CANCER PROBLEM.

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1925, Page 2

CANCER PROBLEM.

IN A NEW LIGHT.

(By ,T. Ellis Barker.)

A few months ago Mr. John Murray published my book, "Cancer —How It Ts Caused. How It Can Be Prevented.'' With the help of a vast amount of reliable evidence I tried to prove in it that the disease was practically unknown among primitive races leading primitive lives, that it was a disease of civilisation, that it was caused by chronic poisoning and vitaminc starvation during about 20 years.

My book was splendidly received by the Press and by many leading medical men, who spontaneously sent me the most flattering letters, and the '' Daily Mail" gave it the kindest and most encouraging comment. I therefore imagine that readers would like to know whether the new doctrine has been confirmed or disproved since the publication of my book. I am glad to say that it has received amplest confirmation from men of experience, whilst it has been attacked principally by theorists. Medical men practising among primitive races have written to me that cancer is scarcely known in their districts. Colonel Hallilay, of the Indian Medical Service, for instance, wrote to me that he had practised among the Himalayan hill-men during more than 20 years, that they readily were operated upon, that he had performed thousands of operations upon these natives, of which no fewer than 700

wore fpr stone of the bladder, but that he had rot a single operation for internal cancer on the hill-men, while he had done a large number of cancer operations upon Anglo-Indians and upon the wealthy Europeanised natives who live in the large towns. The fact that cancer is a disease of civilisation seems absolutely unchallengeable. While a great many physicians and scientists believe that cancer is of local origin, that it is due to continued irritation. I have endeavoured to show that it is the result of chronic poisoning by means of chemicals or through auto-intoxication, consequent upon intestinal stagnation, which is truly a disease of civilisation, and in turn, owes its origin to wrong feeding, to the consumption of de-vitaminised, demineralised, concentrated, over-rich, and psuedo-scientific foods. . These create a cancer disposition and the outbreak takes place at a weakened spot where there has b3en some irritation.

My contention that cancer is a luxury disease due to so-called scientific feeding has recently been confirmed by the striking figures supplied in the report relating to the mental hospitals. Cancer is a disease of middle and advanced age. As there are only a few children in mental hospitals it might be expected that the cancer death-rate in these institutions would be higher than the general cancer death-rate. However, the report mentioned shows the amazing fact that, whereas the general cancer death-rate comes to 12.4 per cent, the cancer mortality in the mental hospitals comes only to 3.0 per cent, or is less than one-fourth as

great. But then the inmates are not poisoned with chemical preservatives, with concentrated foods, with overmuch sugar, with over- much protein and unduly hot drink. The vegetables are largely raised by the inmates, and the meat is furnished often by animals killed locally. Plain feeding and exercise are not favourable to the development of cancer. Some eminent cancer specialists have sent me most valuable information confirming my views. For instance, Dr. I. Duncan Bulkley, senior physician to the New York Skin and Cancer Hospital, furnished to me the following statement :—

Not a shadow of proof has ever been presented that the lump which we call cancer is purely local in character. The constant tendency to a recurrence of the disease in the same or other locations, even after the most complete removal of the local lesion and surroundings and the continued depression

of vitality and degeneration of the j blood, all point to something more than j a local disease; they all show a consti- > tutional cause which induced the orig- J inal stasis and degenerative action of i tissue in some particular locality which was unduly irritated. It would surprise you if you knew s how almost invariably cancer patients are constipated and have long been so. Indeed, with me it is such a great exception to find it otherwise that I have j come to look upon this feature of imperfect intestinal excretion, or intestinal stasis, as is it new called, as one of the prime elements in the causation | of cancer. The advance of so-called modern civilisation, including the facilities of transportation and cold storage, have brought from far and near an innumerable number, and variety of articles of food and drink, including condiments, which bear no relation to the few simple articles formerly consumed. In the combination and preparation of articles of food also so-called civilisation and refinement have devitalised many foods and have made the greatest departure from the simple life of the aborigines, who are free from cancer. I have received striking confirmation of my views from numerous cancer suf : ferers, among them medical men, and' , from a great many active physicians. ( All the evidence received seems to show that cancer is indeed a diseaseof wrong living and that it can be> fought successfully only by right living.