THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19862, 25 February 1930, Page 13

THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

TO "!SS MITOtt or THE PRESS. Sir —While the subjcet of cancer is to much before "the publie, may I beg a little space in- your paper in which to present the View, not of the man in the street this time, but of the woman.' I know that very many women hold my view, and I think that unless something definite is jdoso to combat it, the doctors w'liuot make the desired headfay in the campaign. Wc hear from ihem, Sir, of 'the 'fear of people, iand particularly women, of 'going to thorn for diagnosis when they suspect trouble, and they are guite right, but does it ever occur to them that it is not so much fear of the disease itself, but of the cost? Tale the case of, say,-the wife of- » professional man with an income of lound about £SOO p.a. There is a family of four or five children to bring up and educate according to the standards in Tvhich she and her husband were reared undertaking more difficult in these days for obvious reasons! The wife does most' of the work of the home, also for obvious reasons, and finds, i probably in the forties, that her health is giving cause for anxiety. Her first thoigbt ia' of a visit to a doctor — tie one immediately following is: "I trader what expense this may run us »tO.". She calls to mind the case ot Mrs X, of Mrs Y, and possibly of Mrs 2, tU three of'which began with a visit to the doctor; of the doctor's decision tint as examination under an anaestietie.was desirable; of the visit to a i PjWite hospital which followed; the that another medical (puuts would be wise; then an opera"oa yhieb proved more involved than Wtfapated, the months of hospital that 'lowed,'with the accompanying heavy •urps} the discharge of the patient, to joiivaleaee; and last but by no means in. the mother's eyes, the procurjtyw suitable and not too expensive ,7 ® *be home for all these weeks *w months. J?!;!! 1 ® immediate foreground looms, f* a large dentist's bill for the unpaid. Is it surprising, |l!iat>+u' • wondered at; Sir, w i fe sa t .°, he f; frUrL- ?" •* . w t risk it; tonic will do me good. Any* Mpg on for a while." The 'Jns hanging on the doctors Tell. I hear some critic say: *5 is. the publie hospital." that the public hospitals sirous of taking cases where ' H'-fSOO p.a., or thereabouts, »>n one must cry, "Halt! " .dealing with fictitious cases 'tr&tion, Sir—l speak whereI am a middle-aged woman sensed the practical side of ® with many, and I speak etion when I say that until can be removed—or at any the doctors in their camget the practical results B , or * As to whether the W for operating, or the J. nursing homes, are exces'.?V n p opinion. Destructive " c ' iea P an d easy, and •the hope that some helpful 7 be, evolved. jj.Ck, in his eloquent and stirto the public, rightly asks ' "T influence in this urgent J think -we middle-aged ■<U)e of decided help in this '• for one, find this particu view of which I write n --obstacle in the pathway, tor a round-table coriferiea?t' t nd i, some of the P rofes " nf+ ■ art ta,k ai,d dis " !av£ n, w' ,Icr m ore speedv re- ' .j' to some cleverer per* fn <<i° . come to ie rescue T fruit in due season." syou, Sir, f or granting me so Sp-Yourg, etc., ABGARET NEWTON, -ebruary 24th, 1930.