NEW CANCER DISCOVERIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1925, Page 4

NEW CANCER DISCOVERIES.

I-ONDOX. July 14. ; Tha publication in the “Lancet” on Friday next o! : a paper by Dr \\ . L. Oye on “The Aetiology of .Malignant New Growths” will mark an event in the history of medicine. Dr. William Kwart Gvo is the scientist who has been conducting experiments at the National Institute for .Medical Research, Mount Vernon, Hampstead, and his observations may represent a solution of the central problem of cancer. His carefully controlled experimental evidence leads -to certain fundamental conclusion which may he briefly summonsed ;is follows: 1. All malignant new growths contain an ultra-microscopic virus—or group of viruses—which can he cultivated. This applies to the carcinomata and sarcomata of fowl, mice, rats, dogs, and man. The virus resides probably within the cells of the neoplasms. 2. The virus alone, washed tree Iroin all adherent material, dues not produce a tumour when injected, and does not even produce a visible lesion. ;i. Hut when injected together with virus-free extracts of tumours the virus produces a malignant new growth. '1 ho extracts contain, therefore. a substance called by Dr (lye the “sp-eei-tie factor,” which enables the virus to attack the cells of the injected animal so as to transform them into earner cells. A paper follows l>v Mr .1. It. -Barnard, head of the linn ol Messrs \\ illin:n Barnard and Sons, hatters, Jer-myn-street, who spends all his spare time in the Hampstead laboratories, calls!; irat ing with Dr Cye. especially in preparing now instruments requited in the research work. 'THU'S BIIOTOGtbUMIF.D. The title of .Mr Barnard's paper is “The Microscopical Kxamination of Filterable Viruses," and in this he lias applied the optical methods elaborated hv him for the study of the organisms of bovine pleuro-pucuinonia, the largest of the known tiller-passing viruses to the study of earner viruses cultured |,v Dr (lye. and shows that he has succeeded in rendering the cancer virus visible and even in photographing it. This is in itself a great achievement. The results of Mr Barnard’s observation so closely correspond with the experimental results obtained by Di Oye that the existence of a living cancer virus would appear to be established. . . The reasons for this broad opinion follow: In order to make clearer the relationship existing between the virus and the specific factor, definite examples may be given. “We will,” says the ‘'Lancet”, ‘'call the virus obtained from a mouse tumour ‘mouse virus.’ from a human tumour ‘human virus,’ and so on. Siniilatlv we will call the ‘specificsubstance’ obtained from a mouse carcinoma ‘mouse carcinoma specific.' from a human carciuom tiTutman carcinoma specific,’ from a fowl sarcoma -lowl sarcoma specific.’ and so on. Then the following rehib'onshins have boon established experimentally alter injection : (a) Anv virus alone from any neoplasm into any animal : no ell'ecl. (I,) Any specific from any neoplasm into any animal: no elloct. (c) Mouse carcinoma virus plus lowl sanoma. specific: (1) Injected into mice—no effect : (2) injected into fowls .—sarcoma. (d) Human carcinoma virus plus fowl sarcoma- specific injected: Into mice nothing: into fowls—sarcoma. “It follows, therefore, that the type ( ,f malignant new growth that is produced depends not upon the virus hut upon the specific substance. I here are, therefore, two factors concerned ill the ictiology of cancer: (1) A living virus -the extrinsic factor; and ('_') a < heniical substance produced by the cells —bhe intrinsic fnefor.” POINTING TTIF, WAV. The d■•tails of the experiments mid, rtjikon hv Dr (lye and Mr Hamad lieITro sati.-Tving thoinse!vc.-, id the truth of (heir discovery was very elaborate, fully illustrated, and fairly guarded. T hey contain no suggestion that a cure for cancer has been discovered, hut. they point the wav into further biochemical work, while reconciling in a striking way. much conflicting theory. The work ha-, been done entirely for the Medical Research Council. false hopes mint not he raised. No one claims t hat the final cause of cancer has been discovered. As one ef the investigators. Dr William Fivarf (lye. said yesterday: We believe we lane made a discovery which will enable tls to delect the oause of cancel- mill we are Impel id Hint we have so far advanced llte.-e di-c-iv-cries as to i -tcMi-h certain definite i (-suits. The subject is, however, iiiueli too complicated for the lay mind to imdersland. SCIF.NTTST'S KNTHRAI.I.FD. LONDON. Aug. 2ft. Futbridled scientists belonging to the Briti'ti Association, at Southampton, gazed at a screen on which were lanterned the viruses of cancer, they being shown by Mr Barnard, the now famous micro,yeopisl. whose discovery, in conjunction with Dr I lye. recently created a world-wide sensation. “ We believe," said Barnard. “ that we are really asking yon to look at the lilter-i ossing virus that is associated with malignant human giowths. IT should he pc.-dble, ill tic not distant future, not only to photograph these living organisms, hut to give a sort of cinematograph representation of the life cycle of the organism. Moreover. we are hoping to he able to ice such a short wave length that wo shall la> able to work: in a vacuum microscope. That means that we shall he aide to see. the smaller viruses.” Aske-l whether experiments are being made with scarlet fever, measles, small pox, anil ether diseases. Air Barnard replied: ‘‘There are almost more filter passing viruses than there are known diseases. Lilt we hope to catch the lot. It. means slugging away for n long time. Bementher. those fellows have not got labels on their hacks. Thev have le he identified!” Afr Barnard threw on the screen photographs ef small bodies showing tumorous growths detaching themselves from a parent virus. He said that lie j wished to emphasise that there were. ( limits to the microseope at present, bid i there were great possibilities tor it in | the future. , I (Viilinning Mr Barnard <‘x]*laino\ that the virus screened had as its di- | mensie.ns “nought, decimal nought h\o, of a micron.” “With the ultra violet ray." said j Afr Barnard, “we ran photograph down to one tenth of a micron, which is j equivalent to one tFiO.Oh'Oth of an | moli." j It is little wonder, says tlio ‘‘Dailv Chronicle.” that Mr Barnard’s audieare wore thrill'd, because it foresaw the day when the -mallei organism u ill be tracked d"wn. .Mr Barnard added that it should he possible, eventually to secure a magnification. ct three thousand times.