SMOKING AND CANCER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4037, 4 January 1930, Page 4

SMOKING AND CANCER.

TEST ON” MICE

“Further experiments upon the effect of tobacco smoke in the production of cancer have been carried out, tout so far it lias not boon possible to prove that tobacco smoke has any effect as a cancerproducing’ agent.” Smokers will be reassured by ibis statement in the sixth annual report of the Grand Council of the British Empire Cancer Campaign. The subject is also referred to in the report of work at the Cancer Hospital Research Institute. “It is commonly thought,” it is declared,. “that one of the chief causes of cancer of the tongue is tobacco smoking. “In one of our former reports we mentioned the fact that the application to the skin of mice of the tairry products of tobacco smoking —such as occur in the stem of a pipe—though causing rather chronic ulceration, failed to induce new growth.

“Similar results were obtained in a Continental laboratory. “It may have been that the surface of the animals was not so susceptible to the particular substance as the moist epithelium of the buccal (cheek) cavity, or that the destructive distillation of the tobacco was performed at too low a tempera ture. “Hence a new series of experiments was arranged in which the tobacco tar, obtained by the mechanical smoking of a pipe with the temperature under constant observation, was applied thiriee weekly to the margin of the tongue of rats and mice. No growth was induced.”

Experiments were continued with regard to the suggestion that there may be a relation he tween cigarette smoking and tumours of the lung, concerning which it was reported last year that no deleterious effects were observed. After further tests the Institute says that no apparent change has occurred.

■Referring to the International Radium Fund, the Grand Counci state:

“Although if: must be some time before the radium actually becomes available for use, there is no doubt that so far as can be foreseen sufficient radium will soon be available for present requirements. “Radium,” the report adds, “has now definitely taken its place at the side of operation as a means of curing eanee)r.” •

During the year an extensive enquiry was made into the attempt to find a means of preventing the formation of tumours. After many failures, success was obtained during the last month or two. The question of finding sonic serum which would prevent the onset of cancer, or cause the disappearance of the tumour, was being exhaustively studied.