MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD. TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1902. A BAFFLING DISEASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7190, 7 January 1902, Page 2

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1902. A BAFFLING DISEASE.

I POHANGINA GAZETTE. OUARANTEnti LXnav.ST OIKCUiATIOS IN THE DISTRICT

Tjik moat feared scourge in the shape of disease amongst civilized nations is undoubtedly (hut of oaneer, and it U no wonder that the King's message to (lie last Tuberculosis Conference should emphasize the necessity for the discovery of some remedy or palliative for the disease, but notwithstanding the fact that in isolated cases there have been wonderful cures wrought, nothing in the shape of a certain remedy has yet been tried. Of course there is a great deal in the contention of those who hold that disease is not likely to take a iinu hold on the body of those who are careful in their diet aud clothing, and who regard the earo of the body as a trust confided to us as a duty. Unfortunately the vast majority of people are not built that way, and they display, either through ignorance or laziness, a want of care in their living which conduces to the spread of the disease. A few years ago the Middlesex Hospital authorities sot themselves the task of discovering the nature of and a cure for cancer. Over a century ago a pious benefactor founded cancer wards at that hospital, and abort fifty cancer cases are pertuanently*"lrept in them. The Middlesex authorities made an appeal for funds, built special laboratories, which were opened a year ago, and since then have carried on investigations with a thoroughness and to an extent unknown before. A representative of the Daily Mail had an interview recently with the director of the cancer department, who explained what was being done to solvo the mystery: " Our methods here," he said " aye to test everything -which promises relief from the disease, but especially to endeavour to learn the real nature* of cancer. The surgical method of treatment which is now the one established way is primitive. From a surgical point of view operations are very beautiful, and they often succeed iv removing all traces of disease, so that,- so far as we know, there is no recurrence. But surgery, while now the best -way of treatment, is not wholly satisfactory. The great cause of failure, as a rule, is that patients delay too long before they will permit an operation, and thus allow the disease to spread too far. If I knew that I had cancer I would have an operation in half an hour. \S" C havo enres, so called, brought to us about once a month, but generally it is not cured patients who come, but folks who claim that they have cured others. The treatment by an infusion of violet leaves, of which so much lias boon heard during these past few days, does not seom to havo much foundation. In the case 'of Lady Anne" ■ Marsham there is goqcl

,renson to doubt if the disease really was paueer, and even granting that it was so, whether tho cure was actually due to the Violet leaf infusion. It may have been a icase of the cancer disappearing without Jany apparent cause, such as is sometimes found. In Another case mentioned of a child who wns cured by this means a century ago there must be some mistake, for it is unknown for a child to have the form of the disease named. Yet probably here we will try this infusion and mark the results. Treatment of the X rays are being tried here, but the results just now are disappointing. In eight instances in which it was tried there was some relief from pain in every e.\se, and in three of them the cancer started to heal up. Bni now one of the three has gone back without any apparent cause. Such disappointing experiences are only to be expected. We may come on a real remedy to-morrow, or the investigations may have to be carried much further. But what we feel ia that nothing permanontly satisfactory can bedone till the real nature of cancer is discovered. To treat it without knowing what it is is like working in the dark. Remedies may be be found that will bring relief, but till we have got at the cause and natura of the disease such remedies can only be empirical. In fact it is like trying to put out a fire in a house by playing with water on the outside. You want to get into the house, find where your fire started, and play your hose on there." The director of the Investigation Department is devoting his days to this work for a remuneration at which a commercial traveller in boots or pins would look disdainfully. One of his helpers works every day from early morning till late evening, month in and month out, for no payment whatever. They wish lo do much more. Researches cannot be carried on to anything like the extent they desire, although this is the only place, either in England or abroad, where the subject is being systematically pursued. But research costs money, howsver cheaply it may be done, or however selfsacrificing the workers may be, and English people have as yet scarcely realised that the search for knowledge is the most profitable in all investments.