Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-01-27
MAKE STRIDES IN
CANCER RESEARCH
Artificial Tumors Produced in
White Rats by Infesting
Them With Parasites.
x-RAY MACHINE IS IMPROVED
Rays of Unusual Power Developed by
Recently Perfected Apparatus
Will Greatly Aid in Cures
Is Notable Advance.

is NoIable# advance.
| New York. -What is called "a most
important and far-reaching contribu-
ton to cancer research is made
known by DR.. Francis Carter Wood, di-
rector of the Columbia University In
stitute of Cancer Research, endowed
by George Croker, in a report to Pres
ident Nicholas Murray Butler.
Doctor Wood states that two of the
workers in the Columbia laboratories,
DR.. Frederick D. Bullock and Miss NJ
r. Curtis Phi. D., both ranking as asso-
ciate III cancer research have discov-
cred means of producing cancer arti-
fciai4y in rats, large numbers of which
are constantly used in Columbias
work of cancer research
"After five years of hard work,
says Doctor Wood, doctors Bullock
and Curtis have finally shown that if
white rats be infested with the eggs
of a certain parasite and kept for
period of not less than eight months,
tumors will develop about the areas in
which the parasites are present, and
that these tumors are virulent cancers
which rapidly kill the animals in
which they start and can easily be
transplanted to others.
''This is not the first time that can
Ger has been produced artificially 1t
is just 146 years since the London sur
geon Pott showed that certain types of
fo1I I,
which irritating substances come in
contact with the body. The best known
of these types Of cancer is the chin
ney-sweeps' cancer, which developed to
such an extent in England that laws
were passed regulating the conditions
under which chimney sweeping could
be done.
Names Forms of Cancers.
"Other forms of irritation cancer are
the well-known Kangri basket cancer
of the Kashmir native, the betel-nut
cancer on the inner surface of the
cheek among Malays and Filipinos,
and the cancers following chronic X
ray dermatitis. 1t has also been known
that it is possible to obtain a consider
able number of cancers in animals by
inbreeding cancerous strains, but some
years are required to get enough stock,
the number of tumors so obtained is
not always large, and the time of their
appearance cannot be determined, so
that experiments requiring many tu
mors cannot be planned.
"Another means of inducing cancer
has been by painting the skin of an
animal with tar. This experiment is
based upon the observation that work
ers in briquette factories, where the
skin of the hands Is constantly in con-
tact with tar, not infrequently develop
cancer. Professor Fibiger of Copen-
hagen has shown also that cancers can
be produced in the stomachs of rats
by feeding the animals on certain
parasite, but here also the actual per-
centage of production is small.
"In the method devised in this lab
oratory. however, the yield is very con-
siderable, over half the animals of
certain strain developing cancer.
Doctor Wood quotes DR.. j. "A. Muir
ray, director of the Imperial Cancer
Research Fund, London, noted inyes-
tigator of cancer, as saying recently
that zone of the great disadvantages
which retards progress in the study of
cancer is the absence of means of
producing the diseases at will in exper-
mental animals
with the discovery made in this
laboratory" Doctor Wood adds, "this
disadvantage no longer exists"
Doctor Wood reports the construc-
ton of new machine through which,
during the coming winter, will be add
ed new and important facts to the
very vital question of the treatment of
cancer by X-ray"
Seek High-Power x-Rays.
'There has been under considera-
ton for some time" he continues, dis
cussing experimental work., the cree
ton of an apparatus for the produc-
ton of direct current at high volt
ages in order to produce X-rays of I'M
usual power, as the limitations of the
commercial machine in certain modes
of treatment are obvious.
1.-THE matter had been discussed in
an informal way during the last two
or three years with q number of ex-
perts, among them Professor Duane
and Professor Davis, and at the last
annual meeting of the Croker board
it was proposed that the accrued in
come of the Bondy fund be devoted
to the construction of more power
full constant current X-ray apparatus
than had yet been attempted, with the
necessary equipment to permit of ac-
curate determinations in physical
uaits of the exact quantity of radia-
ton given off by the X-ray tubes.
"Many unforeseen difficulties in the