CANCER.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18925, 14 February 1927, Page 7

CANCER.

DISCUSSION AT MEDICAL ' CONGRESS. frse.is Assocurioi! tklcgbau.) DUNEDIN, February 12. Cancer was discussed to-day by tho .Medical Congress. Professor P. MacCallum (Melbourne University) uttered » warning against extravagant claims made from time to time, and deplored the spurious pro- , minonce given somo of these. He was sceptical concerning the allegod spread of cancer, for in many cases the investigation of statistics showed that the data were insufficient, or wrongly applied. Some interesting frork on heredity in relation to cancer had been carried out by Miss Slye, who had found out that so far as mice were concerned cancer was depondent on true inherited characteristics. It was too early yet to pass final judgment on the work of Gye, whose claim that a certain form of malignant disease was duo to ultra-microscopio virus and a chemical specific factor had been challenged. In Liverpool Blair Bell had treated patientß with the collodial form of lead, and claimed success. A great deal of research was being carried out as a result of his ideas. Professor MacCallum said that it was scarcely possible to draw any useful conclusion from the heterogeneous mass of available facts. They knew a great deal about cancer, and hoped to know much more in the near future.

Dr. Wi Repa, Gisborne, said that in his experience cancer was common among Maoris, although tho reverse was held to be the case. He suggested tjiat formerly when tho Maoris were a very warlike people few of the males reached the cancer stage. Dr. L. E. Barnett, Dunedin, said that in recent years there had been an improvement in the mortality from cancer of the mouth, breast, and uterus. Dr. • A. Norton StcArthur pleaded for an earlier diagnosis. Dr. P. J>. Cameron, Wellington, was anxious that every woman suffering from cancer should be examined by a surgeon-physician, gynaecologist, and radiologist. He was satisfied that a groat deal of success had been attained by means of deep X-ray therapy.