Document 0qeybMRxjNDGrqOnm5q3dVjDx

FILE NAME: Newspaper & Magazine Articles (NMA) DATE: 1951 DOC#: NMA120 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: The Chicago Daily Tribune - How to Keep Well HOW TO KEEP WELL Theodore R Van Dellen Chicago Daily Tribune fI S 72-1963/; Jun 10. 10 5 1; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune ( 1840 - 108 pg. 26 cUeodore HXmlMJtar To the lim it of apace, questions pertaining to the prevention of disease will be answered. Person al replies will be made when re turn stamped envelope is inclosed. Telephone inquiries not accepted. Dr. Von Dellen will not make di agnoses or prescribe fo r individual diseases.. rco crriiht: 1931: B r The Chlcaco T ribw tT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN LUNG CANCER THE INCipENCE of cancer of the lung has risen sharply in the last 40 years. I f i{ contin ues a t its present rate the disease may displace cancer of the stom ach as tne No.lcancer k ille r in males. Vir tually every irritant that we i n h a l e has been blamed. The prob- l e m arises: is th e in crease re a l orapparent? Are m o r e per sons developing the disease or is it being diagnosed more readily? The answer is difficult because there Is nothing concrete to go by. In my opinion, both are factors. In the past the physician rarely thought of cancer of the lung until the disorder was well advanced. There were no X-rays to help make the diagnosis nor had the bronchoscope been invented. Many cases of pneumonia and other res piratory diseases which failed to heal and ultimately proved fatal unquestionably were misdiagnosed lung cancers. On the other hand, physicians who have practiced in the before and after periods are in general agreement that they see more patients nowadays with this type of malignancy. However, this may be caused by the shift in the age of our population; more and more individuals are reaching the decades in life when cancer is more prevalent. * I The cause of lung malignancy is not known but many irritants have been accused, all too often with out proof. Tobacco is mentioned more often than any other sub stance, probably because there are so many smokers. Fuel is added to the fire by the fact th at more men than women become victims and th at the same proportion holds in sofar as smoking is concerned. On the other hand, positive proof still is lacking despite the fact that many physicians are convinced in their own minds th at a relation ship exists between the two. Various industrial irritants also have been implicated but in most instances the evidence is circum stantial. Coal smoke, dust from tarred roads, exhaust fumes from gasoline engines, sulfur dioxide in the air from burning sulfur-con taining coal, and air pollution from various smelting ores are blamed. One of the difficulties in deciding the question centers on the fact that no one knows how long a period passes between exposure and the development of cancer. This varies from five to 40 years. The inhalation of coal dust has been cleared as a factor but not the by-products such as tar, as phalt, pitch, lamp blacks, and coal blacks. Considerable research is being done on this,aspect a t the present time and more definite in formation soon should be avail able. A similar degree of uncertainty exists in regard to the inhalation of exhaust fumes. Because there is no Increase in lung cancer among policemen, street cleaners, garbage mechanics, and automobile drivers, most authorities are skeptical about this source. However, the same cannot be said of fumes con taining arsenic. German workers have noted a relationship between cancer in animals and the amount of arsenic fumes in the air. In our country, arsenical contamination of the air in connection with smelt ing operations has been studied. A comparison of the lung cancer deaths with those in an adjoining agricultural region shows a much higher percentage in the mining areas. Other inorganic chemicals th at are being studied as possible environmental factors in lung ma lignancies are chromium, asbestos, and nickel. TOMORROW: Plague: A old disease that crops up periodically, HR. MURPHY L. C. writes: A group of us were discussing the great Dr. John B. Murphy. W hat did he do to make him famous?. REPLY Much of his renown rested on his ability as a surgeon and teacher. He devised several operations and invented the Murphy button which was used in those .days to connect seperated loops of the intestine after surgery. He also worked with bonis g r a f t s and pneumothorax For thosp who are interested in reading about Dr. Murphy's career, there is a book on him by Dr. Loyal Davis called " J. B. Murphy; Stormy Petrel of Surgery " [Putnam], ISARY'S HEART DEFECT Mrs. E. writes: In a blue baby, what p a rt of the h eart is Involved? REPLY The bluish tint of the lips and epidermis occurs in children whose circulation thru, the lungs Is inter fered with, or when venous and arterial blood merge thru a com munication between two chambers. The two specific lesions which lend themselves to surgical treatm en tpatent ductus arteriosus and pulmonary stenosis--are located in the large channels just outside the heart. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS L. W. writes: What is multiple sclerosis? REPLY A neurological disorder in which sclerotic areas develop in the brain and spinal cord. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for leaflet on this disease. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.