The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-01


United States today there are more |
than 100000 persons afflicted with !
cancer, and about $4,000 of these will
die during the year. The most tragic |
part of this condition is the fact that |
more than half of these deaths are
preventable, and half of the remaining
fatal cases might have been cured by
an early operation. For, while science
does not yet know the exact nature OF
cancer, it does know the conditions
which lead to its development, and
these conditions may in large measure
be controlled. The terrible mortality
from cancer is therefore largely due to
ignorance.
Cancer is an abnormal growth of
tissue within the body. Certain cells
in the embryonic stage fail to develop
and perform their normal functions,
and the multiplication of these useless
cells from the tunlor. What causes
the cells to be checked in their normal
development is not yet known, al
tho there are sew ral~piausible theor-
les. But the predisposing conditions
which lead to this abnormal growth
are known, and may be controlled.
Thus cancer nearly always forms in
sore lesion upon the body, such as a
wart, a mole. a bruised or infected
spot. This lesion becomes irritated.
and the growth of abnormal cells be-
gins.
The age of the individual plays an
important part in susceptibility to
cancer; for the common form of cam
Ger is essentially a disease of later life.
when some of the tissues have become
weakened.
In spite of popular opinion to the
contrary. cancer is not an hereditary
disease. Certain families may have
tissues which develop cancer more
readily than others; but this is only
a small factor in the development of
the disease. Since one out of every
nine women and one out of every
thirteen men die of cancer. it is not
surprising that often several cases
should occur in the same family.
Equally fallacious is the belief that
cancer is contagious, in the sense that
it can be carried from one person to
another, and there is no proof that it
is contagious under any circumstances.
Cancer is said by statisticians to be
on the increase. Since the average
human life has been heightened about
twenty years since 1850, the number
of persons who are of the age most
susceptible to cancer has been in
creased, and therefore the relative
number of cases has grown. But there
is no evidence that cancer is more
prevalent now than ever before, in the
sense that one is more apt to contract
| it. AT the same time. the treatment
| of cancer is making cures constantly
| more frequent The use of the X-ray
i in diagnosis was q great forward step.
The so-called benign tumors are now
| often cured by simple operation,
while malignant growths are often,
successfully removed by more thoro
| operations.
| Certain occupations may lead to the
contraction of cancer. Workers in
analine dyes absorb deleterious sub
| stances, which get into the urine and
sometimes cause cancer of the blad-
der. Cobalt W. rkers often have can
~ NJ he 1srF1 he ivI. oIo&S
irritating particles OF cobalt, and
workers in tar develop irritations at
points where the tar comes into. con-
tact with the skin -hich may develop
into cancer. SCOT has an irritating
effect on the skin, and the frequency
of cancer of the groin among CHM
Lpey sweeps is proof of this Those
who work in arsenic and it's prepare
lions sometimes absorb enough to
oVerstimulate the skin, and cancer.
especially the hands and feet, may
develop. Persons working with the X
ray often develop dermatitis of the
hands, leading to cancer.
There are several kinds of cancer,
some of which attack the skin, mucus
membranes and secreting glands.
while others attack the bones, muscles
and connective tissues. 1t is believed
that in all of them, some lesions-i. e.,
some point of irritation, is necessary
before the cancer can form. It is
probable that a majority of human
beings are immune to cancer, that q
lesser number possess a partial i'm
munity, while a minority are without
the protective agencies, which render
the LESSONS harmless. The condition OF
such persons is described as ''precan-
| cerous.'
The LESSONS which may lead to can
GER are classified IS % congefital
CD tra-matic, (3) chronic Initiative
The first class includes all sorts Of
moles, warts and benign tumors. The
second includes injuries, such al
bruises, wounds and burns.
| The third class includes all sorts OF
mechanical, chemical and infectious
irritations, such as those caused b,
occupation, and is the greatest factor
. in the production of cancer. The
potency of chronic irritation in pro
ducing cancer has been proved il
, many ways. For example. in India
there are cattle which pull loads b,
means of ropes passed thru hole:
f bored thru the base of the horn
= J Cancer at the base of the horn is yer.
common among these cattle, and Il
l scientist found that rats in certain
American sugar warehouses FIRE
quently had cancer of the stomach
He learned that these rats ate a kline
of cockroach which was infected will
4 | a parasite that irritat- 1 the stomach
E of the rats, and he was able to produc,
cancer in other rats By feeding then
on these cockroaches.
There is abundant evidence that ex
n ternal cancer in man is nearly Away
+ | caused by some sort of an irritation
and scientists believe that interna
cancer may often be due to the sam
cause.
: In parts of China where the hea,
is shaved by the public BARRIERS. tn
razors used are often dull and full o
n hicks, and the irritation of this scrap
d ing often causes cancer. Chinese me-
&c suffer from cancer of the pharyn
and esophagus due to their habit o
n eating very hot rice, which is throw
t into the mouth forcibly with cho
l. sticks Chinese women eat afte
their lords and masters. when the ric
is. cold, and they never have this kin
of cancer. In India much cancer
: | eauSed nv fha chewing of bete1 mi