400 PREVENTION OF PROLIFERATION 



to see if it varies in different persons, both in normal 

 and in pathological conditions. The lengths of the lives 

 of leucocytes are being measured in the presence of 

 various strengths of auxetics and alkaloids of putre- 

 faction. Many fields of work are now opened by the 

 knowledge that the reproduction and multiplication of 

 the cells of our bodies are due to certain known (and 

 some as yet unknown) chemical agents. The knowledge 

 that " healing" itself is caused by these agents may ulti- 

 mately assist the medical man in his work, and I think 

 that it will be found that trypanosomes amoebae (the 

 causes of dysentery), and other parasites also multiply 

 in the body in response to the remains of dead cells. 

 These paths of research will require many workers, and 

 I am sure that their investigation will not be wasted. 



Whether the benefit derived from the treatment 

 adopted in two of the cases of cancer will prove to 

 be of practical value or not remains to be seen. In 

 any case it is capable of elaboration and further investi- 

 gation. Even if it confers the smallest amelioration 

 of symptoms, which it undoubtedly appears to have 

 done in these two cases, something has been accom- 

 plished; but whether the benefit is lasting or not time 

 alone will show. 



