CANCER RESEARCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13296, 1 October 1906, Page 5

CANCER RESEARCH.

ON THE EVE OF GREAT DISCOVERIES. ' ' [by telegraph.—press association.] Wellington, Saturday. Discussing Professor Leydon'6 remarks at tlnfe Cancer Research Conference at Frankfort, as reported by this morning's cables, Dr. Mason (chief health officer) said that the British Government had established a cancer research laboratory in London, with money furnished by private subscriptions from residents of Great Britain and the colonies, subsidised by the Government. The various colonies and dependencies had been invited to send specimens, and these had been received from all parts of the world!, including New Zealand. Dr. Blashford, director of the institution, had made a series of most, careful and far-reach-ing experiments, and had come to very much the, same conclusion as Professor Leydon. * We are on the eve of very great discoveries," continued Dr. Mason. " Though Dr. Biashford does not go so far as Professor Leydon in saying that a cure is in reach, he says that he is apparently on the point of getting a far better knowledge on the particular cause of cancer. He has lately been experimenting with the colonies of an organism discovered by Dr. Doyen, of Paris, who alleges that he has discovered a curative serum.. Experiments on patients were carried on in Brussels and London, but the statements of the British experiments did not back up the Paris doctor at all. They agree that there is nearly , always present in cancer juice the organism of the nature described by Dr. Doyen, but they had no marked improvement, generally speaking, in patients on whom they experimented. All that one can say at the present time is that the search for the particular cause of cancer is exceedingly keen. I suppose there are three or four leading men in various parts of the world who may be able to say at any minute that they have got it. At present the question of curation is not so far advanced, but curation will come when th£ cause of the disease is found."