The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-07-16

questions OF general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
think that this was fairly easy
and advantageous health rule TO
follow.
1t il literally true that month
BY month the possibility OF com
plete removal Of any form of these
new growths dlminisheA in a def
mite arithmetical progression. 1t
is also true that the great major
ity Of these growths are local at
first and only become generallzed
later on. Why, then. should any
one delay treatment at the earll-
est possible time
The American Society for the
Control Of Cancer has collected
some figures which snow where
the responsibility lies. In a series
Of 1853 cases in which the patient
presented himself too late for sue
cessful treatment. the patient was
responsible in 80 per cent, the
physician IN l. per cent, and both
patient and physician were re-
>ponsible in the remaining, over
q per cent.
The average delay in this series
vas eight and one-haif months.
That is, delay in starting treat
ment after the condition could
nave been adequately diagnosed.
Causes of Delay
Some OF the figures are illumi-
mating. In cancer of the face and
skin the patient was responsible
in II per cent of cases, the physI-
cIan was res ponsiO Die for delay in
no cases, and both physician and
patient were responsible for delay
in ) per cent Of cases; the aver
age period Of delay was over II
months. In breast cancer the
patient vas responsible in Is per
cent of cases, the physician alone
was responsible in 3 per cent, and
the physician and patient were
responsible in > per cent; the ay-
erage delay was l. months.
Reasons for delay were: The
patient did not consider the symp-
tomss serious enough. This oc-
CURED in more than one-half Of
cases. Pure negligence accounted
for II per cent of delays. expense
for 10 per cent, fear OF cancer,
per cent, fear of doctors. q per
cent, treatment by 'cultists or
those who promised non-operative
treatment, u per cent.
| am not surprised that delay
occurred in a large number Of
cases of cancer of the stomach
and Of the large bowel. These be-
gin SO insidiously that | have
known a number of doctors who
succumDed to them simply because
there were no early symptoms.
Generalized Cases
In another group of cases the
condition il apparently more or
less generalized from the begin
ming. | judge that this happens
in about 3 per cent Of all cases
belonging TO such groups as those
We call sarcomA in children. In
another group of true cancers
there IS apparently some change
In the body chemistry which abb
solutely dooms the patient to re-
currence of spread by the blood
and lymph stream. and these are
more or less hopeless. But in 80
per cent Of cases the condition 10
local from the beginning and
could be cured by early treatment
In this group belong most cases
of cancer Of the skin and of the
breast; as shown in the statistics
given above Doctors are seldon
responsible in this class Of case.
Most Of these growtns on the
skin can be removed by the X-ray
or by radium, entirely psinlessly,
and with no disqualification.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
NJ. B.: Please discuss diverticu-
losis in your column. What causes
1t and is there a cure for it, Does
1t often become malignant?
Answer: A diverticulum is
poucning out of mucous mem
brane. When several of these oc-
cur, it is known as diverticulosis.
The place where they are found
most frequently is the lower bow
Ell. They can be treated success
fully. Occasionally they become
malignant