London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Deptford 1922

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford, Metropolitan Borough of]

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3. If any swelling occurs in the breast of a woman, especially after
40 years of age, a medical practitioner should at once be consulted. A
large proportion of such swellings are Cancer.
4. If any bleeding, however trivial, occurs after the change of
life it generally means Cancer, and Cancer which is then curable. If
neglected till pain occurs, it means Cancer which is almost always
incurable.
5. If any irregular bleeding occurs at the change of life it should
always be submitted to a doctor's investigation. It is not the natural
method of the onset of the change of life, and in a certain number of
cases means commencing Cancer.
6. If any wart or sore occurs spontaneously on the lower lip of a
man over 45 years of age it is almost certainly Cancer. If removed at
once the cure is fairly certain; if neglected the result is inevitably
fatal,
7. If any sore or swelling occurs in the tongue or inside of the
mouth in a man over 45 years of age it should be submitted to medical
inspection without a moment's delay. It may be necessary to decide by
expert microscopal examination as to whether it is Cancer or not. A
very large proportion of such sores and swellings occurring at this time
of life are Cancer, and if neglected for only a few weeks the result is
too often fatal. If removed at once the prospect of cure is good.
8. If any bleeding occurs from the bowels after 45 years of age
(often supposed by the public to be "piles") it should be submitted to
investigation at once. A large proportion of such cases are Cancer,
which at this stage is curable.
9. When warts, moles, or other growths of the skin are exposed to
a constant irritation they should be immediately removed. A large
number of them, if neglected, terminate in Cancer.
10. Avoid irritation of the tongue and inside of the cheek by broken
jagged teeth, and of the lower lip by clay pipes. Many of these and
other local irritations, if neglected, terminate in Cancer.
INSULIN AND THE TREATMENT OF DIABETES.
By Geo. A. Allan, M.B., F.R.F.P.S. (Glasgow).
Senior Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medicine, University of Glasgow,
and Assistant Physician, Glasgow Western Infirmary.
One of the very definite advances in medical treatment during the
past year has been the discovery of Insulin by Dr. F. G. Banting, of
Toronto, and its introduction to the profession as an aid in the treatment
of diabetes. It has been accepted by most that diabetes is due to a
defect in the secretion of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, but
its isolation has hitherto presented special difficulties which have been