TALKS ON HEALTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16471, 6 July 1921, Page 6

TALKS ON HEALTH.

BY A FAMILY DOCTOR.

THE CANCER PROBLEM. Cancer is a problem that is being tackled by medical research. I trout you know what is meant by medical research. Some doctors drive round in their cars to attend to the patients in their private houses. But doctors concerned with research carry out their work in laboratories and libraries, how do wo set about the study of the cancer? The first thing is to obtain from the hospitals records of all the cases of cancer that have come under their treatment. A thousand cases are chosen as they come; alas! it is easy enough to find a thousand cases. Then each case is examined : the facts aro set out in tabular form. » hat sex predominates; what age does cancer appear; how long do the people live; is operation successful; is there a family history ; what district do tbe;y come from—from hills or valleys, from clay soil or gravel soil : is cancer commoner in any given race : clo the whites suffer ns much as the black population of the United States: does pipe-smoking cause cancer ; do men suffer more often than women from cancer of “J? s and tongue; what part of the body sufferts most often: is cancer inactions: do husbands and wives suffer from cancer at the same time; has a doetior ever ,qa.u"<hti <canc ©*r through operating on a cancerous patient: does cancer show itself more common!v m one town, or in one street, or in one house P CAUSE ANI> EFFECT. By the examination of the carefully compiled records of a thousand cases and then comparing the results with similar inquiries carried out in all parts of the world, a vast amount of information is collected. And the information is not based on opinion, but on recorded fact. Now the science of medicine is not an exact science; there is no mathematical precision about it; we can onlv state averages and say what usually happens, fully admitting the occurrences of exceptional events. I cannot write fully on this large subject, because I want to concentrate on one branch of the matter—the most important branch. All m> attention is focussed on the former historv of these coses of cancer; and when we look back can we say that lhere are warnings that cancer is coming , is there a recognisable pre-can-ee**ouc state? The answer is encouraging: it is not too much to say that 80 per cent of the cases could have b©en prevented or cured. We know for a certaintv that chronic irritation is the almost invariable forerunner of cancer. I car give manv instances. The rubb’nr. of a rough tooth against the tongue may determine a comcterous growth on the side of the tongue exactly opposite the shnro tooth. Gallstones, irritating the gall bladder, give rise to cancer of the ."all bladder. The irritation of a chronic ulcer of the skin may result in the ulcer becoming malignant. INTERNAL, RISKS. But what I am anxious to call attention to is that one of the commonest sites for cancer is the intestines and stomach. If you ask me if the stomach and bowels nre ever irritated, I can only raise my hands and eyes to Heaven and gasp. There is scarcely anyone who does not upset his inside. You all eat too fast, eat too much, eat the wrong things, eat at the wrong times, eat adulterated, cheap and nasty food; stomach-aches are among the commonest of complaints. Then how many of you are constipated for three days, and then take four irritant pills to sting and lash the bowels into violent and unnaturnl action. The alternation of constipation and extreme purgation is death to the insides; they are not made of castiron. Mothers give tiny bnbiesr intestinal irritants and the* little things get used to them, and their bowels will not act without them. It is as true as it is that T am sitting nt this desk writing that chronic irritation precedes cancer. What a flood of light is thrown upon the question of cancer When one recalls that the stomach is the commonest organ to be inflamed and the commonest organ to be attacked by cancer. The worst form of inflammation is set up by foul teeth, and very few have the sense to keep their teeth sweet and pure. Face the facts bravely ; it may be unpleasant, but it will be the best in the end. You can turn over the careful records of case after case, and you will always find the cases of cancer of the stomach and intestines preceded by unclean mouths and bad digestion. Young people do not suffer from cancer. The body can stand a good deal, but irritate any part for fifty years and you break down the resistance of the poor, much-abused organ, and cancer develops. THE WEAKER SEX.

Now the next item discovered by research- The organs peculiar to the female sex are amongst the most frequent sites for this malady. The. breast goes through many and great changes during pregnancy, lactation, and weaning These changes appear to favour growths. It is sad, but there is a bright side. The breast can be removed by an operation which involves little or no suffering, and every case can be prevented once and for all provided the doctor is given a chance to fight the disease early. Do you suppose it any pleasure to me to see all those women suffering and dying when not one of them need have been in that sad position if .only I bad taught them to seek advice early? If only you would believe me, what an infinity of suffering would be saved. This tumour in this poor woman is the biz© of an orange, and is too lai ge to be operated on, but it was not that size a year ago. It could have been removed in 1920, andthe woman would have been in her own home, happy and well now. I>o give the doctors a chance, if there is any doubt about the nature of a growth they take out the tumour and look at it under a powerful microscope and then they know. Experience has taught them, and they are able to say, *' No, this tumour is not concerous, but it will become cancerous in two years’ time.” Here, then, are the plain facts about cancer. Avoid anv form of chronic irritation, especially of the digestive organs. Keep your teeth sound and your mouths clean and pure. Do not fly into a panic and imagine that ©very little ailment is the sign of a dangerous disease, but if you happen to belong to the female sex Reek advice early for any alteration in the breast or any internal irregularity. The intelligent and tb© educated aro quick to perceive the value of this advice and eagerly adopt it. The slow-minded, the apathetic take no care; they have no wish to co-operate with the doctors . and thev neglect themselves until it is too late. T do not intend to die <nf cancer myself, and I shall take "ood ear© that no one in mv own fnmilv falls a victim to carelessness- A record is kept of the number of men and women who die of cancer ; when the next figures nre I want you to astonish the medical world by showing a reduction of $0 nor cent. oau be connTtorcr7 and tb© British Empire should wive the lead.