THE CANCER SCOURGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20866, 5 November 1929, Page 12

THE CANCER SCOURGE.

HEAVY TOLL EXACTED. CURABLE IN EARLY STAGES.'» (Special to Daxlt Times.) AUCKLAND, November 4. - “As evidence o£ the high death rate from cancer I say that one person In every seven in this audience is doomed to die of the ' disease," said Mr Kenneth Mackenzie in the course of an address on “ The Fight Against Cancer,” given under the auspices of the New Zealand Association for Advancement of Rationalism this evening. Mr Mackenzie said that cancer was the anarchist of 1 the human body, knowing no law, spreading trouble, and eventually killing. There were reasons for supposing that chronic irritation in any area of the body was a direct cause. The most common was the constant subjection of on area ■to heat. The speaker cited the case of certain natives of India who habitually carried baskets of hot charcoal on their backs, cases of cancer being common among these people. The smoking of tobacco was closely associated with cancer in the mouth. It had been discovered in Australia that the exposed arms and necks of men working out of doors were liable to cancer. It had been known to follow sunburn, and was commonly caused by tar and paraffin. Research workers,. continued • the speaker, had demonstrated that animals in which cancer had been introduced and then cured were immune from further attacks. One woman had undertaken the great task of keeping 40,000 mice and recording the causes of their natural deaths. -It was found that 5000 of these died from tumours, dispelling the belief that animals were practically immune from' the disease. Contrary to the general opinion, cancer could be operated upon without much pain if treated in the early stages. It was local in the first instance, and could very often be completely removed N if in an accessible place. In lip cases 90 to 95 per cent, of complete cures was the rule, but if the complaint passed to the glands the reverse was the case- Cancer of the breast was curable in about 75 per cent, of cases if treated in- the early stages.