The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Saturday, December 19, 1903. THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 4597, 19 December 1903, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Saturday, December 19, 1903. THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

The cabled report that a Cologne investigator has isolated the 11 cancerparasite " and cultivated a serum capable of killing the “ cancer-cells " requires to be received with a very considerable percentage of reserve. The premature and exaggerated announcement even of genuine scientific work is capable of doing much harm, and the more so is that the case when as in the present instance the issues are so vital and far-reaching. With the single exception perhaps of tuberculosis, cancer is the most dreaded scourge of modern times. It is to be expected therefore that it should be a principal subject of research, and those engaged in that research would be loss than human did they not at least imagine themselves at times to make some headway. In regard to cancer special efforts are being made to extend the limits of knowledge. Early in 1902 a scheme was elaborated in Great Britain by which cancer research might be systematised and endowed. A sum of £IOO,OOO was suggested as necessary. As a consequence of an appeal by Mr Balfour at the first annual meeting of the Research Fund, Mr William Waldorf Astor came forward with a contribution of £20,000. At the beginning of last month only another £20,000 was required to complete the amount aimed at. A similar fund has been for some time in operation in Germany. In America there is a State-subsidised cancer laboratory, and a great deal of co-operative work is being undertaken in France. It would be strange if, in the face of so much activity, no “ discoveries ” were reported. And yet The Lancet, a not inconsiderable authority, was able to remark last month,referring to cancer, “Little is known of its nature, and methods of 1 cure ’ are hardly more advanced than they were at the beginning of the last century.” That was written, it need hardly be remarked, in full view of very many “cures” that have been announced in recent times—including the emanations of radium. The present investigator. Dr Otto Schmidt, would appear to assume that cancer is a parasitic disease, and on that assump-

tion to have cultivated a “ serum ” capable of killing the “ canoer-cells.” There is some confusion here between the alleged parasite and the malignant growth produced. Without stressing that point it might be worth while to recall the fact that up to now it has by no means been proved that cancer is a parasitic disease. That is a theory, but it is only one of the many theories in the field.

Latterly, according to one writer, no less than six distinct accounts of the pathogenesis of cancerous growths have been put forward. The old view held by the late Professor Virchow, the greatest pathologist Europe has produced, that such growths are caused by injury or irritation has by no means been discarded. “ Perhaps,” says an authority, “ of all the numerous common factors in cases of cancer chronic irritation is the most constant. Excessive smokers, chimney-sweeps, workers in parraffin, tar and other industries, contract the disease clearly, it would seem, as a result of the mechanical irritation of certain parts.” Another strongly supported view has been that associated with the name of Professor Cohnheim. He attributes the malignant growth to the unnatural activity of embryonic cells, left over, so to speak, after the normal development of the part has been accomplished. It is true, on the other hand, that there is an apparent general analogy between cancer and tuberculosis, but that analogy is rather apparent than real. Thus, while in common with other “ parasitic ” diseases, tuberculosis is rapidly transmitted from one animal to another, this is not the case with cancer. It has been, of course this superficial resemblance, which has led investigators along tlfe line taken now by Dr Schmidt. Many observers have supposed themselves to have seen in the cancerous tissue organisms of a protozoic type. The phenomena are, however, exceedingly difficult to interpret, and a majority of microscopists have not regarded the presence of a “ parasite ”as proved. In the face of these facts it must be clear that such announcements as that now made are to be expected, and it is unnecessary to emphasise the need for caution in speaking of them. Unless Dr Schmidt has made in truth an epochal discovery there is no problem in modern medicine surrounded by so much doubt and uncertainty as is this of cancer. Its cause lies hid. Its distribution is curiously erratic, affecting one locality and not another in the most remarkable way. And the mere matter of fact as to whether it is on the increase or not can hardly receive an unequivocal answer. What we do know is that the pathology of the disease is being closely studied by some of the ablest men in Europe, and among them it will be strange if the cause and origin of this dreaded scourge is not brought to light.