IS CANCER CONTAGIOUS?

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 6 December 1927, Page 8

IS CANCER CONTAGIOUS?

A REMARKABLE OCCURRENCE. GIFTS OF USED PIPES. London Oct. 4. The remarkable suggestion that cancer is contagious, a belief which the whole ot tno medical profession has previous relused to admit, is contained in a letter to the British Medical Journal from Dr. j. M'Leou, ot Ingietou. Carnforth, Lancashire. Dr. iVl'Leod, in his letter, gives instances of three men who were not known to be suffering from cancer when they accepted gifts of pipes from a friend, Mr. “X,” after Mr. “X” had smoked the pipes only once or twice. Mr. “X” later died from cancer, and within the next year or two his friends “A,” “B,” and “C” died from cancer. “Mr. ‘X was an indulgent pipesmoker.’’ writes Dr. M'Leod, “renewing an attractive and expensive type of pipe every few weeks. He had business dealings with ‘A,’ ‘B, and 'C,' and presented each with one of these used pipes. Unknown to ali concerned he was suffering from cancer of the stomach, and died within the year. “ ‘A,' ” says Dr. M'Leod, “died of cancer of the tongue and jaw. ‘B’ of cancer of the stomach, and ‘C of cancer of the bowel. 1 leave the reader to draw his own conclusions,’’ adds Dr. M'Leod AN ENTIRELY NEW FIELD.. A prominent London specialist points out that the suggestion opens up an entirely new held of canceltheory. “It has been possible to transfer cancer from one animal to another,” he said, “in experimental work by means of transplanting the growth, hut never had a mouse, for instance, been infected through nibbling at something at which a cancer mouse has nibbled. “Similarly, it has been proved, time and time again, that a man who has cancer of the lip does not iniect his wife with it although" he kisses her.”