Transmissibility and curability of cancer / by William Seaman Bainbridge.

  • William Seaman Bainbridge
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Transmissibility and curability of cancer / by William Seaman Bainbridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    value are many of the cases reported, and there comes to mind the plan, said to be adopted by the British government, of offering a money prize to all hospital physicians within the British empire who give accurate reports of cancer cases, and of fining physicians in the employ of the government who fail to do so. In the light of our present knowledge, what may we, with due conservatism, say to our patients and to their friends in answer to their eager questioning concerning this important subject? The following points, I believe, may be safely adduced from the mass of conflicting evidence, and, until such time as the “ cancer problem ” shall be solved, will lead no one into danger: (1) That the hereditary and congenital acquire- ment of cancer are subjects which require much more study before any definite conclusions can be formulated concerning them. (2) That in the light of our present knowledge they hold no special element of alarm. (3) That the contagiousness or infectiousness of cancer is far from proved. (4) That evidence to support the theory of contagion or infection is so incomplete and incon- clusive that the public need not concern itself with it. (5) That the public need merely be instructed to apply the same precautionary measures as should be brought to bear in the care of any ulcer or open wound. (6) That the danger of the accidental acquire- ment of cancer is far less than from typhoid fever, syphilis or tuberculosis. (7) That in the care of cancer cases there is much more danger to the attendant of septic infection, of blood poisoning from pus organisms, than from any possible acquirement of cancer.
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