Who Disease of Civ ization: Important Paper by Dr. Englaender on the Subject of Cancer Sovenal interesting papers. were read on Pebruary 8 before the conference of the Chit Medical Association, in the hall of the Union Church, The papers were of a technical nature but that of Dr. A. L, Englaender on the subject of "Cancer" was of exceptional interest and of great Importance, All the papers were Gollowed by discussions. The remainder of the day was spent by the elevates in sectional conferences and in Visiting places of interest.
Dr. Englaonder divided his lecture into three parts—the radiotherapy rays and by radium) of rumors, the frequency of ous countries and from the frequency of cancer on its etiology:
It is generally known that a prow Tonal exposure to Xevay or to jam substances (radium, meso-the im, emanation, te.) injures every living coll but the quantity jrevessary to injure is very different for the different cells. Generally, cells of more rapid multiplication fre more sensitive, By very Sudicious application of the rays, an weed medieal_ man, provided ray machines and quantity of radium Substance, can succeed in destroying, the neoplasmatic cells without. destroying the surrounding cells.
(As to the frequency of cancer in civilized countries, the speaker have 1 series of exact numbers from most. European countries and from a roat number of towns throwxhout the world, He showed indubitably "from these mumpers that the higher the civilization of any country, the igher ix the frequency of cancer, which can be very justly called a disease of civilization. In Europ the most alllicted countries, said Dr, Englaender, are Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, England and '60 forth, Rare in Primitive Countries the contrary, in primitive countries between primitive peoples, fencer is very. rare. Numero otters of doctors who have practised Jong years among Papuans, Central African negroes, Esquimaux, in Timor, Christmas Island, and among Canadian Indians, ete., all confirm that, among these peoples, cancer is, Of existent, exceedingly rare: The possible objections aro—among pri initive people, there are few who attain old age (the ago of cancer), and primitive peoples do not consult physicians and thus their cancers fare not known.
Both objections were treated thoroughly by Dr. Englaender, who said that doctors had searched the proportion of cancer among the old unitive people and found cancer er cancer in extreme rarity. Among some tribes, doctors. have been living tens of years and have practically known every me dividual and every ease of death. These doctors also confirm the rarity of cancer, Dr, Englaender quoted numerous experiences of doctors, who, during long years had seen no cancer anion primitive peoples-'That cancer is really an illness of civilization, is proved also by its rapid, disquieting, fatal increase in the last decades. This increase was considered by the speaker and by many other experts as by far the most important part of the whole question of cancer. Dr. Englaender Lrowght a very groat amount of data showing that, in all European and American states and towns, cancer is increasing in the most distressing manner. In Paris, London, the: relative number of cases of cancer has quintupled and sextupled the last half century. In every civilized country, without any exe ception, this increase is manifest and indubitable.
The Answer to Objections Dr. Englaender mentioned the objections to the thesis of increase frequency of cancer, as follows:—wer ease is not real: it only 80 by the more exact diagnosis. The English Government has produced the answer to this objection. Nobody will assert that 25 on 30 years ago, doctors could not diagnose advanced cases of cancer of the lip, or of the skin, of the breast. Advanced and mortal oases of such external cancers, are practically impossible to confound with any other sickness. Even if such confusion of diagnosis bap-pens, it is so rare that it cannot influence the statistics. The frewwency of these external cancers has increased in the same proper jon as cancer in general.
Another answer to this objection is that even in the Inst few years the increase of the frequency is well-marked and the same in all civilized states and towns.
Dr. Englacnde, in the same way as other radiologists, was even of the opinion that the -more exact diagnosis of the present times not only not augmenting the apparent numbers of cancer but tends to diminish them.
It happens rather frequently, he stated, that eases of supposed cancer of the'stomach or the colon, are today recognized as cleatri strictures or other diseases, which are not malignant by' their nature, but are causing heavy symptoms and by their disturbance of A resorption a toxins originated in the stagnating contents of these organs
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.