Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-11-23
VITAL FACTS ABOUT CANCER.


l. During the Great War the Uni
ted States lost about $4,000 soldiers.
During the same two years 10000
people died of cancer in this country.
Cancer, is now killing one out Of every
ten persons over forty years of age.
2. Many of these deaths are pre-
ventable, since cancer is frequently
durable, if recognized and properly
treated in its early stages.
3. Cancer begins as a small local
growth which can often be entirely
removed by competent surgical treat
ment, or, in certain external forms,
by using radium, X-ray or other
methods.
A.. Cancer is not a constitutional
or blood" disease; there should be
no though of disgrace or of 'heredit-
airy faint" about it.
5. Cancer is not a communicable
disease. 1t is not possible to "catch"
cancer from one who has it.
6. Cancer is not inherited. It is
not certain even that tendency to the
disease is inherited. Cancer is so fire.
quent that simply by the law of
chance there may be many cases in
some families, and this gives rise to
much needless worry about inherit
ing the disease.
Z. The beginning of cancer is usu-
ally painless: for this reason its in
sidious onset is frequently overlook
ed, and is too easily neglected. Other
danger signals must be recognized
and competent medical advice obtain
ed at nee
8. Every persisting lump in the
breast is a warning sign. All such
Jumps r by no means cancer, but
even innocent tumors of the breast
may turn into cancer if neglected.
8. In women continued unusual
discharge or bleeding requires the
immediate advice of a competent
doctor. The normal change of life is
not accompanied by increasing flow
ing which is always suspicious. The
return of flowing after is has once
stopped should also be considered sus-
picious. In men any reddish color in
the urine is very suspicious of cancer
in the bladder or kidney; though it
is also seen sometimes with stone of
the bladder or kidney. Do not ex-
pect the doctor to tell you what the
matter is without making a careful
physical examination.
10. Any sore that does not heal,
particularly about the mouth, lips or
tongue, is a danger signal. Picking
and irritating such sores, cracks,
alterations, ETC., or treating these
skin conditions by home remedies,
pastes, poultices, caustics, etc., is
playing with fire. Warty growths,
moles, or other birthmarks, especially
those subject to constant irritation,
should be attended to Immediately if
they change in color or appearance,
or start to grow. Avoidance of
chronic irritation and removal of just
such seemingly insignification danger
spots may prevent cancer.
IL. Persistent Indigestion in mid
die life, with loss Of weight and
change Of color, or with pain, vomit-
ing, or diarrhoea, call for thorough
and competent medical advice as to
the possibility of internal cancer.
II. Radium is a useful and prom
Using mean of treatment for some
kinds of cancer, in the hands Of the
few skillful surgeons and hospitals
possessing sufficient quantity of this
rare and very expensive substance;
it must not be thought of as a ure
all for every form of ancer. No
medicine will cure cancer. Doctors
and institutes which advertise 'cures
without the knife" play upon the
patients fear of operation in a way
that leads too often to the loss Of pre-
cious time, and fatal delay in seeking
competent treatment. Go first to
your family physician.
10. Open warfare by open discus
sion will mean the prevention Of
many needless deaths from cancer.
the common belief that cancer is a
hopeless malady is partly due to the
fact that cases Of successful treat
ment are frequently concealed by the
patient and his family, while cases Of
failure (too often resulting from de-
lay) are apt to become common know
ledge.