TREATMENT OF CANCER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 218, 29 August 1927, Page 7

TREATMENT OF CANCER

USE OF LEAD & GLYCERINE

DOCTORS SANGUINE.

London, Aug. 28

A new method of treatment of cancer was revealed at an inquest on Mrs Harriet Woolley, held at Chasetown, near Walsall. Dr. Arthur Thompson said Mrs. Woollev was suffering from cancer. He attended her at the Birmingham Hospital, where he found it impossible to remove the trouble by operation. It was therefore decided to give lead and glycerine treatment. After eight injections the patient was in almost normal health. The cancer was reduced from the size of a man’s fist to that of a hazelnut. After the ninth injection, however, she developed toxic symptoms and died "i a few days-

A post mortem revealed under onetenth of a, gramme of lead, only ten per cent of which probably represented an overdose, “showing,” said the doctor, “how little turned the balance against us.” The verdict was that death was due to fatty degeneration of the liver, probably due to lead poisoning. It was disclosed that besides Mrs Woolley two other patients were treated in Birmingham. “We are sanguine thnt in these cases the cure is definite,” said a hospital official, “but before we allow ourselves to be elated we must await the full course of the treatment, which occupies six months. Then, if it is thought a cure has been effected, periodical examinations will be planned over a period of five years. We cannot be certain under that period.” The officail added that it was premature to give details of the treatment but it follows the lines of investigation by Dr Blair Bell, of Liverpool. Dr. Bell is a firm believer in the lead treatment for ‘cancer, and recently declared that it was the only specific plan upon which further advance can be made.—(A. and N.Z.)