RECENT ILLUMINANTS ON THE ROAD OF
PROGRESS IN CANCER THERAPEUTICS AND
CANCER DIAGNOSIS.
THERE be those — and alas ! they constitute the great majority of experts in general therapeutics — who hold that from the point of view of cure, cancer has no therapy. Quite recently at the Royal Society of Medicine, a speaker — actually a surgeon — mentioned two cases of cancer cured in his hands by Hydrastis. Immediately there sprang to his feet one of the great, wise and eminent among the auditory. “Cured, did you say,” exclaimed he in an incredulous tone. “Yes, cured,” responded the surgeon. “Are you quite sure?” pursued the interlocutor. “Undoubtedly,” answered the prime speaker.
But he did not carry the meeting with him. His experience was parallel to that of Columbus when he walked the quays of Genoa prior to setting out in his quest of the New World, jeered at, bantered and derided on account of his delusion, to which he had the courage to adhere. History repeats itself in such and similar a frame of mind.
THE GRAVITY OF THE PROBLEM.
According to Sir George Newman, the Registrar-General, malignant disease killed to fewer than 60,000 residents in the British Isles during the last year. Nor is this all the import of this statistical finding. The totality relative to the population shows an annual increase by leaps and bounds. Within thirty years the annual cancer mortality has doubled, and unless we lessen the deadly impact of malignant disease on the community, by and by it will sweep the land with the besom of destruction, having no curb to control its domination.
A. THE SPECIFIC CANCER THERAPEUTICS OF RECENT TIMES.
1. Radium.
This miraculous element is most serviceable when turned to account for the treatment of malignant ulcers or growths to which it can be directly applied. Under such conditions it is said to be the most potent of cancer remedies in our possession. That at least is a Harley Street verdict. But as this excludes about 75 per cent. of cancerous growths it reduces materially the utility of this remedy in malignant cases.
The writer made a special journey to Paris in the early part of this century to see Radium work where it was carried on in excelsis. Among the patients was a young lady operated on two years previously by Professor Tuffier for breast cancer. The growth had recurred in full measure, and treatment at the Institute of Radium had been recently sought.
At commencement the diseased mass was as large as a coconut: it had been drawn to size as a water-colour. “That,” said the patient, putting her finger on the coloured sketch, “was myself six weeks ago, when I came here.” “And this,” continued she, baring her chest,”is what I am to-day, thanks to Radium.” To our astonishment there was not a sign of ulcer or growth, save and except the linear scar left by the two-year-previous operation. “You have every cause to be thankful,” we remarked.
“I am”, she responded.
Time passed: two or three years later the chief of the Paris Radium Institute came over to London on public business. He called on the writer, who in the course of conversation enquired, “And how is the young lady whom you kindly asked me to see, who had been previously operated on by Professor Tuffier? Going strong, I suppose?” “Alas, said he, “she died six months ago, not from any local recurrence, but from metastasis to the spinal cord.” In this instance the antibody production had been insufficient to protect the patient against further and distant cancer development.
We have observed a patient to recover from sarcoma of the lug, and fall a victim two or three years later to epithelioma of the naso-pharynx.
2. Radium (continued).
Mass Radiation. This method in quite recent time has been introduced and practised to a limited extent. The Committees Report is that the “evidence is convincing that the treatment of cancer by radiation from a massive radium unit is a method the value of which has already been proved, although only so far in a limited field.” The question is still subjudice.
ATTENUATED SERPENT VENOM.
The Pasteur Institute in Paris has the introduction of these to its credit, and claims a fair measure of success in the relief of pain, and also the healing of ulcerous surfaces, and mirabile dictu ! the absorption of cancerous deposit. The writer has used the Paris preparations, but had to discontinue them on account of the cardiac disturbance that repeatedly ensued. The presence of jaundice precludes their use. The venom of the cobra and that of the rattlesnake are those selected.
SCHMIDTS VACCINES.
