The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-30
SKIN CANCER AND HUMAN NATURE

From ordinary experience in general practice I regard the dealing with human nature the most formidable part of the successful treatment of of the skin cancer of the lip. If the doctor can manage the patient and the pa tients well meaning but dangerous advisers, the cure of the cancer is almost assured. But human nature is too often an insurmountable obstacle. Here is where the cancer quack has an advan- tage and the patient, being human, is eager to grasp at straw. The honest doctor cannot ure of the home doctor to give the patient posi- tive assurance of cure convinces the patient. If he she is very ignorant and credulous that the home doctor is incompetent. no good: espe- cially if some plausible cancer charatan sends a long distance promise of cure in a booklet or other bit of imposing bait.
 Testimonials too, have a powerful appeal to human nature. The victim of the cancer is eager to believe the testimonial the quack offers is gen uine and credible. In few instances perhaps it is, for unquestonably the caustic pastes and medicaments used by quacks for the destruction in But triflling weakness in most testimonials of cancer cures is quite overlooked tmonials when they are somewhat overwrought with the conviction or expectation of a cure, and so it happens too often that by the time the tes- timonal is printed and circulated widely, the person who wrote it is worse afflicted than be- fore.
 In a recent report by Dr Alden Williams, Grand Rapids, on the radium treatment of skin cancer. which has given 93 per cent of success full results in cases carefully followed up, I find this significant observation:
 'In following up the results of radum treatment may be quite of seeing the
 
 ried and thinks himself worse; but it is hard to get him to come back for observation after ever, that request almost any patient will mail stamped return letter of inquiry so planned to require only word two of response"
 That'S human nature for you! Dr Williams says that superficial skin cancer (epithelioma) gave 6S per cent of cures by sur gcal excision T. years ago. The addition of X-ray treatment brought the percentage of cures up to about 75 ten years ago Five years ago the in aSc dosage and electro-coagulaton still further in- creased the percentage of cures. But from ex- sometimes combined with electrO-coagulatior (dathermy), Dr Williams feels that this form of
 In another part of his report the author refers to the fear of surgery refusal of operation on the part of some patients Fifteen or 20 years ago that fear drove many a victim into the hands of | quack-whose paste or "oils" destroying the | tissues by crude caustic action. must always be more painful and more dangerous than clean l surgical operation. Perhaps with the most effec- tive use of X-ray and radium to-day this grave pitfall will not catch so many victims It is good to thin. that science is winning over even hu- man nature.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Way Barnum Liked 'Em Our whole family read your column with great | interest and delight a while ago you cx.
 ceets os Py cose GcD5 a. been using it for about year and can highl! l recommend it. True, it costs - Ca whale o big pricc) but used conservatiycly gives q fresh, smooth appearance and crases lines from the face Miss l.. H. H.)
 AnSwer-I have received hundreds of volun- tary testimonials for plain cold cream (freshly made by your own druggist after the official for. mula for Ointment of Rose Water in the Phar- | macopoea). and many for the plain skin oil fully described in our free pamphlet about the Care of the Complexion and preparation of Skin | Oil, all of which cordial yours, and these preparations cost about one- fifteenth as | much as the extravagant nostrum you affect young woman. That wicked eXtravagance is the only objection have to the nostrum in question /, aside from the false and fraudulent claims the manufacturers make for the effects of the nos | trum. I should think any girl with heart would be ashamed to squander money like that to no good purpose, with many better girls suffering from want of actual necessities, to say nothing of the little luXuries conceits which every girl should have.
 InvaIids Should Mind the Doctor I was telling my sister-in-law about your iodr ration. But she has tuberculosis, and a doctor iI Colorado and another in Alabama told her she should not use fOdin at all. (M. l.. L.) Answer-Invalids should implicitly obey their own physicians advice, and never listen to the well-meant but often dangerous advice of friends relatives or kind strangers. My suggestion of the iodn ration is only for people who are not under medical care. Kids Like Raw Celery Cabbage . If you dislike raw cabbage, try a salad or sandwich of celery cabbage. It is mider than or dinary cabbage but crisp and tasty Our children eat 1t like pOpcorn-we keep a dish of it on hand economical than lettuce at this season, and keeps better. It Is astonishing how many people have never tried it. or perhaps never heard of it. (NIrs s. J. Al
 Answer-Thank you. It sounds good.