THE BLOOD IN CANCER SUBJECTS 259 



SECTION VIII 

 THE BLOOD IN CANCER SUBJECTS 



It will be recalled by those who have read the original presenta- 

 tion of the Proteomorphic Theory that the theory ascribes to the 

 lymphocytes in the blood the function of beginning the decom- 

 pounding of protein molecules. It will be recalled also that ex- 

 periments (of Vaughan) are cited which seem to show that the 

 large monocytes have power to produce enzymes that bring about 

 the decompounding of cancer cells. 



It is of pecular interest, then, to inquire as to the modifications 

 of the blood count that are associated with the cancerous con- 

 dition, and the further modifications that are brought about by 

 therapeutic application of protein antigens. 



It has long been recognized by pathologists that there are 

 marked modifications of the blood count in nearly all cases of 

 malignant disease. Most observers have been content to note the 

 reduction of the haemoglobin index and of the red blood count, 

 and the marked leucocytosis that usually characterizes the condi- 

 tion, at least in its advanced stages. A number of observers, 

 however, have fortunately made more elaborate studies, and rec- 

 ords are available in the literature covering a considerable body 

 of cases in which complete blood counts were made that furnished 

 the basis for a comparative study in connection with the original 

 observations that I am about to record. 



Dr. Price Jones has published detailed results of the study of 

 29 cases of cancer, including carcinomas of the breast, stomach, 

 intestine, generative organs, tongue, and larynx, and variously 

 located sarcomata. His results show an average of 3,838,000 red 

 blood cells and 10,409 white cells to the cubic millimeter. The 

 differential count showed 73.7 per cent, of polynuclears, 10.38 

 per cent, large monocytes, and 13.6 small lymphocytes. Eosino- 

 philes and basophiles are not recorded, but by exclusion are shown 

 in the aggregate to represent 2.32 per cent, of the leucocyte census. 



Another interesting series of cases comprises cancer in which 

 there were bone matastases, recorded by different observers, and 

 aggregating 22 cases fully reported. Here the average red blood 

 count was found to be 2,808,000 ; the average white blood count, 

 14,214 (increased by the presence of a few cases in which the 

 leucocytosis was extreme). The differential count shows 58.11 

 per cent, polynuclears ; 14.89 per cent, large monocytes ; 25.86 per 

 cent, small lymphocytes; 0.87 per cent, eosinophiles ; and .027 

 per cent, basophiles. A considerably modified average is found 

 if we consider only the first count in each of the 22 cases, the re- 

 sult being: red corpuscles, 2,744,000; white corpuscles, 11,500 



