South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-28
YOUR HEALTH

We have weeks for everything:
"OId Home Week" Apple Week."
Revival Week" Health Week."
Recently we had Cancer Week"
The purpose Of Cancer Week was
to call attention TO the Importance OF
the early recognition of cancer.
There are many mistaken ideas
about the disease. There appears.
among other things, an Unborn con
viction that II cannot be cured.
Many person has permitted a
growth, perfectly harmless in the be-
ginning to develop into an incurable
condition. The fear OF being told it
IS cancer. or the dread OF operative
measures. prevents disclosure OF the
trouble even to the trusted family
physician.
There are other cases, innumerable
. cases, where the victim has worried
himself almost into the grave, and,
when finally in desperation he has
consulted a doctor. Is amazed to find
the trouble is triring and unimpOrt-
ant-not cancer at all.
II IS safe to say that every Tex
ternal cancer that is, every can
Ger on the surface OF the body-is
capable OF complete and successful
removal II taken early Many other
cancers are Just as amenable 20
treatment
A Personal Experience.
While radium is assailed by some
as OF little value, I think it will be
admitted by most experienced doc
tors that il kas demonstrated its pos
tive usefulness in cancer. There is
no doubt OF what radium Is capable
OF doing in certain conditions In
these, it's effects are immediate and
unmistRkable. To my mind there is
little doubt OF its positive value In
the treatment OF cancer. If IL did
nothing more than 10 stop the dread
full pain OF this disease. that I'm itself
would be enough to commend il 10
humanity. But 1t does more than
this
Suppose you have TO be operated
en- for any condition. cancer or some
thing slss-is that so terrible7 In
spite OF an experience with anaesthe-
tics for upward OF 80 years. con-
fess always had a secret dread OF
taking an anaesthetic. During the
past five years I have submitted
twice 20 this ordeal. Rather. should
q say. submitted twice to the ordeal,
or what I supposed would be an or
deal.
To my surprise and qualification I
found II far less disagreeabie than I
had expected Consequently the sec
ond experience was not dreaded in
the least give you my word there
Is nothing terrible about taking ether
or ohlorOform.
Begin I'm Time.
Now. what about the after-effects
OF the operation? For a few hours
the raw flesh stings and burns the
drainage tube may hurt, and you
have a disagresabIe restlessness and
inability 10 get comfortable, no mat
ter how you are placed IN bed But
the next day you feel pretty we'll and
in another day are perfectly COM
Portable
Really. an operation is not one
tenth as bad as you expected Il 10 be
7 wouldn't choose an operation as a
means 20 a holiday. but I wouldn't
shed a tear even IN private. II r
Fnew I had 10 be cut half TO pieces
There IS an unhappy. unfortunate
and unnecessary dread OF the sur
con Consequently. many a victim
2 cancer has preferred to keep quiet
about his symptoms. and has suffer
"a mental anguish as a result
II you havN a growth swelling. a
lump. a tumOr. an obstinate sore
somewhere. or some other condition
which seems suspicious TO YOU. go az
Cnce 10 your doctor You need his
advice. and taken early. you viii be
spared the necessity OF any radical
treatment.