TOLL OF CANCER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21831, 19 December 1932, Page 9

TOLL OF CANCER

INCREASE IN ITS VICTIMS MORE CURES EFFECTED. LONDON, December 8. - “ Cancer may well be called the ‘ captain of the men of death,’ ” said Lord Moynihan, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, declaring that cancer alone, among the six great killing diseases in Britain, had shown an increase in victims during the past 20 years. At present, he said, the 1 death rate from cancer was five times that in 1860. There were many explanations, including greater accuracy of diagnosis, while the increased chances of life resulted in more living to the cancer age, which was over 35. The increase occurred in spite of the fact that more cures had been effected than ever before in history. Operations were far safer than previously. Personally, he, had lost only one patient in an operation for cancer of the breast, but he never expected to lose another. Lord Moynihan deprecated many doctors’ doubts regarding the efficiency of operations, adding, “ Instead of saying, ■ Let’s wait arid see whether this is a malignant growth/ you should go in and look.” Moreover, people apparently regarded cancer as a shameful moral blemish, and never talked about a successful operation. If only they boasted of cancer cures it would do much good.