Observations on the history, pathology, and treatment of cancerous diseases / by Oliver Pemberton.

Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the history, pathology, and treatment of cancerous diseases / by Oliver Pemberton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    As to the nature of the disease, almost all pathologists consider melanosis to be medullary cancer, with black pigment superadded. They further believe that the deposit of the pigment in the elementary structures of any kind of cancer is sufficient to entitle it to the name of melanosis. The scirrhus cancer, comparatively rarely, however, becomes associated with melanosis, but the medullary is constantly encountered, presenting every possible degree of admixture. The cut aspect of a tumour of melanotic cancer presents the con- sistence and the appearance, except as to colour, of medullary cancer; and even this exception to the complete resemblance is only partial, as portions of the same tumour frequently display an absolute similarity in all respects. Examined by the microscope, melanosis is found to present the same histological elements as are met with in enccphaloid growths ; with this difference, that granules of black pigment are found within the cancer cells, or interspersed amongst the other elements of the growth. These are well represented in the subjoined woodcut, which I have copied from Wedl. In other respects—in dimensions, in multiplication, in rapidity of growth, in the attacking almost any part and any age; and, in a word, in maintaining preeminently the cancerous features of destructiveness and incurability, the melanotic closely pursues the same course as the medullary tumour. The description that I have previously given of melanosis will be quite sufficient to distinguish it from every other disease, with the exception of non-malignant melanosis of the skin. I will therefore briefly enumerate the chief differences between them. Malignant cutaneous melanosis arises generally in one spot, and that of small size. It is brownish-black, or black, in colour. It is almost invariably adjacent to some congenital cutaneous affections, as moles or warts. It is sooner or later accompanied by the constitutional symptoms above referred to ; and whilst it advances slowly in the skin, the secondary deposits form very rapidly.