The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-12-20
CANCER.

Cancer remains one of the great mysteries
which medical science has not yet solved. 1t
lis singular fact that though there has been
great progress in the treatment of the disease,
and though the cancer patient usually seeks
treatment at an earlier stage than formerly,
cancer is on the increase. DR.. Charles Mayo,
while in New York city recently, stated that
in less than two years during the war 74,oOO
men died in the army from causes incident to
the service while during the same period
10000 died in this country from cancer. Many
theories are held as to the cause Of this in
crease, but DR.. Mayo would not advance any
theory of his own. While the causes OF can
Ger are still unknown, it is being demonstrat-
ed that the disease can be cured, provided it
can be reached and if treatment is begun in its
early stages. Dr. Mayo states that cancers
occurring on the surface of the body can be
cured in nearly 100 per cent OF the cases II
treatment is not delayed. This treatment in
wolves only minor operation, whereas III the
later stages major operation is necessary.
Public education concerning the disease and
its treatment, DIR. Mayo declared, is contribut-
ing more to success in fighting cancer than
any improvements in treatment. AS knoWl-
edge of the disease increases people are in
creasingly vigilant in seeking treatment as
soon as unfavorable symptoms appear. While
the surgeons knife is the most certain cure
for cancer x-rays and the rays of radium are
proving valuable aids in treatment, though in
surgery there appear to be two schools of
thought concerning their use. On the one
hand certain surgeons condemn the use OF
radium rays, while on the other hand the rays
are declared to be practically a cure for can
Ger of the skin and show a considerable de-
gree of success in other forms of the disease.
The New York Times quotes DIR. Robert
Able, a pioneer in radum therapy, as saying
that certain of the forms of cancer yield more
quickly to radium than to any other remedy
especially those forms beginning around the
face In the treatment of mildly destructive
cancer attacking the eyelids, nose and face
DIR. Able asserts that radium is superior.
1t would seem to be conservative state
ment to assert that cancer is one of the
of modern times The history of
medical science warrants the belief that the
cause of cancer will be discovered in the
course of time, but until that cause shall be
learned and until true cancer shall be defined
the safety of humanity lies in increasing vigil
lance. This vigilance is to be stimulated by a
continuance of public education, both as to
the earlier symptoms of the disease and to
the possibility of cure through early vigorous
treatment The need of public education con-
corning cancer is fully important as that con-
corning tuberculosis and such diseases. An
essential part of this education is to remove
from the public mind the delusion, more or
less firmly rooted, that it is dscreditable to
be discovered with the affliction of cancer.
This deusion still leads people to be secretive
and delay consulting the surgeon. 1t is no
more discreditable to suffer cancer than it is
to suffer pneumonia, or tuberculosis, or any
other disease. The surgeon should be con-
suited upon the appearance of the first symp-
tom deemed to be unfavorable.