surface of the body
are capable. when irritated. of giving
rise 70 a cancer. The tendency Of pro
gressive surgeons is 10 urge their re-
moval at an early stage before any such
irritations occur.