Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-09
PUBLIC AID ASKED
INF|GHT ON CANCER
Public Health Service Points
Out Rayages Among
People of U. S.


be examined by . physician at least
ence annually.
'.Many cases Of cancer can be cured
end many more prevented, II the gen.
eral public will give its full cooperation
to the medical profession, which IS
striving to eliminate this disease" II
Is asserted. The statement follows IN
full text:
There can be but little doubt in the
minds of the students of public health
that cancer presents today the out
standing problem in this fleid
One by one mastery has been gained
ever the various communicable diseases.
so that nowadays the practical pfeven-
ton of most OF them Is within the
power Of any society willing to spend
the funds for adequate health service
AS Q natural result, the advances IN
preventive medicine and the science OF
nutrition. the great decline In the M
FAINT mortality rate, coupled with Q
falling birth rate and improved social
and economic conditions. have had the
effect of adding many years to the ex-
pectation of life at birth.
Increase of Disease.
Yet. the bulwark of protection which
advances in sanitary science have
erected against the hazards Of the first
decades of life seems to have preserved
the individual only to subject him to
a liability of death from malignant
disease, which apparently has stead
ily increased during the period for
which American vital statistics have
been available; that Is, since the es-
adjustment In 1900 Of the registration
area for deaths.
In 1900. when the registration area
was FIRST formed the crude death rate
from cancer was SO per 100000 Pepu.
lation. In 1920 it was 1874, in 1925
(the latest available figures) it was
96.l, an increase over tne crude death
In 1929 the total number Of deaths
from cancer was 1852. This makes
cancer the second most important Gauss
Of death. Heart disease alone, with
245, 0OO deaths, claimed greater num-
Der of victims.
One Of the most striking increases
IN the death rate has been in the So
called external forms Of cancer such as
cancer of the breast and cancer Of
the mouth, in which because of tbs
superficial position errors in diagnosis
are low as compared with the posi-
bility for error in deep-seated cancer
such as those of the stomach or other
internal organs.
The conclusion has been reached
after careful study of statistics thai
in the 2l-year period from 1900 Il
1920, about two-thirds of the increase
observed IN cancer death rate OF per-
sons 10 years old and over was due
to an actual increase in the mortality
of the disease. For the present it
can only be assumed that the increase
Is bound up in some way in the ex-
Extraordinarily complex development oil
our modern social environment. Since
physical. chemical and biological proc.
esSes all tend to a state of equilibrium
we nay also venture to hope that the
cancer death rate will not continue II
grow indefinitely, but in the absence Of
the discovery Of preventive measures
will sooner Or later become stabilized
The fact Of this increase in the cancer
death rate, however, should serve as q
spur To stimulate research and to JUS
tify its extension.
Must he Removed.
II Is the general opinion Of scientist.
that cancer Is at first q local disease
Something goes wrong. with the regu.
lating mechanism of the body and a.
q result the unwholesome persistent
growth begins and once begun it canno
stop.
There Is no evidence to show tina
fore, no occasion to, shun person wfs
has cancer, so far as danger of con
tracing the disease Is concerned. TIT
precautions to be taken by those WIKI
come in contact with cancer patient;
are only such as should be followed
with infected wounds. Cancer Is q
disease against which improved santa
ton Is not capable Of producing AM
effect and personal hygiene has but
limited application.
It Is desirable to treat all diseases
In their early stages, but in no affec'
ton Is It more necessary than II
cancer. The danger Is like that of {
fire. At first there is but spark. which
can readily be extinguished. AS tbs
flames spBead the fire becomes more
and more unmanageable. At last q
consuming fire develops and control
no longer within human power.
Needs Medical Care.
The organized war against cancer
which ID being carried on in all civ.
tli7ed countries aims to discover all in.
dividual cases OF the disease at thu
earliest possible time. ana to adviS,
competent medical care for the patient
The patient must give full co-opera.
ton TO the medical profession, fol
1t is obviously impossible for a ply
stefan TO render any help unless thC
patient applies for it, The first thing
then, Is for the public to learn tn,
DANCE signals of cancer and report
tmmedi Itely to q physician upon .sus.
picion being aroused that cancer
present or impending.
The second line Of attack is re.
search. More facts about cancer meek
70 be dkscOvered--how and why 1t oc
ours; BY what procedure it may be pre-
vented and cured. There is q grea
deal OF Information upon these sub
Jects already, but there is need fol
more
Many cases OF cancer can be curec
and many more prevented, If the gen.
eral public will give its fun co-opera,
ton 10 the medical profession, which
" striving TO eliminate this disease
Physical examinations at periodic In.
teryaS made with an eye alert K
cancer afford one of the best mean,
Of protection against this disease
Such examinations should be taker
once q year after the age of IS hal
been reached
Surgery, X-ray and radium are tn,
main weapons which are used to com.
bat this disease. They are used as
preventive and as a cure They ar
employed as preyentiyes when they re-
move pre-cancerous condition and q
cure when they eliminate canoe
itself
Reasons for Fatalities.
One OF the reasons why cancer is 81
frequently fatal lies in the fact tina
those attacked are at first inclined (,
tegnpoFize with the condition some
try home remedies. others put theii
faith in the advice Of persons who
know little or nothing about this sub
iect.
When person suspects that he or sht
has cancer the thing 10 do Is TO apply
imnediately to a competent physician OF
20 clinic. II he has good family ply
Eician, that is the person to be consulted