The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1924-02-14
WHAT THE PUBLIC SHOUT
KNOW ABOUT CANrrn


In America and elsewhere caroo.
appears to be increasing rapidly. In
1922, there were 10000 more des+b.
in America from cancer than +bau.
were in 1900. There are several
sons why this is true: One of ~
chief being that medical science ~
the nursing methods of the preset
day have added many years to our
life cycle; consequently, more peonIo
than ever before reach the 'capcor
age"
We know for certainty what car
Ger is, but we do not know defni+oIu
what causes it. We know that j.
arises as the result of long continues
irritation and that it is repor+ed
from year to year with almost un,,o
rying frequency in certain parts 90
the body.
Cancer of the Digestive Tract
Digestion begins in the month
therefore, it is we'll to consider +bo
frequency and character of cancers
in this location. Five per cent Of al
cancers are on the lips or in tho
mouth. The former are most fire.
quently on the lower lip. About az
per cent of them are in men ,rbo
smoke to excess and, therefore, thew
are sometimes called the "pipe sn,o-
ker's sore" They are also cansoa
by irritation from an overbanoino
tooth, but are rarely seen in peopJe
under fifty years of age.
An early cancer of the lin looks
like a "cold sore" or fever blister"
or it may be only scaly spot which
does not heal. 1t is dangerous be-
cause it spreads quickly to the glands
of the neck. 1t may be healed by a
number of remedies only to reap
pear just under the jaw few months
later. If properly treated early, it
can be cured; but, if it reaches the
neck glands a permanent cure is
doubtful.
In the mouth cancer may be To-
Gated on the tongue, gums, or under
the tongue. 1t may resemble "gum
boil" or an ulcer when a gum boil
has opened. A persistent white spot,
ulcer, or lump, on the tongue will
very often develop into cancer. r.
ritation from broken tooth or an
illfitting dental plate is frequent
cause which can be avoided. Oral
sepsis and the excessive use of to-
bacco are recognized causes; one of
the foremost authorities on the sub
ject says, ~ have never seen a can
Ger of the mouth in an individual who
did not use tobacco to excess" This,
however, does not always apply.
A lump or ulcer on the tongue or
persistent white patch should cause
suspicion and receive attention. A
lump growing from the side of
tooth may not be a cancer, but it
should be investigated. Any lump in
the mouth, especially a "sore," is
dangerous. Do not procrastinate.
Cancers in the mouth develop from
the same layer of cells as those on
the lips and spread rapidly to the
glands under the jaw and the neck.
Excepting cancers in two other parts
of the body, those in the mouth are
the hardest to cure; therefore, they
should receive early attention. AL
though the mouth is very accessible
over IS per cent of cancers in this
location are fatal, largely because Of
neglect. Mild caustics applied by
people ignorant of the real nature Of
the disease only make it worse
Cancer in the throat is fortunately
rare. If recognized early and prop,
erly treated IT MAY BE CURED,
but, unfortunately, the victim pro-
crastinates.
Cancer of the stomach and gall
bladder 1--WE rarely have a primary
cancer of the liver) occurs with about
equal frequency in the two sexes. 1t
IS rarely seen in an Individual under
forty-five and is much more frequent
IN still older people. More than 35
per cent of all cancers are in the d.
gestlve tract below the mouth. Four
hundred and fifty of the ,213 deaths
from cancer reported to the Georgia
Bureau of Vital Statistics in 1921
were in the stomach, liver, gall bad-
der, and intestines.
1t is hard to recognize an incipient
cancer of the stomach, but nature has
provided certain signals which, if
needed, will prevent many deaths. In,