These preparations were introduced at a meeting in Berlin in 1905, and have obtained some vogue on the Continent and in at least one large London Hospital. They are prepared on the basis of an assumed micro-organism in the blood and tumours in cancer cases. There is reason to believe the vaccines to be of therapeutic value; and what is equally important, innocuous in use.
COLEYS FLUID.
Medical London was startled some years ago by the sudden appearance of an American physician who gave a lecture at the rooms of the Medical Society in Hanover Square, the Lord Mayor being in the chair. The audience, a distinguished medical one, was evidently impressed by the personality and the statements of the lecturer. The percentage of cases cured was from 10 to 20 per cent., all the patients being inoperable sarcoma cases. Yet in spite of this relatively brilliant send off, Coleys Fluid as a cancer remedy did not come to stay, though we believe its popularity in America in medical circles is maintained.
THE SELENIUM METHOD OF DR. TODD OF BRISTOL.
This, the most brilliant in point of result of all the therapeutic methods hitherto described, is also the latest in introduction, having been in good working organization for at least ten years. At an address recently given by Dr. Todd at the Royal Society of Medicine, the results were stated to be of a advanced cancer cases; Cured, 30 per cent.; of cases considerably relieved 30 per cent.; leaving 40 per cent. of similar cases outside the pale. The writer has seen Dr. Todd actually at work in his domain, and can vouch for the values of his ministrations. The method consists chiefly in the injection of a solution of Selenium which has been saturated with X-rays.
THE CACODYLATE OF SODA TREATMENT.
This also is a French introduction, and is a method of intensive prescription of Arsenic, but rendered safe because of the introduction of a carbon atom into the molecule. Occasionally it will cure if prescribed alone, but usually it acts more satisfactorily in cases of cancer when ordered as a supplement to other remedial measures.
OTHER CANCER-THERAPEUTICS.
Yet there are others, of greater or less value in the long roll of cancer remedies of recent time, and coming as thick as leaves in Vallambrosa. Thus:–.
Blair Bells chemo-therapeutic treatment by lead.
Albert Wilsons treatment by goat serum.
Shaw Mackenzies work on the value of Oleates.
The low-protein dietary of Robert Bell, respecting which he avowed that it would cure 80 per cent. of his cancer patients if given with thyroid and a nerve-ganglion preparation.
But these therapeutic endeavours in the treatment if carcinoma come not as single spies, but in battalions. A certain measure of success– usually most marked at the time of their introduction– attaches to all but few –actually none– hitherto have been able to stand the ordeal of length of days.
Doubtless time will solve the problem and furnish the remedy, finely adjusted to the malady. But treatment to be successful in and by itself must be polyphasic. The foregoing remedial measures are for the most part open to the fundamental criticism of being single remedies which are in process of adjustment to a polyphasic malady.
In this respect cancer differs from most other forms of clinical pathology in that as a double-sided unity requiring both its sides to be recognized and met in the fine adjustment of remedy to malady. None recognized this more definitely than that prince of cancer therapists, Compton Burnett who, vigorously adhering to the principle of one remedy at a time found it necessary in every case to continuously search for the complement to the last fine adjustment of remedy to malady.
HOMOEOPATHY– FIRST, LAST AND ALL THE TIME !.
But head and front in prominent potency in the therapeutics of malignant disease is undoubtedly Homoeopathy. This to begin with is devoid of the fatal defect of having only one remedy for the treatment of a polyphasic malady. Instead it has numerous remedial measures each capable of fine adjustment to various and varying phases of this deadly malady.
The application of these to cancer cases is not a matter or routine, but makes demand in every instance on the personal experience of the physician in the adjustment of the chosen remedy to the type and grade of the malady for which he is prescribing. Nevertheless, there stand out among others certain remedies which more frequently are utilized than others in cancer therapy. Of such are Carcinosin, to deal with the malignant factor. Hydrastis when a mucous membrane, particularly of the digestive tract, is involved.
