CANCER AND THE LYMPHOID SYSTEM 271 



section has been to suggest that the scientific administration in 

 question necessarily connotes repeated observation of the blood 

 count as modified by the administration of the proteal antigens. 



SECTION IX. 

 CANCER AND THE LYMPHOID SYSTEM 



There is one profoundly important aspect of the problem of 

 treating cancer with proteins to which incidental reference has 

 been made in this monograph, but which, so far as I am aware, 

 has never been elsewhere suggested. 



The point in question is this: Every cancer patient has been 

 subjected to a spontaneous course of protein treatment before he 

 comes into the hands of the surgeon or physician. 



Such, at least, must be considered the fact if the thesis as to 

 the nature of cancer that furnishes the basis of this monograph 

 is accepted. According to that thesis, as elsewhere elaborated, 

 there is incessant warfare from the outset between the blood cor- 

 puscles and the neoplastic cells, with the consequent destruction 

 of combatants on both sides. 



If the corpuscles win, the lawless cells are entirely eliminated, 

 and no tangible neoplasm will result. 



But if the new cells win, they ultimately constitute an aggre- 

 gate that we call a tangible cancer. Meantime, there has been 

 an effort on the part of the bodily defenders namely, the white 

 and red corpuscles that has profoundly disturbed their status 

 as health-defending agents. And needless to say this profound 

 disturbance has extended to the organs that produce the blood 

 corpuscles, namely the bone marrow, the lymphatic system, and 

 the spleen. Abundant proof of this is found in the presence of 

 myelocytes, normoblasts, and abnormal lymphoid corpuscles in the 

 blood stream. 



The manner of change that brings about this modification of the 

 blood conditions may be illustrated by a quotation from Dr. 

 Ward's book on Bedside Hamatology. In the chapter on "Gen- 

 eralized Affections of Blood-forming Tissues" in which there is 

 no specific reference to cancer he says: 



"It is well known that the most powerful and efficient stimu- 

 lants of blood regeneration are the products of blood destruction. 

 This is well shown in the case of Addisonian [pernicious] anaemia 

 and in the results of injections of very small quantities of blood 

 in cases of anaemia. We need not then be surprised if after this 

 destruction we find excessive formation. We do, as a matter of 

 fact, find both excessive formation of white cells and the pres- 



