New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-30
gadium No Failure.
Cancer Expert Says

Vist has radium accomplished ID
+. treatment Of cancer, and what are
limitations OF lis use. and what
,oes does IL hold out for the future
re three questions discussed yester-
sr afternoon by Professor James
ing. OF the Cornell Medical School
E symposium on cancer held at the
-ricsn Museum Of Natursl History
-5er the auspices Of the physiology
&c experimental medicine section OF
p association.
Dr.. Ewing spoke from his experience
| o. the radium treatment a. the Ne
r Al Hospital, where he is director OF
beer research.
10 inform the public. as has been
be. that radium has failed in the
-.s,ment Of cancer misstates the fact,
|,d entails a serious responsibility on
K part Of the person making the
|a,ement." said Or. Owing.
"Ihe use OF radium has within the
r ten years established IL as an ex-
silent method Of dealing with benign
ri malignant tumors OF the skin,
'tieh. when properly applied. IL usu-
ly removes promptly and with very
e'c soaring. Il is highly important.
,veyer. that we recognize its limits-
rms. The chief difficulty ia the way
e i,s extended use is the difficulty OF
rsicstion. New workers, with a lit
- radium, probably DO more harm
ian good. Consequently. the habit Of
Uing rsdium 20 be used By ineNperl-
r;sd hands IS 20 be discouraged. Il
.si also be remembered that each
a'csr case is distinct in itself.
Knife Still Necessary
While the supply Of radium is small
i't 70 many difficulties remain 20 be
'Tsfome, 70 would be most unwise 20
''rssa among the general public any
;'i that radium is capable of replsc-
z ne knife 10 the treatment Of can
ar
%. Ewing said as 20 the future thai
70 sdvisab.iity Of using rsdium IN the
'siment Of operable cancer cases
You'd be q constantly recurring ques-
sh
IN cases where an operation is pos
be- but generally unsatisfactory" ne
i'anued. "radIum certainly deserves 2
fs' ln experienced hands. The sooner
70 NO methods of treatment are given
competitive trial the better will it be
humanity and the medical profes-
or A physician is often faced by the
.seiIoEs Of his patient 10 al opera
Or. IN view Of this fact radium may
: brought INTO more general use. but
Neie most emphatically that there
quo be no relaxation IN the rule as
Early operations
IT, Ewing said he would not venture
predict whether rsdIUm would be
t1 TO q great extent in operative
''es. Tie pointed out that the sus-
PNoliy or normal tissues 20 radium
'ns 90 increase and that Of tumor
i-s 20 diminish with successive rad
n treatments. and therefore the best
''liis are probably 20 be obtained at
beginning.
Above sll." he said, Success in
'siment, whether by operation or
sun depends upon attacking the
Ease before 10 is 100 far advanced"
Cancer Easily Cured
Dr. J. c. Bloodgood, Of Johns Hop
A University. was expected to speak
9h me surgeons point Of view on
.ser IN the human being, but was
ape 70 be present In his paper.
'oni'ted to the meeting, he made il
'sr that cancer IN its early stages
easily cured.
~ external cancer the warning is
Die or can be felt" he said. I'm
l.-nsttly, pain is rarely present. A
- or wart, a small area covered
= scsb. a small lump or nodule
''slh the skin or an unhesled wound
indicate potential cancer. The APP
'''Anee Of any Of these defects should
a. a call upon the physician. Moth
- lost By taking the precsution II
p'oms arc not found. and the risk
20 great 70 allow the warnings 20
snheeoed.
70 man ever had r cancer on the
Or tongue without experiencing
q Warning. The defect may be a
-. -a from continued smoking or Al
.c.'lon from ragged teeth.
lancer ~ not 4 disease which people
any reason 10 be ashamed %. It
n~ = blood disease. 50 fsr as
selsns can tell, IL rs not brought
~ III health or poor food II The
|, easily noticed warnings be
acc the task becomes comparatively
H.. and the only miracle We have 10
PIN Is 20 educate million people
soserYe the warnings where we now
gate one"
.sspefs Of scientific interest were pre-
80 oy Professor G.. y. Calkins. OF
.oia, and Professor LEO Loeb. Of
4 darlington University Medical
49, Curtis +. Lskeman. executive
!. rnfy Of the American Society for
V'ntrol Of Cancer. gave an his