The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-09-19

Of middle age the higher rate was to
be expected. There is no case on rec
ord in which either an operating sur
geon, or nurse, has contracted cancer
from coming into contact with it,
even after years of work exclusively
in this field.
Another popular myth that seems to
be pretty we'll exploded is that can
Ger is hereditary. No argument could
be more convincing than the way life
insurance companies look at this as
pect of the disease from a business
point Of view. In deciding whether
a person is a good risk" these COM
panies disregard evidence that cancer
occurred in one or both parents, or
in other ancestors. Their carefully
kept statistics covering many years
prove that the person to be insured
will not necessarily contract the dis
ease. Indeed the insurance compan-
les say there is no cause for appre-
hension even if both parents died of
cancer. The most that could be fair
ly argued is that people whose fam
lilies seem particularly susceptible to
cancer should we'll inform themselves
with regard to early symptoms and
be on the alert for the first danger
signal.
The tissues of the body, the muscles,
the bones, are each composed of a
very large number of very tiny cells,
which may be compared to the bricks
in a building, and they are held to-
gether by a material which may be
compared to mortar. However, the
cells are alive, constantly growing and
dying off, according to certain laws
which we do not completely under
stand. Sometimes these cells begin
to grow and develop along lines which
are not in harmony with the usual or
der. A little group of cells forms
a lawless colony, which constitutes an
unhealthy, growing spot in the body.
This may occur on the skin, in the
breast, stomach, throat, or in any
part of the body. Frequently they
form a little hard lump which can
easily be detected by touching it and
which can easily be removed by the
physician. If this mass is not remov-
ed at once it usually continues to
grow and branch off into the surround
ing tissues. This penetration marks
the difference, the fatal. line between
the benign or harmless growths like
warts, and malignant growths or can
GERS. Finally a large mass is formed
and minute portions become detached
and are carried to other parts of the
body. When ordinary cells become
detached and get out of place they
usually die. Cancer cells, on the other
hand, have such a power of survival
they continue to grow wherever they
are deposited and new cancers are the
result.
Cancer often arises after continued,
long irritation of various kinds and
in and about benign growths, or ul-
cerations. Cancer Of the lip and
mouth has been known to come from
burns, from pipe stems, from constant
irritation from bad teeth and among
East Indian races from chewing the
betel nut. Cancer of the external alb
domen in the natives of Kashmir, new
er observed among other races, arises
from burns from kangri baskets of
live Goals which these mountaineers
wear as a kind of warming pan. Cam
Ger of the oesophagus is observed in
the Cinnamon who eat their rice too
hot, while it is absent in the women
who eat their rice cold at a "second
table"
Women, unfortunately, are most
susceptible to cancer. Between the
ages of 35 and 43 years three times
as many women as men die of cancer
and between as and so twice as many
die. They should, therefore, be es-
peclally educated to recognize the first
signs of a benign growth and con.
suit a physician at once. Persistent
alterations, cracks and sores, warts
moles, or birthmarks which change ir
appearance, or grow larger, should
be removed. All forms of chronic ir.
rltation should be prevented.
While no one in particular can be
said to be susceptible to cancer it car
%truthfully be said that so far as is
Known no one is immune to it ane
statistics leave no room to doubt il
is on the increase. The time has come
when the general public should be ed
ucated as thoroughly as in the nation
wide campaign for tE.o control of tn.
~berculosis.
To aid in this work the United
States public health service has care
fully prepared a neat, pocket-sizee
booklet, Cancer, Facts Which Ever,
Adult Should Know" written in la,
terms. This book will be forwarded
on application to the public health ser.
vice, Washington.