Evening star., 1937-05-02

announcements. For one thing, the
scientific G-men have discovered how
to produce cancer-and this is an
achievement. They have also dis
covered other things of vital interest
to those who may dread to fall victim
to this strange and ruthless maladv
No one is better fitted to explain what
IS being done in the United States
Public Health Service for the citizens
Of this country than Dr. Carl Voegtlin.
HE experimental approach Is
necessary" says this gentle
voiced, scholarly German professor in
his characteristically thoughtful and
deliberate manner. up to the begin
ming of the century cancer was studied
largely by observation. Studies Of this
nature were confined for the most part
to clinical observations. autopsy ma
terial, tissues. microscopy and the clas-
siflcation OF tumors
Then began the experimental ap-
proach. Since We could not expert
ment. naturally, with human beings.
animal experimentation, using rats
and mice for the most part. was under
taken. AS in the case Of any disease,
progress is possible and much more
easily achieved If that disease can be
studied in animals The first thing
shown is that you can take a cancer
which arises spontaneously in an ami
NAL and transplant the tumor into
another individual of the same species.
You can propagate the tumor in mice
for 30 or more years"
Maude Slye of Chicago has done
some extraordinary and painstakinc
work along these lines, and made valu-
able contributions with her studies of
the heredity Of cancer or other causa-
tive agents.
Laboratory experiments in the trans
planting and propagation of cancer
Gus tumors In mice showed DR.. VoeQt-
lin states, that cancer was, after al,
not a disease, such as tuberculosis
which is caused by specific organ
ISM, but is apparently and in all prob
ability disease Of body cells That
Is tnat under certain conditions OF
chronic irritation, brought about bv
VARIOUS means, normal cells, such A
skin cells or the cells of the mammsrv
glands, will 60 over into a cancer cell
once this cancer cell is formed il
VIII oehave IN totally different FASH
ION from the normal cells from which
II arose, in one important respect
Ihat is, it will grow and multiply an.
parently without the restraining in
nuence which prevents normal tissue
cells from growing.
Cancer, then" states DR., voeot,;n
as disease is special problem of
cell growth. And it is a question of
nndlng out why the cancer cells mul-
tiply and grow apparently unre-
strlctedly and cause the destructive
actlon OF the neighboring normal
cells"
Cancer is an all-inclusive term
each kind having its own character
stlcs. But all are malignant growths.
There Is, for example, the cancer due
10 injury OF some part Of the body:
there Is the cancer due to industrial
hazards, such as exposure over
period Of time to certain chemicals
There Is also cancer due to exposure
to excessive sunlight and another
which results from exposure to x-rays
and radium.
Cancer begins, DR.. Voegtlin points
out, as local disease, and chances
of curing 1t are greatest in this early
stage. For this reason it Is important
that physician be consulted as soon
As symptoms develop that are sup-
gestive Of cancer, such as a small
lump, or growth on the skin or in
the mucous membrane OF the mouth
or tongue or any abnormal bleeding.
The physician will apply available
dlagnostic tests. He will extract a
small fragment Of tissue which will be
studied histologically and micro
scopically to see If it is cancerous.
Should it prove to be cancerous the
physician will then make use of any
one OF the weapons of science against
the disease at this sage-surgery, X
ray or radium. DR.. Voegtlin, as all
others who have made a special study
OF this disease. stresses the importance
Of early diagnosis, for cancer spreads
Continued on Sixth Page.)