The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-12
POpular HeaLth AdUice

Edited by Dr. Morris Fishbein of the editorial staff of Hygeia and of the Journal of the American Medical asso. citation.
 (Copyright, 1924, by North American AL
 iiance,, for The .Ags.Hsrald)
 Just as business man may, on occasion, take an inventory of stock, so also do medical research workers before undertaking a problem, take stock of the knowledge in hand so that they may know how to proceed. The minister of health in Great Britain, re- cognizing that the problem of controll- ing cancer is one of the greatest health questions of the day, asked the director of the imperial cancer research fund, in consultation with a committee of the greatest authorities on cancer in England, to furnish him review of the main lines that research on cancer has followed during the past few years. Following is a resume which states as nearly as possible without technical phraseology the main facts brought out and their application to the care of this disease
 About 1915 it became possible to iri- duce the formation of growths display ing the typical features of cancer by the continued application of tar and other substances. This was important, because it permitted investigators to produce cancer at will in animals.
 It has been found possible to trans, feT cancer growths from one animal to another of the same species. This ex- pefiment is important because it showed that the growth of the cancer is not dependent on some change in the mateabolism or general chemistry of the 'body. In other words, the cancer cell itself is the important factor and not the person on whom the cancer grows. -
 The fact that of ten children born, nine die from causes other than can cer suggested tha tthe majority of per sons posses something in their bodies that makes them resist the disease, just as they may something in their bodies to make them resist other diseases It was found that a resistent state could be established in animals by inOcula- tions either of cancer tissue or of nor nal tissues, but it was only effective against tumors. This is obviously a fact of the greatest importance in arriv' ing at the nature of cancer and may lead to some practical discovery ir the future that will be of aid in check ing the disease,
 When those mysterious substances that seem to be so important in pro noting body growth-the vitimans- were discovered it W asthought that tht rapid growth of cancer cells might bt in some way related to vitamin intake Experiments have now been made witl such vitamins as are known to th' scientists and the results seem to show that these vitamins, at least, have nt relation to the growth of cancer.
 The theories as to the cause of can cer thus far most thoroughly studied include the one that it may be O bacterial origin, the theory that cer tain cells of the body may be isolated within the body during the develop ment of the embryo within the uteru' ] of the mother, and that, later in life these suddenly begin to grow; the the sudden reversion of some of the bodl cells to the rapidly growing type tha is represented by the sexual cells; and finally the conception that chronic ir | riation js a factor of great importance l III CduSlUB CduCeEs 4uC oEAIioA 0uthOA ities find that the evidence thus fa1 advanced to support any of the frs three theories as to the cause of can cer is not sufficient to warrant thei acceptance. None of the experiment undertaken has resulted in producin a cancer. On the other hand, exper iments with chronic irritation hav' been quite successful in causing the ap pearance of caneerous grOwths.
 Various forms of irritation have beer used. It is now rather well know1 that workers with the X-ray during thu early stages when they did not know that they must protect themselves, de velopd grOwths of the skin which caused great mutilation and frequently death 1t has been possible to produce can cer of the ear in rabbits and to pro duce that form of malignant growtl known as sarcoma in rats by repeated ly exposing them to the X-ray. Thi does not mean that the use of thu X-ray is dangerous now, because W, know that the use of proper filter for protection will permit the use O the day for beneficent purposes with out any possibilities of stimulating tn appearance of cancerous growths.