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                                                      THE CANCER PROBLEM                                                119

 

absent, neither the asexual structures of a fish develop­ment nor the cells of chorio-epithelioma do, or can, degenerate.

Under the conclusions already advanced regarding the nature of cancer as an irresponsible trophoblast, in con­sideration of the facts regarding the acid and eroding action of the trophoblast and of carcinoma, and in respect of the fact that in the absence of a completed embryo or foetus and its pancreatic secretion the trophoblast may become one of the most deadly of malignant tumours — chorio-epithelioma — it must be clear that nature itself has possibly provided a remedy for cancer and the pernicious (intracellular) cancerous digestion of the trophoblast in the secretion of that important digestive gland, the pancreas. This structure, I understand, is very rarely the seat of a primary carcinoma, and almost never of a sarcoma.* Moreover, it is very important

(continued from p 118) its parts, begins to nourish itself by an alkaline pancreatic diges­tion, and with a ferment known as trypsin. If this latter be wanting, the asexual generation, the trophoblast, may become a malignant tumour of the deadliest description; in its presence it becomes harmless and slowly degenerates. Clearly, then, since cancer is an irresponsible trophoblast, the ferment, which brings about the degeneration of this in normal development ought to possess potency when directed against the cells of a malignant tumour.” For reasons of scientific priority, which also led me to read to the audience the abstract of my Liverpool lecture, published next day in full in the Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury, it seems desirable to draw attention to this matter here also.

  * Two recently recorded cases of tumours of the pancreas may be cited. In the Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 1904, p. 479, Herr Ury, “Berichtet uber einen Fall von Pancreas-carcinom mit Fett - Stühlen, welche durch Darreichung von Pancreon wesentlich gebessert wurden,” and in the Journal of Medical Research, Boston, 1902, vol. viii., pp. 385-395, A. G. Nicholls records a “simple adenoma of the pancreas.” The first shows that the pancreas was not properly functioning, while the second, in which the tumour was not larger than a marrowfat pea, illustrates the difficulties encountered by tumours in this organ.

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