DISCUSSION ON CANCER


We are all roaming in the dark in the therapeutics of cancer, and one wants every branch of pharmacological remedies tried carefully through.” Cancer never affects a healthy organ. The cancer organism can only grow on a foul soil.


AT THE LONDON HOMOEOPATHIC HOSPITAL

FOLLOWING DR. BURDFORDS ADDRESS.

SIR WILLIAM WILLCOX:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to say that it is a very great pleasure to me to be here-to-day. I am very interested in the work on Cancer Research which is being done at this Hospital; I have a broad mind and I think if anyone can be successful in therapeutics, by whatever road the goal is reached, that method should be praiseworthy. We are all roaming in the dark in the therapeutics of cancer, and one wants every branch of pharmacological remedies tried carefully through.”.

DR. WYNNE THOMAS:

” I had the pleasure of seeing the patient about whom Dr. Burford spoke, the day before she left this Hospital. She had been in another Hospital for six weeks; she was in the Homoeopathic Hospital for four weeks, and when I saw her she had a distinct swelling on the right side of the abdomen and the uterus was more or less fixed. I have been looking after her since she has been home, and she has steadily improved. I saw her last Friday and examined her p. v. and p. r. and could find practically nothing. She is really well; she is healthy and she is enjoying life.

She wants to know why she cannot come up to town and go to the theatre and so on. Her bowels are acting well; she sleeps perfectly at night, and has a good appetite; in fact, she looks, and is, perfectly well. She wants to know what all the fuss has been about. She said to me that before she left the Hospital Dr. Burford took her photograph and told her he had taken it to Holland; she could not think why. She asked me what he had been the matter.

I told her she had an extensive inflammation of the abdomen and although they could not get the better of it at the first Hospital, Dr. Burford had succeeded in getting in under control, that it had gradually disappeared and that she was now quite well again. That satisfied her enquiries. When in the Hospital her weight was 8 st. 8 lbs.; now it is 9st. 5 lb. 3 ozs.

” I would like to mention another case I have had under my care. A man, aged 42, in good health until last November, was on April 27th sent in to the Miller Hospital to be X-rays and was found to have a large mass in his lung. His breathing was very difficult and he was sent up to Victoria Park, where a bronchoscope was passed and his brother came to me to know if I could do anything for him. The Hospital authorities, said they could not do anything for him, and that he could not possibly live for more than three months.

I took him into my Hospital for a month; his breathing improved and in October his weight increased nearly a stone, Whereas when he came in he could hardly walk 100 yards, last month he walked four miles. He has lost all his pain; his cough has almost gone. When I first had him under my care he was bringing up blood from time to time, and he has not brought up any now for nearly a month. Altogether he is looking and feeling very much better. I can bear out every word Dr. Burford has said about the restoration of his own patient.”.

DR. H. SEARLE BAKER:

“In five minutes it is impossible to hope to deal adequately with what we have heard this afternoon, but there are one or two points that should be emphasized. You have heard Dr. Burford talking of a case in which he has had excellent results. He has had several other cases, some of which he has shown here, which have been most impressive. I remember in particular, two clergymen who both had recovery, dating five years back. Of course the number of cases is small at present.

Dr. Rounds work on a modified Bendien test for cancer with urine appears to be about 100 per cent., but the number of cases is too small at present. This is pretty well the only body of people in London who are interested in the cure of carcinoma; numerous people are interested in radium, radiology and other means of cure, but we are a body of clinicians interested in cure. We meet about once a month, and it is only by the exchange of experiences that we can get anywhere.

As far as I am concerned myself, I am investigating the effects of connective tissue extracts in the treatment of carcinoma. I have some beds available in Essex for a few cases, and I have been fortunate in having the co-operation of Mr. Holmes who has been doing work on animals.

“Dr. Burfords work is not of as great value as it might be, because the numbers are so few. The same thing applies to Dr. Rounds work and to my own. If you would only write to Dr. Burford if you have a case of carcinoma in which you are interested; if you will write to Dr. Round, or to me, we shall be happy to do all we can to help. But in all these cases, as far as the clinical point of view is concerned, we must see the patients.

Dr. Burford gives you the value of his experience, but still it is necessary to see the case; the report is not as valuable to us as if we had actually examined the patient. If you will go home this afternoon and resolve that you will try out the things you have heard this afternoon, we shall get somewhere.”.

SIR WILLIAM WILLCOX:

“It has been a very great pleasure to me to be here to-night. In cancer we want to explore all avenues, and I am sure that avenues you are exploring are very good ones. I should be the last one to say that his work is not good and not worth pursuing, because i think it is.”.

THE CAUSATION OF CANCER.

DEAR DR. BURFORD,

I was very interested in your lecture and the discussion. My views on the causation of cancer are very simple:.

1. Cancer never affects a healthy organ.

2. The cancer organism can only grow on a foul soil.

3. On such occasions as I have been able after operation to make the subject healthy by diet, etc. recurrence is very rare in my experience.

4. When excellent drainage results from operation for cancer, recurrence is comparatively rare, as for instance in the removal of much or all of the large bowel.

5. I do not believe we shall ever obtain a cure for cancer but we can prevent it. Its increase runs parallel with diseases of the gastro-intestinal tract. We can prevent it with certainty by keeping the individual in a state of health.

George Henry Burford
George Henry Burford 1856-1937. Senior Surgeon and Physician for the Diseases of Women at the London Homeopathic Hospital. He also served as President of the British Homeopathic Society, President and Vice President of The International Homeopathic Congress.