CLINICAL CASES 383 



growths in these two cases, a striking point was the 

 improvement in the general symptoms and appearance 

 of the two patients. Their cachexiae practically dis- 

 appeared, they became cheerful and seemed to get 

 younger. In the first case the disappearance of the 

 oedema of the legs was most remarkable, and never 

 before had we seen cases of carcinoma, which had been 

 bed-ridden for months previously and condemned by 

 surgeons as being inoperable, become able to be up 

 and about apparently vastly improved in health. It 

 must be distinctly understood, however, that we do 

 not assert that this treatment is in any way a cure 

 for the disease. As mentioned at the outset of the 

 description of the cases, we have no absolute proof 

 that they were cases of carcinoma, and it must be 

 remembered that spontaneous improvement and cure 

 in some cases of cancer have undoubtedly occurred 

 without any ^treatment whatever. Gaylord and Clowes 

 have collected a series of these cases. 1 Moreover, 

 we have been able to deal with only a few cases, and 

 they have been under observation for only six months; 

 therefore we cannot say whether the results are going 

 to be permanent or even maintained for any length of 

 time. 



The reason why these cases are described is that they 

 suggested to me a possible way in w r hich the crucial 

 experiment, mentioned at the end of the last chapter, 

 could be carried out. It appeared reasonable that if 

 one can cause the reduction in the size of a growth with 



1 Seventh Annual Report (Cancer Laboratory, New York State Depart- 

 ment of Health). 



