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15
Cancer.
During the year Circulars and Memoranda Nos. 476, 496
and 516 were issued by the Ministry of Health for the guidance of
Local Authorities and a Sub-Committee of the Public Health
Committee was formed to consider this matter in all its bearings,
whereupon the following pamphlet was drawn up and has been
generally circulated :—
It is vitally important that the following facts about Cancer should
be known.
It has been brought to the notice of the Public Health Committee
that of the number of persons who die each year from Cancer,
many could have been saved if they had applied earlier for medical
advice. On questioning patients as to why they did not apply to
a doctor earlier, the reason almost invariably given is that as the
early symptoms were unaccompanied by pain, it was not thought
that anything serious was the matter.
In order, therefore, to call the attention of the public to the
significance of certain symptoms and conditions, and to the vital
importance of acting promptly on the occurrence of these, it has
been decided to make the following facts public.
The only remedy for Cancer, at present known, is its early
and complete removal. If neglected, and not removed in its
earliest stages, it is invariably fatal. The importance of its early
recognition and early removal is therefore evident. For this purpose
the assistance both of the public and medical profession is requisite ;
and a grave responsibility rests on both. It is only by their mutual
co-operation that the ravages of this terrible disease can be lessened.
The following information should be of great assistance to the
public. It is no exaggeratoin to say, that, if acted upon, the
result would be the saving annually of many hundreds of lives,
which at present are prematurely sacrificed.
1. In the early and curable stage, Cancer rarely gives rise to
pain or a feeling of ill-health.
2. Nevertheless, in its commonest situations, the signs of it in its
early stage are conspicuously manifest. To witness :
3. In case of any swelling occurring in the breast of a woman
after 40 years of age, a medical man should at once be consulted.
4. Any bleeding, however trivial, occurring after the change
of life almost invariably means Cancer, which is then often curable.
If neglected till pain occurs, it is almost always incurable.