Evening star., 1940-03-04
North S Cancer Toll
Double That in South;
Cause Is Unknown
Better Diagnosis, More
Older People in North
A Partial Explanation
BY THOMAS r. HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY THOMAS r. HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.
f NEW YORK, March 4.-The can
Ger death rate in Massachusetts is
twice that in Georgia.
! Some unknown factor is respon-
sible for between 80 and 40 per cent
of this difference, it is revealed by
DR.. E. B. Wilson of Harvard Uni
versity in reply to a QUESTIONABLE
submitted to the National Society
for Control of Cancer by newspaper
science writer's.
In general, DR.. Wilson said the
best available statistics show that
cancer increases from South to
North, that the Northern States and
Canada have much higher rates
than the Southern States in general,
and that the same geographic diff
ference is found in Europe, where
such countries as Norway and Scot
land far outrank Spain and Italy
Part of the difference, DR.. Wilson
said. is that the Northeastern States,
where the highest rates are shown.
are "old communities" compared
with the Southeast. For a couple
of generations they have had lower
birthrates This means that there
is greater proportion of old and
middle aged persons in the popula-
tions. This age influence, DR.. Will
son said, can be evaluated closely.
1t disappears in such community
as New York City, out of which there
is constant exodus of persons re-
tiring from business This is bal
anced by constant influx of young
persons.
Accuracy Of Diagnosis.
Another important factor, he said.
Is the accuracy of diagnosis This is
probably the best in the world in
Massachusetts, and New York. Many
cases are detected and reported
which would never be heard of in
Georgia or South Carolina. Recent
studies make it possible to make a
fair allowance for this, he said.
The two factors together, Dr. Will
sons studies show, may account for
as much as 60 per cent of the diff
ference. No clue can be found to
explain the residue. One possibil-
ity he pointed out, is a difference in
diet. Northern communities as a
whole tend to eat more meat and
less salad. A striking fact, it was
brought out in discussion of the
question, is that cancer victims are
likely to develop a distaste for meat,
which might be interpreted as a de-
fense reaction.
Only a "Hunch."
This, 1t was stressed in the discus
sion, Is. at the best, only ''hunch"
and no evidence ever has been found
of specific relation between meat
, and cancer. The problem is further
complicated, DR.. Wilson pointed out,
by the claims of some explorers that
Eskimos in their native environment
almost never develop cancer, al
though they sometimes do when they
move south But actually, it was
explained, there are no reliable NOR
tality statistics for the Eskimos.
Sickness usually goes undiagnosed
unless it occurs close to mission,
and the average span of life is barely
sufficient to bring an individual into
the cancer age.
Efforts are being made to get sta
tistics from the Southern Hemisphere
which may show that Southern Ar
gentina has higher cancer rate than
Brazil. If the unknown factor
actually is geographic, DR.. Wilson
said, it should operate in both hemi-
spheres.
Blends More Susceptible.
One factor, it was pointed out,
may be the demonstrably greater
susceptibility to skin cancers of
blonds, compared with brunettes,
and blondness tends to increase with
latitude. This is due to the dis
turbance of skin cells by the in
visible ultraviolet rays of the sun.
1t is as a protection against these
that the skin tans. This reaction
occurs more rapidly and normally
In brunettes and may be lacking
altogether in blonds Negroes, with
a normal highly protective coloring,
very seldom have skin cancers, it
was explained.
On the other hand, it was pointed
out, Northerners are not so much
exposed to extremely penetrating
sunlight. Some of the deadliest of
all cancers are those caused by the
running wild of the melanin, or dark
pigment. cells of the skin.
The whole problem of protective
coloring will be studied intensively
by the National Cancer Institute of
the United States Public Health
Service, it was announced.
There is no positive evidence as
yet, the committee pointed out in
Its replies to the questionnaire, that
the invisible infrared rays at the
other end of the spectrum cause
cancer. There is little actual dam
ger in the use Of ultraviolet or infra-
red lamps, so long as the dosage Is
controlled by competent physician