CANCER MENACE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1929, Page 6

CANCER MENACE

LEADING SURGEONS VIEWS. (United Press Association—B(y Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, October 29. Lord Moynihan, speaking at Burnley, said : Victory over cancer w.as getting nearer and nearer every year. The public ought to' realise that cancer, *in so far as it was a local disease, and in. so far as the surgeons can get at it, is always curable. Certain forms were not accessible, but when an operation was performed in time, a cure could be effected in every case. Many cases ,off: cancer of the tongue, moiith, or breast could l;e successfully treated with radium, and this method far surpassed the best that the surgeon could show, but unless there was the most expert supervision over radium, more harm than good could be done. Despite these facts, whereas the general mortality had bene reduced by thirty per cent in twenty years, cancer mortality had increased by 20 per cent., and one person in seven over thirty died of cancer. In its attack on the disease, surgery had reached its limit. It was therefore, necessary that something more should be done. Dr Abrutbnot Larie, speaking at Limehouse, emphasised that the cancer death rate was the highest, in the towns where the people were wealthy. He added that the working people did not. die of cancer in the same proportion as the rich. ».