Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-05
CANCER la COMMON ENEMY
By Frederic J. Haskiu

Washington, July 5.-Cancer is the
next common enemy that man n
scheduled 10 Gght. Al over the world
this mysterious disease is taking heavy
toll
In Kashmir, where the natives carry
charcoal stoves like mufB for warmth,
cancer Of the walls Of the stomach IS
often contracted as result Of the con
tinuous heat and irritation. In the Philip
pines native women chew thc fiery betel
| nut and even park wads Of their favOrlte
chew in the cheek over night Cancer
Of the check with them IL a common
malady.
Among thighly civilized races the dis
ease finds more victims than among the
| Asiaticg Cancer ls taking more lives ~
our own country each year than we lost
in the war One pers0n IN every ten
who lives TO be more than 40 years old
dies of cancer The death rate from u
IN this country IS gald ~ be- on the
increase.
This is the situation as detailed by the
/ American Society for tho Control Of
Cancer. Yet the outlook is hopeful, The
society believes Each year the OFganiza-
tion ls holding Cancer Week all over
the country. and doctors and prominent
citizens are giving their time ~ arouse
the public 10 the importance Of fighting
cancer ntelligently.
Gradually people are beginning ~
rcolize that cancer can be cured ~ Its
, carly stages, and they are learning -
recognize the symptoms. But there are
still people who believe that cancer IS
inevitably fatal, and 80 long as ths
T impression remains little hcadway can
be- made against the disease.
tuberculosis hos hoen checked 10 -
devastating advance only eInce peopll
, learned % treat il intelligently instead Of
carefully hiding II IS family disgrace
Cancer u still widely regarded trom
1 medieval standpoint. II Is thought oi ~
- an afliction so terrible that 10 one mus
g admit even 20 himself that he has j
! until the worst - definitely known. !
g lump that grows with sinister regnlarf.
| is inst a httlc tumor" And If u turn
n out t0 be u cancer thc victim comfort
z himself with the thought that no'hint
= could have been done anyway.
Doctors cstirn ate that whole yea
masses IN the ave rage cancer case befor
0 the patient grows sufficiently alarrne
~ consult an expert BY that time N
p disease NAV have spread 30 through n
BODY that even though the local car
T. crrous growth - removed the tFoohl
. may appear elsewhere
. Curable In Early Stage.
This IS unfortunate, We are tol'
a because l. is 50 unnecessary. With a
- ~ r.s~rCfsrtrtz or
Is fact shines out That Is that canc'
:. IN ts early, local stage u d"fnIfei
+ durable. Once il spreads 20 the gisnf
5 and through the blood 10 other parts
n the bodv. doctors are practically he'll
< ICES
d The difficulty j. 70 make people 'nde
.g stand the symptoms and the danger
1f DELAY in obtaining diagnosis and tFea
ment- Cancer "a not Ike typhoid
scarlet fever. diseases that run SUI
n course and leave the body. Il IS mo
ia Ike the attack OF decay N tOOt
y Il implants Itself insldiously IN an L
Sc dividual, perhaps without any warnlr
!" OF pain. In some mole, or scar, or til
8. sore. a few normal cells become iawles'
As one doctor puts it, the cells lose the
ability 10 live community exstenc'
they go crazy. So,
At first their wild course does lit
apparent injury. If the Wild cells q
near the surface OF the skin an aonorm
condition IS generally noticed IN
unusual growth or appearance n
troublesome cells are growing and
poison IS being manufactured. y
destructive work IS begun. Il Is IN q
local stage that the wild cells can
controlled. The American SOCIETY for (
Control Of Cancer is urging that lun
or other suspicious symptom should
examined by a. competent PhysSlcl
a. soon as It is noted-wIthin IS hot
if posslble-instead Of allowing 1t
90 for a year Untreated-
Like 4 decaying tooth. cancero
tissue LETT alone goes from bad 70 wor'
Il Is estimated that the disease u
treated Is practically 100 per cent lat
On the other hand. even with the della
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