^8 Notices respecting New Booh, 



4th. Treatment of cancer. 



These arc fbllowed by some miscellaneous remarlcs on 

 the predisposition to cancer, and its connexion with other 

 diseases ; and an attempt to answer the queries of the so- 

 ciety formed in London for the cure of cancer. 



The cases of cancer cured by preparations of iron amount 

 to 50, all well authenticated; and many of them tom- 

 municatcd to the auihor from various respectable sources. 



The number alleviated is eleven, and those in which the 

 remedy pniduced no good effects are seven. 



We shaij pass over the account of the ancient opinions 

 concerning cancer, and even ot the moderns. Of the lat- 

 ter our auihor remarks : 



" Theories founded on such uncertain arguirients scarcely 

 ileserve attention, only that they prove how frequently the 

 symptoms of this disorder have given the notion of its pro- 

 duction by the action of living animals. They seem to have 

 nearly dropped into oblivion, till revived by Dt, Adams, 

 who supports with much ingenuity and appearance of truth, 

 opinions peculiar to himself on this subject. As the foun- 

 dation of this theory, he premises, that hydatids possess 

 the simplest form in which animal life can well be sup- 

 posed to exist; and as the experiments of Doctor Hunter 

 only prove in ihem a contractile force, which is allowed tci 

 be sufficient evidence of their life ; so if a similar property 

 can he proved in the contents of a cancerous tumour^ thebr 

 separate vitality is equally deducible. 



*' In cancerous breasts, he remarks, there is always found 

 a quantity of yellow greenish fat, which is contained in 

 cysts, these together he denominates Carcinomatous Hy- 

 datids ; and to prove their contractile power, he directs the 

 following experiment to be made. ' Immediately after the 

 operation, take the amputated part, and cut it in a trans- 

 verse, or indeed in any direction, and wherever you dis- 

 cover this fatty appearance, you will see the surface at first 

 Rmooth under your knife. In an instant after you will find 

 a papillary appearance all over this yellow green surface. 

 Each of these papillce you will find the contents of a cap- 

 sule, the contraction of which has produced this conical 

 figure.' 



** The other observations in support of his theory chiefly 

 tend to prove, that those parts usu.illy affected with cancer 

 ire endued with but httle powers of life; and which there- 

 fore we would, a priori, suppose to be best adapted for the 

 nidus and support of beings possessirtg a separate existence. 

 'Among those arc the organs subservient to the preservation 



