CANCER IN NEW ZEALAND.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 12 October 1916, Page 3

CANCER IN NEW ZEALAND.

<j, — OPINIONS OF MEDICAL MEN

A Dominion reporter has interviewed a number of medical men in AV'ellington ivix.ii reference to cancer in reiacaou to the health of tne people. One of the doctors interviewed said: "Personally I don't think cancer is on r the increase." I am aware that according to leturns and statistics it would appear to be so, buc. I tnink the apparent increase is due to better diagnosis in th.ese days. In. past years doctors used to classify simply as tumors growths which were realily cancerous. But although we can diagnose cancer, with more certainty, k is still true that we have no' cure tor cancer, no means of treating cancer with hope of success- except by surgery. There are some forms of skin cancer that X-rays will destroy, but generally, the knife is the surest treatment. There is absolutely nothing known in medicine that will relieve cancer.

Another medical man said: "The only good ,/ohat can be done by directing public attention to the matter, I think, will be to let the people know that if they go to a doctor early they can be cured. A vtery. large proportion of cases can be cured if they are seen and treated ?a_y.-The statistics for early operations for the removal of cancer are very, very good. I should think the proportion of cures in such, cases must be as high as 80 per cent. If something sould be done to teach the people to. recognise the need for. treating a tumor (which- _iay be cancerous) belore.:,\has reached an acute stage, it would be of great value in lessening the number of deaths. I don't know whether this could be done. As for the collection of facts which might be >f value to research workers elsewhere, 1 think that this is efficiently done now."

A third doctor made the following statement: "I think some good could be done m the education of the uublic concerning cancer. We might, forinstance, emphasise the importance of the avoidance of all irritants. We could also urge that people wii_ sores or growths of any kind should allow doctors to attend to them at once. This I know is a point which it is not easy for a. practitioner to urge with over-much emphasis. An uncharitable construction is 'liable to be put udou any statement^ ours to this effect. But it is a fact that cancer in its inciuient stages can be cured by i^urgerv, and nothing can cure cancer that' has become virulent. Another point I should like to make-is this:-There are sine diseases which, though ;not cancerous in the early -stages, become 'cancerous--after-wards,-and I think that in these caf-es a more careful notification of the cause of death should be made. I think it would be a good thing if the certificate oh death were issued by the ire'dical man to the Registrar direct, instead of being given to th.c friends of the deceased person or to the ■• undertaker, as the practice is now. The doctor would be able in many, cases to nut more information into a certificate given to an. official. than into one " su;>plled to friends. For this reason, I 1 hmk, the practice should be altered." The need for more oost-mortemv examinations foe th? discovery of facts about cancer was very' s*trenwiu=Jy urged by one practitioner, who adcteld: "For the present the only known cure for cancer is early operacijri, and the public should be educated to the necessity of having any tumor examined.r It is with this object in ' view, that a pamphlet is to. be issued shortly by the public health authorities". The idea of it is not to alarm people, but to induce them to exercise /common sense in regard to' their own health, with special reference to the disease of-cancer. I think this may do -a1 very .great deal of good." :, .. . : _ "' i.ft :. ft. .