BEWARE OF CANCER CURES.

Shannon News, 2 September 1924, Page 4

BEWARE OF CANCER CURES.

A PUBLIC WARNING FROM AMERICA. Dr. Frank J. Monaghan, American Health Commissioner, recently sent out a report warning the public to beware of recently announced "cancer discoveries,” and advising chance sufferers “not to be misled into a trial of so-called methods of cure of that disease other than early surgery,” The report was submitted to him by Dr. Louis I. Harris, Director of the Bureau of Preventable Diseases of the Department of Health. The report followed a conference called by Commissioner Monaghan, and attended by Commissioner of Public Welfare , Bird S. Coler, Dr. Isaac Levine, Director of the New York City Cancert Institute of the Department of Public Welfare, and Dr. Harris, states the New Yoijk “Times.” Dr. Harris said in his report:— '

“There have been numerous inquiries from persons suifering from cancer as well as relatives of such persons, as to the value of methods of cure of cancer that have been prominently mentioned in the public press very recently. The evidence would seem to indicate that many who are desperately anxious have had their expectations and hopes aroused, It is deemed necessary to inform the general public, especially those who cannot obtain the advice of expert medical attention, that the claims recently made as to the cure of concer have not proved as having scientific value. The same cures were announced one or more years ago, were subjected to careful study by some of the foremost authorities on cancer, and have not been proved to have scientific value.

“It is necessary to urge upon those who are suffering from cancer, or interested in cancer patients, that they must not be misled into a trial of socalled methods of cure of this disease other than early surgery. The use of X-ray and radium has a certain value, which must be determined in each case by competent‘medical authority. The medical members of the conference were emphatic in decrying the announcement of so-called cures of cancer before such cures had been submitted to the judgment of a competent and dispassionate medical jury. “The prevention of deaths from cancer is dependent upon early diagnosis, and it was the consensus of opinion of the members of.the conference that all persons who felt any lump or growth anywhere about their body, or who have any symptoms of disturbed functions of digestion or internal organs, should seek medical advice at once.”