FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20910, 18 July 1933, Page 9

FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

INSTITUTE OF HEALTH'S MOVE. NEW METHOD OP DIAGNOSIS. LONDON, June 9. The Royal Institute of Public Health is about to launch a campaign against cancer. A prominent member of the council of the institute, which has been holding its annual meeting at Eastbourne, said in an interview: — "At the present time cancer causes a greater number of deaths throughout the kingdom, than any other disease. Cancer-causes one in seven or eight deaths, according to the Registrar-General's latest return. Yet there is no society, so far as I am aware, for dealing with its prevention. "A blood test has recently been discovered, by means of which very valuable information can be obtained. It is Bendien's vanadium flocculatioh test, modified and improved. Lately this test has been applied in England to more than 1000 cases, with the gratifying result that the doctors have been able correctly to diagnose the condition in more than 95 per cent, of the cases. Of the other 5 per cent., onehalf within a period of a fewmonths developed the disease. "The council of the Royal Institute of Public Health have decided to accept blood from any medical practitioner desiring to submit it for examination. The institute, through the kindness of two eminent consulting surgeons, have also "commenced a cancer preventive and diagnostic clinic to which any medical practitioner may send his patients for blood tests. The two municipal diagnostic clinics at Leicester and Greenwich have decided to avail themselves of this most recent discovery. "It is true we do not know what cancer is, but neither do we know the cause of smallpox. Yet preventive measures have almost wiped out that disease in this country."