Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-22
War on Cancer
BY Frederic j. Haskin

upon man, ~ on the tncrenfe III iibrr ns
we'll as every other civilized country ~
il estimated that nearly 100000 persons
died of il in the United States last year.
Yet the beat medical authorities are now
convinced that q large number OF these
deaths could have been prevented had
the symptoms Of the diseuse been recog-
nized and an operation performed 10
time.
The trouble IL that cancer, being an
ancient disease, has acquired such nys-
terious and terrifying history through the
centuries that few people enre TO admit
even To themselves that they may have IT
until the affietion has proceeded lar
enough TO make its existence indisputable.
Then, unfortunately, II is too late For
the only hope of victory over cancer to-
dav lies in its early detection and eradlca-
ton.
Docrons DON'T KNOW.
The ivporanre cd the. medical profes-
son concerning the disease has tended 10
encourage this attitude, but fortunately
in recent years this ignorance has last
given way to knowledge Numerous
scientific institutions, including the Rock
efeIler Foundation. have succeeded IN re-
vealnp much. 80 that while the cause and
cure of cancer are still unknown many
facts have been accumulated which the
Society for tho Prevention Of Cancer be-
heves the public should know II the raw
ages of cancer are to be checked at gu.
In the Offices Of the Society on Forty
fifth street here there are large piles OF
bulletins containing cancer facts when are
soon to be scattered broadcast throughout
the country with the aud OF state anu
city health departments The New York
If Ilsalfh rNrHnffN
devfTed AN entire issue Of its Health
News" 10 the discussion of cancer. The
limited States Public Health Service hae
als, recently issued popular bulletin on
tho dsense Newspapers IN every state
have agreed 20 give wide publicity TO the
aocietyfs Fourteen Points Concerning
Cancer" while libraries are going 70 co
operate by holding poster exhibits ex-
ulaipinr what You Should Know
Abmit Cancer" for the benefit OF those
who find pictures more illuminating than
print
But aren't you afraid YOU viii Brighten
people into developing cancer by all this
publioity?t inquired mere layman of
the secretary nf the society the other
day. after hearing the full extent Of the
societys intentions.
1--WE may frighten few susceptible
persons. btft we are gong to warn grebt
MANY whose lives may be saved by the
hint. replied the secretary. Nine eases
out uf ten of cancer today are iatai be-
cause patients do not 90 TO their doctors
aoon enough. Nowhere Is the old adage,
| q stitch IN time saves nine, more APP
! plicabIe than IL Is to cancer.
Tuberculosis, the secretary iurthei
pointed out. IL no longer dreaded as equiv
Al bs,sHg aa.fN
| u,,blie has come To understand the disease
/ and how IL is cured It is equally import
ant tbat they should understand as much
1 as is understandable about cancer. Once
i they do. the dread Of cancer will change
/ aa IL has in the case Of tuberculosis, to 2
more sensible and rational feeling 81
hope
CANCER NOT CONTAGIOUS.
Curious rs it. may seem, there are
/ three encouraging points about cancer
+ In the first place, go far ~ Is known, u !,
\ not contagious. No germ capaoe =
! causing cancer in human beings or aii'
mails has ever heen found by any 81 the
/ numerous medical authorities attempting
Ia find II Concerning this point, tht
United States Public Health Service adds
/ this interesting contribution.
stories 80 often told of cancer houses oi
cancer villages The occurrence ol
large number of cases IN a particular
house or street has usually been showf
hy careful investigation 10 be due 70 th'
fact that the house or the street b as beer
occupied by an UNUSUAL proportion 81
persons above middle age. Since cancer {
a disease of middle and later life, thert
would naturally be more cases under sucI
circumstances. Likewise, stories OF ai
excessive prevalence of cancer III par
ticular villages are usually traced to SINAI
| communities from which most oi th'
voung people have departed. IL Is due e
/ this fact that the cancer death rate O
> Vermont and New Hampshire Is so high
the Young people having gone away u
large numbers to seek work in other states
The western States, largely populated ny
Young people, have very low cance
rate" =.
The second encouraging point recently
| decided upon by the medical professor
is that cancer Is not inherited lhis de
cision is based largely on the records
life insurance companies, careiully KEEP
over long period OF years, Woich snow
that many persons whose parents die,
of cancer do not themselves contract l.
I In determining NItttitI vi hoto ~
a good risk" these companies no longe
even consider the matter of cancer. oc
eurrence in the insured's family. Som
authorities are of the opinion that
tendency to cancer may be inherited, bu
their evidence, while interesting, IS no
entirely convincing.
NOT AN UNCLEAN DISEASE.
In the third place, cancer is not.
'blood disease" It is not affiliated wit
the veneral diseases in any way, and IS nc
n product af vice. The oid-fashioned ide
that cancer is due to ''taint'' in the bloc
still exerts wide and baleful influences
causing many people suffering from tn
disease to keep the information to then
selves, stunning even medical advice
Concerning the still obscure cause {
cancer, the United States Public Healt
Service gives this extremely lucid eN
plan alton:
1T is well known, it says, that q
tissues of the body, the muscles, Il
glands, the bones, are each composed Of