Cancer: Its Cause and Treatment, Volume 2 (of 2)Bulkley, Lucius Duncan
Science
Cancer: Its Cause and Treatment, Volume 2 (of 2)
Bulkley, Lucius Duncan
Cancer
The red blood cells he also finds, with other observers, nucleated more
frequently in cancer than in any other form of secondary anemia, and
subject to a change of composition, and deficient in lecithin and
nuclein. He shows the importance of potash, which we shall later find
clinically of such great value in cancer, and I cannot do better than
quote some of his words: “How vitally important potassium salts are to
the red corpuscles is shown by the following: One thousand parts of red
corpuscles are found to contain six hundred and eighty-eight parts of
water, three hundred and eight parts of organic solids, and eight parts
of mineral. Of these eight parts three and one half are of potassium
chlorid, two and one half are potassium phosphate, and decimal one
potassium sulphate; the remaining 1.9 parts are divided between the
iron, sodium, calcium, and magnesium, comprising the rest of the
corpuscles. More than three quarters of the total mineral ash of the red
corpuscles is, therefore, composed of potassium. This fact is an
important one, and the reader is earnestly requested to bear it in
mind.” Later we will again see some of the valuable clinical suggestions
which arise from his researches.
From our study of inoperable and recurrent cancer, and of metastasis and
the blood conditions in the disease, we see what a formidable task is
before one who would attempt to lessen its morbidity and mortality. We
see also how blind all have been who have so long looked to surgery to
stay its progress. In my former lectures I collected and quoted
statements from many surgeons of prominence in times past, and even some
in quite recent times, all expressive of a belief in a constitutional
origin of cancer, and many of them looking to a dietary cause. I also
gave biochemical laboratory and experimental evidence showing the
medical aspects of cancer. I then remarked that it seemed strange that
the medical profession and the public had been so slow in accepting and
acting on the accumulated evidence which I have tried to put before you
in these and the former lectures.
The reason for this seems to be that the medical profession, being
occupied largely with acute disease and apparently definite and speedy
results, became readily discouraged with the unsatisfactory course
commonly observed in cancer; as in the case of tuberculosis, until the
revival of an interest in the latter in recent years, with the well
known beneficial consequences. They, therefore, turned the cancer cases
over to the surgeons, in the hope that they could do better.
By the brilliant advances in modern surgery along many lines, the laity
also have become obsessed with the idea that it has limitless power in
many directions, and have yielded to the knife in spite of the rising
mortality of late years. The glamour of modern surgery and its often
spectacular results have quite blinded the eyes of many to real facts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Cancer: Its Cause and Treatment, Volume 2 (of 2) — John Shaqi
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