TREATMENT FOR CANCER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13875, 12 April 1907, Page 6

TREATMENT FOR CANCER

A CARPENTER'S SAD EXPERIENCE.

' CFhom Our, Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 11. . The Press, which published soino weeks ago tho statement of a woman who suffered from cancer, and who had been treated by a to-called specialist practicing in Christchurch, now prints a long letter from a working carpenter, in which he details his experience of this man's treatment. He relates that some four years ago he was troubled with a soro swelling on his lip, and was advised by a doctor to go to the hospital. "Just at this time," ho continues, "this man, who calls himself a cancer specialist, camo to Christchurch, and I waa strongly advised to go and see him. After some consideration I went. I was ushered into the presence of a very pious, soft-spoken individual, who asked, in a soft voice, what he could do for me. He examined my face, and I risked him if he coukl euro it. He aid; 'Yes, I can cure it.' I said: 'Will you give me a guarantee that you .will euro it?' Ho said: ' A doctor never gives a written guarantee, but I do guarantee it.' I said: 'The next question is as to your charges. lam only a working man, with a large family, and cannot pay a. largo suui.' He said: IMy charge for treatment like you require is rather high, but as I am only starting here I will make it very moderate, My usual charge is £20, but 1 will make yoms 6gs.' 1 said: 1 Very well, doctor. If you euro me I shall feel deeply thankful to you.'- He said: 'Do not thank me. It is 'God you will have "to thank.' I said: 'The next question is, How long do you think I will have to bo absent from work?' He said: 'I do not think you will bo a day from work.' Little did I know that this man's treatment was to be the cause of my losing months and, perhaps, years of work, also the less of blood in large quantities."

The writer went to tho specialist for treatment, and this describes what took place: "At about 3 p.m. lie commenced io paint my face with a sort of liquid, and continued to do so at short intervals till 9 p.m., when I was told I could go homo, and bo back next day at 11 a.m. How I got- homo that night will always remain a mystery to me. The whole of that night I believe I was delirious. Next morning, from tlio top of my lip clown to my throat was one mass of sore, dry, and burned black. I managed to get back at 11 a.m. He then took some sharp instrument and made two openings in the sore and put in some sort of a crystal substance, and I was allowed to go home. This, added to the pain I was already suffering, made it almost unbearable. However, I managed to get home again, and went to bed, ancl was there , for three days, when this burned flesh and skin dropped off. I then went as 6con as I was ablo to fee this man who was treating me, anil it was .pronounced to be a beautiful ease. I got some powders to take and some lotion to batho tho soro with, and at tlio end of three weeks I was able to go backto work again. (Note, I was to loso no time.)." The writer then describes how, at the end of about eight or nine months, his lips, began lo swell again, and there were unmistskea.blo signs of tho disease coming hack. The specialist whom he visited again wanted another three guineas to treat the case. Tlj: patient remarked: "Surely you do not want all that, considering you guaranteed to euro me?" Ho said: "I did euro you." "How is it, then," asked the sufferer, "that the soro has come back in the samo place?" Ho said: "If you bad bronchitis and you went to tho doctor, lie would cure you, but after a time you would get bronchitis again." This did not satisfy tho patient, but in tho end ho paid tho three guineas. "This second time tho treatment," he says, " was something similar to the first, only tlio burning did not destroy the skin to such an extent ; but it was oftcner than the first, and on this occasion I was home for three weeks. When I was. at Waikouaiti last Christmas 12 months a man's body was brought down there for burial. I was told it was a man who went to Christchurch to get treated hy. a specialist for cancer in the throat. The specialist told me that he could retire at. any- time; that lie had plcntv to live on. If so, I wonder how many havo paid the penalty to fill this man's coffers! I have lieen operated on three times by tine of the ablest doctors in Christchurch, lint tho evil had been too deeply embedded for surgical aid to it. I run at. present a valient in the Christchurch Public Hospital, where I should have come at first." The doctor who treated the mou after .the specialist had done with him informed a Press representative to-night that, ho originally had ordinary epithelioma of the Hp, a common form of cancer, which, in its initial stages, could have lioen operated for with perfect success. The outbreak, however, seemed to havo been aggravated by acids, the result, lining that the glands under the jaw.were affected, and the mischief spread beyond 'omedv; and when the, caee came to him if. was simply a question of. ameliorating the trouble. Several operations were performed, hut the trouble recurred, and the patient finally wont to the hospital.