The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-11-24
SEVERAL FACTS
ABOUT CANCER
Cancer Is An Old Disease; Records
Show 1t Existed 1900
Years b. c.

Cancer is almost the oldest dis
ease of mankind, according to a
statement issued here by the Ameri-
can Society for the Control of Can
Ger. Descriptions of conditions now
known to be cancer are found among
the fragmentary records of ancient
India and Persia. 1t was known to
the Egyptians before the time OF
Moses and is distinctly mentioned
in the Papyrus Ebers 1900 b. c.
Herodotus tells us that Democedes
cured Atossa, daughter of Darius,
King of Persia, of a cancer of the
breast $40 b. c., while Daniels was
a captive in Babylon.
Hippocrates accumulated a vast
quantity of information on the sub
! iect. lie was the first to use the
cautery, a hot piece of metal, on a
| skin cancer, 45O b. C. Leonides of
| Alexandria, 1870 B. c., first described
retraction of the nipple in cancer of
| the breast, and using scalpel and
cautery performed an operation al
most as extensive as the one per-
fected by DR.. Halstead only 20 years
ago.
Galen, the great surgeon and
physialogist. who dies A. d. 200,
wrote extensively on the subject.
His writings were still in use as late
as the time of Queen Elizabeth, and
with little exception there was no
advance in our knowledge of cancer
| pathology throughout the Byzantine
| and Renaissance periods.
During the Dark Ages, cancer was
looked upon as an evidence of Divine
| Wrath. for the ban of the church on
medical as well as other scientific
| investigation prevented anything in
the nature of research. AS a result
of this belief, great wave of faith
cure and quackery spread over Eur
ope. which reached Elizabeth, so that
| every effort to ascertain the true
nature or cause of cancer was de-
feated.
Twelve known Cancer Facts
DR.. Campbell gives them for the
good of he public.
Here are twelve known cancer
facts. They are gathered by DR.. j
l.. Campbell, chairman of the Cancer
Commission of the Medical Associa
ton of Georgia, under arrangement
with the American Society for Con
troll of Cancer, with headquarters
here.
|. If an early cancer is complete
ly removed it will not return.
2. There is a time when ever!
cancer can be cured, for it exists il
what is known to scientific men a
"precancer."
8. Cancer is first a lump or sor,
that "can be felt with the fingers OF
seen with the eye" or gives certain
definite warnings. If we knew nov
to interpret these warnings, canoe
could be cured.
4. Nine cases out of ten do no
cause pain in the early stages. Thi;
is unfortunate.
5. Cancer starts as the results 0,
long continued irritation. If irri
tatiOn is removed, cancer will not de
velop.
6. Cancer develops at the edge O
scar-where the scar and norma
tissue meet. If the scar is removed
the cancer will not develop.
7. Certain definite symptoms pre-
cede every cancer, just as surely a
wind clouds precede the rain storm
The time is coming when thes
symptoms will be needed.
8. One hundred thousand peopl
in the United States are annual!
afflicted with some form of cancer
This is on the authority of the Pub
lie Health Service.
9. One woman in every eight, whit
is over forty years of age, dies o
cancer. Three times as many WON
en- as men die with cancer between
thirty-five and forty-five years o
age. From that time on, the ratio il
more nearly equal.
10. Every person over thirty-fiv
years of age who is not sure about ;
lump, sore or unnatural discharg
should consult a competent physician
and demand a thorough examination
If the first doctor consulted canno
give a rational opinion, ask for ;
consultation
II. Procrastination has caused tn,
loss of many valuable lives.
u. Any doctor who tells you tina
he has a sure cure for cancer is
fraud. There is no such a thing az
cancer serum or any remedy tina
will cure cancer by being injected
into the veins or rubbed on the skin