Evening journal., 1921-09-29
CANCERS UNNECESSARY TOLL.

NTANY Delawareans have died from cancer; many
lvl others suffering from It today and hoping and
praying for relief Just how many victims OF the dread
disease there in Wilmington and the rural sections OF
State do not know, but census would
show deporabe condition And what is true Of Della
ware also is true OF all the other States the dis
is not and has been localized in geo
graphical Neither have the malpractice and the
mispractlce OF It's treatment been localized Quacks and
poorly doctors have preyed for many decades
upon that unfortunate class OF people that Is being
and destroyed by malignant growths which feed
upon and kill the bodies which are their hosts
Nine thousand three hundred residents OF New York
State will die OF during the present year, 1921
cordng to estimate made by Dr. Francis Carter Wood
Director OF the Institute OF Cancer Research Columbia
University. Or. Wood, OF those working in the in
erest Of National Cancer Week. to be held from october
30 to Nove by the American Society for the Control
Cancer mako his estimate the current OF the
Health News the official organ OF the New York State De-
partmen Of Health. His figures based on mortality
records running from 1916 when 9iO0 proved fatal
to and including 1920, when deaths numbered 10000.
In a substantial majority OF these the patients
could have been saved DR.. Wood declares II they had
sought competent medical advice at the inception Of the
disease and the growth had been promptly removed 1t
to bring home to the public the Importance Of early
diagnosis that the foremost physicians and
surgeons OF the country to inaugurate nationwide
campaign next month.
"Of the 10000 people who will die from during
1921 eays this noted authority, approximately 400 will
die from OF the mouth tongue $500 will die
from cancer Of the stomach or yer 1900 from cancer
the ntestnes 2,iOO from Of female organs; 300
Of the skn and 200 from Of various
other organs"
Every OF Of the skin could be cured, he
serts II all physicians sufficiently wel-nformed and
all patients consulted them promptly the appearance
OF slight irritation Of the skin, Dr. Wood continues
or 1000 who will die OF Of the breast the
majority could be cured II and operated upon by
competent surgeon within few weeks after the first ap
pearance OF the lump the breast OF the iiOO who will
die from internal organ nifty per cent could
be saved II only diagnosis could be made in time and
proper treatment given"
Dr. Wood goes to say that deaths from OF the
tongue and mouth could be greatly reduced by prompt
diagnosis and treatment but he holds out less hope for
those afflicted with Of the stomach because dag
nostic methods inadequate and the symptoms OF the
disease obscure"
Answering the question as to why deaths have in
in New York state, he says this primarily due
the fact that very small proportion Of those afflicted
consult physician even when they know they have
tumor He gives another factor the unfortunate at
tude OF many practitioners who feel that they must wait
until all the dagnostic characteristics OF cancer have
made their appearance before sending patient 10 the
surgeon.
Dr. Wood describes the disease as "a growth OF per-
sons body" At FIRST It gives pain symptoms
and is therefore, dnlcult for the ordinary person to
discover unless the growth be felt The scientist then
points out ways in which discovery in many instances
may be made by those afflicted Suspicious symptoms
easily recognized include hard lump swelling evil
dence Of pressure internal bleeding Intestinal obsruc-
tlon' persistent hoarseness, growths in the mouth,
growths on the skin and any OF the above attended y
continuous loss in weight.
Dr. Wood admits that diagnosis is not always easy for
general practitioners and advises them TO inform them
selves to the methods including particularly the
X-ray
Physicians must do their utmost to help, by making
the earliest possible diagnosis at time before the dis
has begun to spread through the body" he
ut is only by such that mortality from
be reduced"
1t will be seen from the above how exceedingly i'm
portant is for who have the slightest
symptoms Of abnormal growths to get in quick touch
with a surgeon The lives OF hundreds OF Delawareans
who have died from would have been If they
had followed that course.