CANCER SCOURGE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1929, Page 6

CANCER SCOURGE

VALUE OF EARLY TREATMENT. AUCKLAND, Nov. 4. “As evidence of the high death rale from c ancon, I say that one person in every seven, in this audience is doomed to die of the disease,” said Mr Ke.iu-.th. MacKenzie in the -cour t' of an address on “The Fight ’Against G..noer,” given under the auspices of the,. New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Rationalism last evening. Mr MacKenzie said cancer was the anarchist of the human body, knowing no law, spreading trouble, and eventually killing. There were reasons for supposing that chronic irritation in any area of the body was a direct cause. Most common was the constant subjection of an area to heat. The speaker cited the case of certain natives of India who habitually carried baskets of hot charcoal on their backs, cases of cancer being common among these people. The smoking of tobacco was closely associated' with cancer in the month. It had been discovered in Australia that the exposed arms and necks of men working out of doors were liable to cancer. 'lt had been known to follow sunburn and was commonly caused by tar and paraffin. Research workers had demonstrated that animals in which cancer had been introduced and then cured were immune from further attacks. Gne woman had undertaken the great task of keeping 40,000 mice and recording the causes of their natural deaths. It was found that 5000 of these died from tumours, dispelling the belief that animals wore practically immune from the disease.

Contrary to the general opinion, cancer could be operated upon without much pain if treated in the early stages. It was local in the first instance, and could very often be completely removed if in an accessible place. In lip cases 90 to 95 per cent complete cures was the rule, but if tho complaint’ passed to the glands

the reverse was the case. Cancer of the breast was curable in about 7o per cent of cases if treated in the early stages.