New-York tribune., 1921-11-01
Cancer Experts
Defend Radiun
Against Deaver
Declaration of Surgeon That
Ray Fails as a Cure Is
Deprecated as Unjusti-
fled, and Successes Cited
Educational Campaign On
Lectures and Distribution
of Pamphlets To Be Con-
tinued Throughout Week

tAiltaCu throughout week
Further protests against the state
ment OF DR.. John B. Deaver, of Phil
adelphia, addressed to the American
College of Surgeons, to~the effect that
radium is doomed in the treatment
Of cancer, were expressed yesterday
by DR.. Robert Able, of st. Luke's Hos
pital, DR.. George Stuart Willis, direc-
tor of the radium department Of the
Post Graduate Hospital, and DIR. Har-
vey r. Gaylord, director of the Insti-
tutc for the Study of Malignant Dis
eases. Advocating the cause of ma
Sunday under the auspices of the
American Society for the Control Of
Cancer, each gave his views on the
value Of radium therapy in the treat
ment of cancer and other malignant
growths.
DR.. Gaylord told of demonstration
by the State Institute for the Study
OF Malignant Diseases before the Buff
twenty-five cases of cancer came under
inspection. Evidence Of the disease
had disappeared from all Of them
through the use of radium, he said.
Calls Statement Unfortunate
"Dr. beavers statement that radium
is a failure was a most unfortunate
pronouncement for prominent man to
make and could only indicate that he
was not conversant with the recent de-
velopnlent of radio therapy," said DR..
Gaylord. "For cancer Of the skin
radiation is practically a cure. For the
type OF cases shown at the meeting in
Buffalo, many of them beyond the hope
of surgery before treatment. there
could be no argument that the pri-
mary successes obtained were pure
gain. We are just at the beginning of
the development of the field of radia =
ton in the treatment Of cancer and
no man can foretell it's future posi-
bilities or limitations, but the improve
ment of the last year in radiation
technique indicates that further prog
ress will surely be made. Dr. Deaver
must have referred to cases in which
adequate amounts of radium were not
available or where the more recent
methods Of applying radium were not
at hand. The State Institute is en-
gagged n stu lying this problem scien-
DR.. George Stuart Willis, director OF
the radiu2a department Of The Post
Graduate Hospital, yesterday affirm ed
his belief in the efficiency Of radiun1
and in the value of radium therapy in
the treatment of cancer.
Fears Effect on Patients
"The misstatements made by DR.
Deaver at the Congress of Surgeons
at Philadelphia are most unfortunate
not so much from the standpoint of
the value of radium therapy as from
the effect that it may have on the
thousands ina this country who are at
present undergoing radium treatment .
ha said. "Radium has never beer
claimed to be cure for all cancer. II
i. only those cancers which are acces-
sihle to the action Of radium rays fol
which cure may have been claimed
Dr.. Robert Able, pioneer in radium
therapy in America, gave out the fol
lowing statement regarding the eff
! cacy OF radium in treatment of cancer:
"Radium is superior to anything else
in the treatment Of the mild destruc-
tive cancer attacking the eyeIds, nose
and face. No man who will follow the
progress Of those who were pioneers
can be blind to the value of this rem
edy, unexpectedly put into the hands OF
/ the surgeon.
"Ihe surgeon Of yesterday will not
use radlum, but the surgeon of to-day
VIII find It a new and valuable means
Of checking this dread disease
The city Police Department. through
Dr.. Carleton Simon, Special Deput,
Police Commissioner, and Chief Magis.
trate McAdoo, has offered its full CO.
operation to the American Society TO,
the Control of Cancer in it's "Cance1
Week" campaign. An effort is beinr
made 10 arrange a series Of talks or
the subject in the various police dis.
tricts.
Surgeons Indorse Campaign
The following telegram was received
yesterday at the Headquarters of THE
society, 26 West Forty fifth Street. from
DR.. Franklin H. Martin, secretary gen
eral Of the American College of Sur
geons, Philadelphia:
The following resolution was passed
by the board of regents of the Amer
here: Resolved, That the American
College of Surgeons fully indorses tn,
work of the American Society for thu
Control Of Cancer and urges the co
operation of every fellow of the col
lege.'"
More than a million pamphlets al
ready have been distributed by tn,
various organizations working will
| the American Society for the Contro
Of Cancer. Lectures were given in vari
Gus parts OF the city yesterday ant
| he Ahrn ", IL
A fund is being raised by popula
subscription in Middletown, n Y, t.
buy a community packet OF radium
| More than $4,000 already has beel
procured.
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