34 THE ENZYME
TREATMENT OF CANCER
precise
bio-chemical methods can now be applied to the study of the growth of cancer,
and brings new and exact information as to the nature of the relations existing
between The tumour and the animal bearing it. The effect which a growing tumour
produces upon a normal organism is a problem of nutrition similar to the growth
of a foetus in a pregnant animal ; it cannot be explained by assuming the
formation of pathogenic ‘ cancer ferments or ‘cancer toxins.’ “ In the
foregoing the italics are mine, and they are introduced to draw attention to
the method of citing the “ new and exact information.”
As
demonstrating the exact opposite of this information, one may cite the
following recent words of Blumenthal and Neuberg: “ Moreover, we consider the
question of the abnormal enzymatic (ferment) processes in tumours as completely
cleared up, since it has also been answered in a positive sense by Abderhalden
and his colleagues, working with quite other methods.” The original German of this
passage will be found in a short article by Blumenthal and Neuberg’on”
Proteolytische Fermente der Krebszelle,” in Zeitschr. f. Krebsforschung,
vol. x., pp. 246-247, 1911. For further evidences and for the present position
of the matter, Blumenthal and Neuberg refer to Neuberg, “ Handbuch der
Biochemie,” “ Chemie der Neuhildungen,” 1909 ; also to the same author, in Zeitschr.
f. Krebsforschung, vol. x., 1910; and to Blumenthal, “ Ergebnisse der
Physiologic,” “ Die chemische Vorgänge bei der Krebskrankeit, ” pp. 363-428,
19I0 separate edition of the memoir (Asher-Spiro, Berlin), 1910.
In
a review of Bainbridge’s report, the Lancet (October 9, 1909, p. 1079)
states “ A negative result of this kind has the great value we have indicated,
in that the medical profession have before them chapter and verse