Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-16
Cancer Of Mouth
Is Preventable,
Authorities Saw

That cancer of the mouth is a
preventable disease is the assertion
made in statement issued by au-
thority of the cancer commission Of
the Medical Association of Georgia,
as follows:
During cancer week, November
1918, the American Society for the
Control of Cancer and organized
medicine all over the country are
trying to give to the public such
facts as we'll enable them to recog-
nize cancer in it's early stage while
it may be cured.
cit would seem to the casual OBJ
server that a cancer in so accessible
part Of the body as the mouth would
be recognized and cured at once, yet
the reverse is true, for the best sta
tistics obtainable show that at least
rs per cent Of all cancers Of the
mouth are at the present fatal. This
is because they do not receive the
proper treatment at the proper time.
One Of the most prominent sur
geons in America has written an ar
ticle entitled, Cancer of the Mouth
a 'Preventable Disease and so it is
Cancer of the mouth occurs far
more frequently in men than in
women; 95 per cent Of all LESSONS are
in men who have attained the age
of Is years and over, the greatest
number occurring about the age
of 60.
Cancer Of the mouth is the re.
suit of long continued irritation. This
was first observed in the natives of
one of the Philippine islands, who are
in the habit of carrying a large nut
between the cheek >and the teeth,
Then it was noticed that it occurred
chiefly among tobacco users, one au-
thority telling us that he never saw
2 cancer in the mouth of a person
who did not use tobacco to excess.
1t is often the result of irritation
from a broken tooth or a faulty fit
ting dental plate. It occurs on the
tongue at a point opposite a broken
tooth; on the gum it is the result of
irritation from 'tarter' which accu-
mulates around the neck of the teeth.
On the lip it is caused by the ir-
ritation from pipe stem or cigar
stump carried from day to day at a
certain place in the mouth.
eve may recognize cancer of the
lip as an indolent cold sore If such
a sore does not heal readily, be sure
to see some one who is capable of
q diagnosis.
"On the tongue it is often just a
white patch loukoplakia' Eighty
five per cent Of such spots are pre-
cancer, and can be cured if treated
properly in the early stage An elder.
ly lady was seen who had such a
spot on the tongue, and was advised
to have it removed. Various doctors
were consulted, whose opinion as to
the method of removal differed, and
finally zone said: Let it alone; if it
don't trouble you any more than at
present, don't trouble it, This adj
vice was accepted. A year later it
had grown to the size of an English
walnut. The glands were invaded,
and she was doomed. At this time
radium in massive doses was resort.
ed to, which gave temporary relief,
but did not cure. Proper treatment
early would have prolonged a life
and prevented much suffering.
Cancer of the cheek and gum
may be recognized early as a sore
with hard edges. These are usually
treated with mild caustics, which
only stimulates the cells to greater
growth.
eff the mouth is kept in good con-
dition and tobacco only used in mod
GRAFTON, all rough and unclean teeth
properly cared for at once, cancer
of the mouth will soon diSaDnear"