164 APPLICATION TO CANCER RESEARCH 



cases of cancer arising in the institution are also afflicted 

 with rheumatoid arthritis. The setiology of cancer is 

 a large subject, and for full information regarding 

 what is known of it reference may be made to an 

 excellent volume by Mr. W. T. Gibson, on The 

 Etiology and Nature of Cancerous and other Growths. 



This book enumerates in detail the trades and pro- 

 fessions the members of which are especially prone to 

 cancer, and it furnishes a valuable aid to pathological 

 cancer research. Therein it is shown that chronic 

 alcoholism is a predisposing factor. Syphilis also is 

 undoubtedly a predisposing cause of cancer, provided 

 the disease is not too severe. We have been reminded 

 of this point by Mr. Fernet, 1 whose experience of 

 syphilitic patients has left him convinced of an associa- 

 tion between the two diseases. 



The conditions of decrepitude and chronic enfeeble- 

 ment to which reference has been made as ones which 

 render persons less liable to malignancy affect not 

 only the general vitality of the body, but also pre- 

 sumably the vitality of the individual cells. 



Cancer is a disease which is general throughout the 

 world as far as we can find out, but climatic conditions 

 appear to influence its incidence to some extent. Sir 

 William MacGregor has told one of us that as far as 

 he can remember he has never seen a case among the 

 Esquimos, an observation which is interesting in con- 

 nection with the association of cancer and some 

 putrefactive products, which will be discussed in the 



1 "The Intramuscular Syphilitic Treatment," by George Fernet, Transac- 

 tions of the American Medical Association, June, 1909. 



