Cancer

a malignant disease somewhat resembling a carbuncle in appearance. The name is Latin, meaning crab's claw, from the fact that the roots of a cancer, extending in different directions, have somewhat the appearance of a crab's claw. Several kinds of cancer are characterized as hard, soft, black, etc. It is a malady that baffles the skill of the physician. The only sure cure is removal by the surgeon's knife before the roots have penetrated the tissues too far to be reached, for no part of the body, bone or muscle, is proof. Caustic is not infrequently employed to burn out a cancer. Of late hope has been aroused that all but the most grievous cancers may be killed by the use of X rays and certain light rays of an ultra nature. Cancer kills about 30,000 Americans a year. In the whole United States, it ranks seventh in the number of its victims. See Finsen