Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-02
FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.
Tho American Society for tho con-
troll OF canccr-that dreaded affection
which il such = menace in this coun-
try-is doing excellent work In i'm
parting information that may aid the
people In doing their part In staying
the ravages OF the horrible danger.
There are many things tho people
may do to ward or invasion.
One OF the most impressive warn
ings OF the society to the people Is
to place no dependence whatever upon
doctors who claim to be able to cure
cancer. Tho experienced and capable
doctors comprising tho society frank
Y state that no cure for cancer in
It's Advanced stages has yet been dis
covered, although they are hopeful
Of success eventually attending the
researches now being made. But they
say there are various ways in which
the people may avoid actual afiiction
by the scourxe In Its insidious and
fatal form by care and precaution,
and by promptly seeking competent
medical assistance at tho frst mp
proach Of the slightest manifestation
OF anything even suggestive OF
| suspicion Of cancer. An unnatural
growth Of any kind. no matter how
trivial, should be subjected to close
scrutiny.
DR.. Joseph C. Bloodgood. professor
OF Clinical Surgery at Johns Hopkins
Hospital. Baltimore. in a paper pub
lished by tho society. potently calls
attention to the inclination Of warts
to turn into cancerous affections UNI
less great care is taken to prevent
this terrible result. He says:
1T has been demonstrated by
the surgical experience OF the last
ten to twenty years that cancer
can be cured II taken In time. A
cancer, " has been found, never
| starts as a cancer. 1t always
starts as something that is not, in
itself dangerous: q lump, a mole.
| a wart, a bruise. a small ulcer,
| burn. Such things often go away
themselves and then no harm is
done. But II they remain long
time, and sometimes even a rela-
lively short time. they may turn
into cancers and then they are
very dangerous indeed.
THE safest plan is to have all
such things attended TO at once.
A good doctor can determine
whether they are likely to turn
into cancers or not. II not, simple Z
remedies Will usually suffice TO
heal them. And II they are Of
the dangerous variety. they can
be removed NJ once, and all risk
\ OF cancer prevented. Such an op-
Grafton. In these early stages. is
quick and painless. and causes
no disability. 1t can be done. as
a rule, under a local anesthetic-.
cocaine, not ether or gas. Even II
a cancer has begun TO develop.
the life of the patient may be
saved If it is taken in time. But
not II it is neglected until the late
stages The surgical records show
clearly the Importance Of early
treatment. In the early stages,
even Of undoubted cancer. the per-
centage of recoveries is very
high; in the last stages It is next
to nothing"
Here is practical advice. easil
awaited Of. Warts are common, espe
cially among children, and generall
regarded merely as a slight dishgure
ment. Here Is plain warning OF Tn
danger that may attend even an or
binary wart. Also, of the other pre-
sunlably ordinary and harmless al
fections that are cited. Far better I
look to these matters, even II. nothin
serious should really be threatened
than to incur the awful risk OF ter
rible suffering ended only by death
which is the fate of all victims of tn
cancer scourge.