New-York tribune., 1921-10-31
Hospital Heads
A Assert Radiun
Relieves Cancer
Herbert Parsons and DR.. C..
+. Field Tell Of Favorable
Results, Especially in the
Diseases Primary Stage
Disagree With DIR. Deaver
Hold Outlook for Final Con-
quest of Malady Is Bright
ened by New Treatment

Memorial Hospital, and DR.. c. Everett
Field, director of the Radium Institute.
yesterday entered the controversy bre-
clpltated among medical men by the re-
cent assertion of DR.. John B. Deaver
OF Philadelphia, president of the Amer
lean College of Surgeons, that radium
as remedy for the relief and cure OF
cancer had failed
According to Mr.. Parsons the attend
ing staff of the Memorial Hospital,
drawn from the faculty Of Cornell Uni
verslty Medical College, unanimously
disagree with the conclusions of DR..
Deaver.
Finds Treatment Effective
I'VE are finding treatment by radiurn
most effective in hundreds of cases.
said Mr.. Parsons, "and while our med
zeal staff cannot announce any cures
until more time has elapsed, it is sir
hlhcant that great number of cases
alter several years, show no recurrence
of the disease. Memorial Hospital has
under treatment several thousand can
Ger patients, many of whom arc beinr
treated with radium.
Ihe claim of our hospital is that
IN many cases radium offers the bcst
possible relief; that in other cases its
use is either ineffective or unwise. and
that by the proper use of radium, either
separately or in conjunction with otter
methods, the field for relief of cancer
sufferers IS broadened and the out
look for the final conquest of the
disease is brighter.
ing In its treatment of cancer more
radium than any other puol1e instiiu-
ton IN the world, we deprecat, broad.
general statements appearing from
time to time to the effect tnat tho use
or radltm is unprofessional, Improper.
lnehectlve. unwise or dangerous az
therapeutic agent
"Unwarranted condemnat.o1 OF the
use OF rad1um in the treatment Of can
Ger, based on data not thoroughly in
Vestlgated, is misleading to the public
ana serves no good purpose. When
doubt IS thus cast upon the efficacy
OF the method it is apt to cause grave
mental disturbance in the patient. to
interfere with proper treatment and to
hamper the best efforts of our physici-
ans and surgeons"
500 Physicians Use Radium
In his defense Of the use of radium
IN the treatment of the disease DR.
fleid pointed out that more tnan 5Or
physicians throughout the world were
WORKING daily with 115 grams of
radlum, valued at $13,0O0,00o.
nave never heard of single one
o1 these physicians giving up his ra-
dunn or losing interest in the results
ne was attaining" said DR.. Field. CAL
though the knife and the surgeons art
must still hold first place in cancer
treatment, the Investigations reported
by all the notable radium hospitals Of
Europe and America put radium on an
equal basis.
"Radium is still in it's early days CT
experiment and hopefulness, and re-
ports concerning its success should be
guarded. AT present our belief is that
cancer IN It's primary stages may be
cured by surgery plus radium. To deny
either agent of treatment its rightft.I
place puts the critic in the position.
of being unduly biased or ignorant"
While not claiming that radiurn
you'd cure all types of cancer, Dr
Field said that from his observations
OF ten years it had permanently i'm
proved from 90 to 95 per cent Of
superficial cases and had similarly i'm
proved 20 per cent of deep seated con-
ditions over the knife.
The most important recognized ad-
vance of radum therapeutics to-day
he declared, was its pre-operatlve APP
plication.
Dr.. Field called attention to the
Importance of National Cancer Week,
auspices of the American Society for
the Control of Cancer. Many cases
of cancer would be prevented, he said
II the public were aware Of the
symptoms. During the week 100000
pieces of literature dealing with the
disease will be distributed through
out the city, under the direction of
Mrs. Samuel Adams Clark. chairman of
the extension committee, and scores of
lectures will be delivered on the sub
ject by noted scientists and physicians.
Archbishop Indorses Campaign
A letter from Archbishop Hayes also
calling attention TO the Importance OF
cancer week and to the health, exposi-
ton which will be held from November
8 to 10 was read in every church of the
diocese Yesterday The Archbishop
said that he considered the campaign
for the prevention of cancer of such
Importance that it should be mentioned
III every pulpit.
"A nationwide movement is under
way to help arrest the fell disease of
cancer" the Archbishop wrote. "Sev-
eral prominent Catholic physicians
have appealed to NE to urge our Cath
olic people to take advantage of the
literature that will be placed at our
church doors with regard to the control
of cancer"
The Archbishop urges every one to
take advantage Of the opportunities for
better health.
A meeting will be held at The New
York Academy of Medicine, II West |
Forty-third Street, Wednesday evening, !
when the merits of surgery and radiam
in the treatment OF cancer viii! be dis |
cussed The speakers will include Or. /
William II, Woglom, associate director |
of the Crocker Cancer Research Labo-
ratory of Columbia University: DR.. |
Douglas A. Quick. CT .Ehe radiuf1 de- |
pa rtment of Memorial Hospital Dr. |
Joseph A. Blake, DR.. Howard c. Taylor |.
and DR.. Edward l.. Keyes jr {
Caruso's Brother OH WAY Here
ROME, Oct. 30.--Gi>vanni, brother Of
the late Enrico Caruso, has sailed for
America on board the steamship Dante
Alighieri. He was accompanied by an
IN Il ~, 10 Ia ~