SCIENCE AGAINST MALIGNANT CANCER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 49, 19 August 1911, Page 8

SCIENCE AGAINST MALIGNANT CANCER.

EXPERIMENTING AT DEATH'S DOOR Mr. W. H. Judkins, the well-known Melbourne temperance lecturer, who is suffering from cancer, was found recently to be in a serious condition. An examination by Drs. G. A. Syme • and McColl showed that the cancer was in a very malignant form, and that there was no hope of effecting an improvement by surgical interference. The practitioners therefore decided on one more effort to stem the encroachment of the disease, and to this end adopted a method of treatment probably never before attempted in this part of the world.

Some time ago it was discovered on the Continent that persons suffering from cancer who got a concurrent attack of erysipelas, recovered from the cancer, which,' to use the expression of an eminent physician, "melted away like snow before the morning sun." The physicians considered the treatment worthy of further investigation, and cultures have been made of the erysipelas germ for use in cases of inoperable cancer. The germ is cultivated for 10 days, at the expiration of which time another germ is added, and both are then cultivated together for ten days, with the result that the erysipelas germ is brought to its most malignant form. The germ is then subjected to a high temperature and killed, after which it is injected periodically into the cancer. The treatment covers a period of from six weeks to three months and in Mr. Judkins' case it was started towards the end of last month. The treatment is still only in its experimental stages, but Dr. Coley, the eminent London specialist, states that he has personal knowledge of 52 successes, and he is aware of at least twice that number in the hands of others. Mr. Judkins was made aware of the seriousness of his condition, and he accepted the position with a calm fortitude and evokei the admiration and sympathy of all.

It was announced from the pulpit of the Central Methodist Church in Melbourne that very little hope was held out for the recovery of Mr. W. H. Judkins. The announcement was received with many silent evidences of regret. It was also stated that many of his friends are arranging for a. testimonial, which they hope to be able to present to 'Mr. Judkins shortly.