The New York herald., 1921-10-16
DR.. WOOD ATTACKS
CANCER CUREQUACK
Chances of Recovery Without
Proper Treatment 1 in
100000, He Says.

An attack on quacks. both inside and
outside the medical profession. who
CLAIM, to cure cancer, is made by DR..
Francis Carter Wood. director Of the
Institute Of Cancer Research Of Colum-
bia University, in an article made puo-
lie yesterday as part Of the programme
of National Cancer Week, October 80
to November 8.
According to DR.. Wood cancer can be
cured by reputable physicians, but tho
chances Of cancer patient to live
when not taking treatment or in the
hands OF a quack is one in 100000. DR..
Wood classifies the cancer quacks as
cranks, vendors Of wonderful remedies.
advertisers of cancer cures without the
knife and physicians who treat cancer
by ineffective methods. He says:
From the scheming quack who Is
often shrewd in knowledge Of human
nature and effective in his business
methods. but without professional edu-
cation. we step across the border to
another still more dangerous group
which is composed of those bearing ths
high honors of the medical profession
and who yet treat cancer by methods
which every one should know are Of no
avail. The serious part Of this Is. as
has been said. that improperly treated
cancer is always fatal. No one minds
very much if banker prefers to have
his rheumatic joints massaged by =
chiropractor or an osteopath or treated
wholly by prayer. because the banker
does not die of his rheumatism and in
fact he may get well with or without
treatment. But II that self-same banker
or 1t may ba a bricklayer-no matter
how robust or healthy-has cancer
anywhere In the body. unless that can
Ger Is properly removed by proper
methods he will die with almost the
same degree of certainty that the sun
will rise tomorrow morning.
TRUE. 1t as been variously estimated
that perhaps one case of cancer in
100000 may disappear without treat
ment. but II Is certain the number Is no
larger than this. and Is probably much
less. SO these quacks of our profession
deny that surgery has ever produced a
cure when the statistics of the most
eminent practitioners are available IN
any text beck showing that, depending
upon the nature and situation of the
tumor from 20 UP to 80 per cent. OF
the patients with early cancer after
being operated upon have remained well
for many years.
Each one of these quacks as q rule
has a cancer theory of his own, which
theory lends support to his particular
method OF treatment. They say, for In
stance, that the Eskimos have no con-
GER; hence cancer must be derived from
eating uncooked vegetables. When con-
fronted with the fact that the Eskimo
does have cancer, but that fresh vege-
tables are somewhat scanty In the snow
covered Arctic, instantly It is evident to
the quask that cancer Is due to excessive
meat eating. So, according to his no.
tion. you either cut meat from your diet
or ehrn all fresh vegetables.
"rhe great popular interest in the
mystery surrounding radium and x-ray
he's permitted group Of quacks to play
upon the unsuspecting by giving treat
ments with insufficient quantities OF
radium and badly administered X-ray.
II too small doses Of either of these
remedies Is used the tumor is stimulated
TO grow faster rather than helped The
mechanical manipulative therapeutists
also do great harm by attempting to rub
tumors away. Instead they rub the
tumor all over the patient, prevent any
OF successful operation and
hasten the patients death"