262 THE PROTEAL TREATMENT OF CANCER 



Striking the (unweighed) average for these 99 cases, we find 

 the large mononuclears (of these various groups) aggregated to 

 represent 12.45 per cent, of the total leucocyte count. This is 

 about two and a half times the normal maximum percentage ; and 

 it would appear that we may accept some such modification as 

 this of the large monocyte count as typical of advanced cases of 

 malignant neoplasms. Individual cases, as a matter of course, 

 show exceptions, but there appear not to be more than five or 

 six cases in the entire 99 in which the count of large monocytes 

 was found as low as the normal maximum limit. 



We are justified, then, I think, in regarding a marked increase 

 of the large monocytes as a typical manifestation of the presence 

 of malignant neoplasms in an advanced stage. These clinical 

 observations in the human subject find support, it may be added, 

 in Price Jones' observations of cancerous mice in which also a 

 very marked increase of the large monocytes was noted. It should 

 be observed, however, as having interest in another connection, 

 that the percentage of large monocytes in the blood of the normal 

 mouse is far higher than in the human subject. The figures 

 given by Price Jones are, for normal mice, 21.5 per cent.; for 

 cancerous mice 32.2 per cent, of the total leucocyte count. 



The question at once arises as to whether the observed increase 

 of large monocytes in the cancerous condition is to be regarded 

 as a part of the disease process, or whether, on the other hand, 

 it manifests a salutary modification indicating nature's attempt to 

 combat the invasion of the lawless cancer cells. 



In view of the known functions of the leucocytes in guarding 

 the body against bacterial invasions, we may, I think, unhesitat- 

 ingly accept the increase of leucocytes in general in the cancerous 

 condition, and of the large monocytes in particular, as represent- 

 ing a salutary process. The fact that Vaughan's experiments 

 showed that enzymes produced by the large monocytes bring about 

 at least partial decompounding of cancer cells naturally comes to 

 mind in considering the observed fact of the increase of these 

 monocytes in the cancer subject. 



It seems at least a justifiable inference that the presence of the 

 cancer cells has directly stimulated the production of large mono- 

 cytes, just as the presence of foreign pathogenic bacteria stimu- 

 lates the increased production of phagocytic polymorphs. 



If this view is accepted, it is permissable to suppose that in a 

 very large number of cases incipient malignant neoplasms are 

 nipped in the bud, so to speak, by the activities of the large mono- 

 cytes ; and that the presence of a tangible cancer demonstrates the 

 fact that, in this individual case, the body has been unable to pro- 

 duce the defending corpuscles in adequate numbers to overmaster 

 the invading cancer cells ; although, at the same time, it must be 



