FIGHTING CANCER.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1923, Page 4

FIGHTING CANCER.

CAMPAIGN IN U.S. SAN FRANCISCO. Jan 22. Cancer, the dread disease which kills 90,000 people each year in the United States alone, is now finding a formidable < iitiin.v in-America’s dentists, for more than 6000 dentists front all parts of North America, who assembled for llic annual dental clinic under the auspices of the Chicago Dental Society in Chicago, solemnly pledged themselves to lied)) combat the disease. for which medical science has thus far been unable to find a cause. As an outocme of the important conference in Chicago every demist will now bo a scout on flic look-out for the first sign of cancer, according to the plan presented at the clinic. Each patient for dentistry in America, whether he aslis for it or not. will be examined for cancer .or cankers and hsious in the month which might develop into cancers, before the dentist Ist ginwork upon the teeth. With the full co-opera ion of dentists throughout the country. .">0 to 76 per cent, of patients having cancerous degenartions or mouth lesions can “be cured without the hideous mutilation which results when a developed growth j- removed.” Dr Daniel U. Hoffman ■ declared. i ‘lf you are over 26 and have a. sore mouth or cheek, look out. Dr Hodman warned. “The man or woman ■ who hits a sore of canker on the tongue (hciek that does not heal within a couple ( ,f weeks has. received a decided warning. "Tlie cold sore on the lower lio that is found in inveterate pipe or cigarette smokers is a. danger sign that must lie heeded.” The \ able of the new campaign of prevention nils emphasised by Dr John H. Cadmus, a prominent authority on mouth di-eascis. "Although years and years of re--carch and millions of dollars have keen -pent, in the attempt to discover the cause of (ameer, no one knows the rau-c.” said Dr Cadmus. “Wi do know that it is more prevalent in this latitude, however, and realising that it must be deCnctcd ami removed at the beginning to avoid the horrible disfigurement necessitated by cutting a"a> Ihsh around cancerous lesions to prevent fresh growths, we have decided to make the dental prolessiou the first line of defence against the disease. Dr Cadmus derided, the popular impression that radium can bo used to cure cancer, saving: ‘lt is used in in lei-nal and especially malignant growths where an. operation would result t" death, but it cannot cure. At most it can only check the growth of the disease." The number of deaths caused by ianeach vear in the United States i - c-1 imaO'd to he 6" per ‘ nt. greater limn the total number of American troops killed in the World War.