THE CANCER MYSTERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2173, 7 September 1920, Page 4

THE CANCER MYSTERY.

FAMOUS SURGEON AND COM-

PLETE CURES,

A now onslaught on the cancer scourge has.boon begun by t!io Middlesex Hospital, London. Although considerable success lias been achieved with the use of radium and Xrays, those in charge of (lie researcli work are nut satisfied willr the progress made, and arc now to concentrate on an attempt to discover some chemical with which to overcome the disease.

Sir John. Rland-Sulton. iheT'amous surgeon, who lias led (he tight against cancer Tor several years, says that the cause of cancer is still as obscure to the medical professi-* on as at the time of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. “Rut although we seem no nearer to discovering its origin,” he added, ‘•it is now not too much to say that after 2.300 years of investigation complete cures are now sometimes being jTf°ctcd. “The disease is not mastered,” he emphasised, “but certain case: perhaps only it small proportion yield to treatment. Rome of the cures have been effected where the. prospects of success seemed unfavourable. On the other-hand, apparently simple cases often prove the most baffling.

“One filing can l>o said with certain! v." lie added, “cancer is nol contagious. Xeither is it hereditary, although environment may have something to do with flic occurrence of several cases in one family. 1 have thought for a long time that the disease has its origin in a mysterious parasite introduced into the system through uncooked food or water.

“Each case of cancer is peculiar to the individual. The growth can he transferred to an dher part of the body and ilourish. while if transferred la a second person it dies. “Cows. dogs, a lid oilier domestic animals sillier Jrom cancer, but an animal growth docs in live on human beings. House.- themselves are nol, liable to harbour the parasite and pass it on to new tenants.