The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-11-11
Eight Experts EnterCGncer Fight Field
 Public Heolth
 Service Co Push
 Control Prosrom

Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. ii-(uP)- The United States Public Health Service soon will have eight or more cancer experts working in the field in the Governments concentrated program to control the disease, 1t was disclosed today.
 These experts will be part of a cancer control section now being set up by the Health Service, Dr. Austin V Deibert, chief of the program said they will work with state health authorities.
 Deibert collaborated with Dr, Leonard A. Scheele, assistant chief of the National Cancer Institute, fin preparing a paper read at a meet ing of the Public Health Cancer Association held in advance of the Fist annual session of the Amer ican Public Health Association which opens tomorrow.
 Deibert said plans called for one or more medical officers to be as- signed to each of the eight Public Health Service district offices to expand the cancer control pro- grams.
 Deibert said that increasing can- cer consciousness among the Amer ican people will force Congress to appropriate more funds for intensi- fled research. He recalled that some bills were introduced at the last session of Congress. but were de- feated. The Government did appro- priate $l4,250,000 to help the states in general health, of which $2,5OO,- 900 was earmarked for cancer work.
 Dr. Edmund G.. Zimmerer, di- rector of the division of cancer con- trol, Iowa State Department of Health, stressed the importance of education in the fight against can- cer. He said this education should not be limited to the physician, but also should include all practitioners, dentists, nurses. and social workers and others who have the occasion or opportunity to advise in health mat ters or in early cases of cancer.
 Evelyn A. Potter, biometrician, of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, also said that educa- ton played an important part in controlling cancer. She recalled the program in Massachusetts and said that beginning in 1893 there was a downward trend in female cancer.
 The value of education and know ledge also was demonstrated as a weapon against tuberculosis during a l2-year experiment in the Syra- cuse, N Y, schools, pr. William E. Ayling of Syracuse reported.
 Ayling. speaking before a pre- convention meeting of the Amer ican Health Association Governing Council, said that nearly 35. 600 Syr- acuse school children in the IS to l9 age groups were given tuber- culosis patch tests and that 5,586 tested positive. In turn these were given chest x-rays and treatment advised where the cases were sus- picious or active.
 In 1894 when the tests were be- gun, the percentage of children showing positive reaction was 35 The figure now has been reduced to 6.2 percent.
 The tests were made on a volun- tary basis, but in some schools 90 percent of the parents approved of the plan. The tests also were given school teachers and other personnel working in the schools, Ayling re- ported only a few were positive.
 The APHA meeting opens form ally tomorrow. Virtually every phase of public health and medical re- search will be discussed. Some 500 physicians. research scientists and health authorities are attending.