lo Faraday, Biological Aspect of Cancer. 



and which, therefore, fall an easy prey to its developed 

 parasitic virulence. Let us imagine the life of such a 

 colony. We begin with an imperfectly irrigated centre, 

 or a centre irrigated by poisoned streams, the cells 

 in which are consequently arrested at the cryptogamic 

 stage, while the surrounding tissues are themselves 

 weakened by an imperfectly renewed blood supply. As 

 the fungus growth proceeds and increases, the channels of 

 irrigation and the nerve fibres which should convey the 

 mysterious neuro-stimulus are themselves degenerated 

 and broken up, while the centre of the fungoid growth 

 itself is imperfectly nourished ; the peripheral cells, ac- 

 quiring increased cryptogamic vigour march on as an 

 invading army, feeding on the surrounding fields of tissue. 

 As the mass increases the famished area becomes larger 

 and the interior breaks down and ulcerates, becoming the 

 prey of still more residual vital forces or pathological 

 ferments developed or liberated in its own substance. 



The practical conclusion is that there has been perhaps 

 too great a disposition to regard cancer as a foreign in- 

 vasion, and as pre-eminently a case for surgical treatment. 

 If there be anything in the reasoning which I have ventured 

 to present it would appear to be primarily a matter for 

 the care of the physician. As in tuberculosis, so in cancer, 

 measures for securing the more efficient oxygenization and 

 thorough circulation of the blood might possibly be tried 

 with advantage, and it also seems to be worth inquiry 

 whether the introduction of oxygen locally and in a con- 

 centrated form might not be practicable and advantageous. 



The influence of free oxygen as a biological factor is 

 more extraordinary than is generally recognised. Let me 

 quote Pasteur's statement* respecting ordinary moulds. 

 " If," he says, " the plant has at its disposal abundant air, 



• Etudes sur la Biere. Par M. L. Pasteur. Paris, 1876. Page 134. 



