270 THE PROTEAL TREATMENT OF CANCER 



she went to another city for X-ray treatment. A few months 

 later her death was reported. 



What might have been the progress of the case had the Proteal 

 treatment been continued is oi course only conjectural. But 

 the blood count showed that the case was not progressing under 

 the proteals as satisfactorily as could be desired; whereas the 

 blood count of the other patient gave every warrant for the favor- 

 able prognosis that was presently justified. 



Incidentally we may note that both these cases were cancers of 

 the breast. 



In another connection, I have suggested that when a patient 

 under the Proteal treatment has been carried to a stage of very 

 marked improvement, progress may be retarded by excessive 

 dose, putting a tax upon the corpuscles that is not compensated 

 by further stimulus to the blood-forming organs. Obviously, the 

 guide as to this must be found in the blood count. 



In general, I would suggest that when the red-cell count has 

 been brought to approximately five millions, and the differential 

 leucocyte count to the status above suggested, in which there is 

 marked lymphocytosis with distinct preponderance of the large 

 mononuclears, the physician should be chary of giving large doses 

 of protein. 



It may be desirable to discontinue treatment altogether for a 

 time; but it is usually preferable to restrict the size of dosage, 

 and extend the intervals between doses. A dose of 5 or 10 

 minims given weekly or semi-weekly may keep the corpuscular 

 response at a maximum, and foster progress that would be im- 

 possible under larger or more frequent doses. Yet the same case 

 may have required dosage of 40 or 50 minims daily or on alter- 

 nate days at an earlier stage. 



All therapeutic rules have exceptions, however; so I must add 

 that it appears sometimes to be advantageous to give a patient 

 who has reached the static period the shock of a large dose, or 

 of an intravenous injection, which produces a vigorous reaction. 

 A case was recently reported in which, quite by accident, part 

 of a dose was given into a vein. There was anaphylactic reac- 

 tion within a few minutes, and subsequently the neoplasm began 

 rapidly to regress, although it had for some weeks been static, 

 after having passed through an earlier stage of favorable progress. 



All this, however, only emphasizes the point made in an earlier 

 section, to the effect that any one who can administer a hypo- 

 dermic injection may begin the proteal treatment of a case of 

 cancer, and for a time secure gratifying results ; but that, even in 

 cases that have larger possibilities, these possibilities can be rea- 

 lized only when the subsequent administration of the remedy is 

 carried forward along scientific lines. One object of the present 



