Practical observations on cancer / by the late John Howard.
- Howard, John, Fellow of the College of Surgeons
- Date:
- 1811
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Practical observations on cancer / by the late John Howard. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
127/154 page 119
![I ON CANCER. ] 19 selves, and liable to become worse from the natural progress of the disease, and from irritation by accidents,—the better way perhaps is to remove them; and such is the general practice. It is however possible, could accidents be avoided, that such tumors, if they cannot be discussed, may be quieted and kept from increasing. As the greater number of sufferers under what are called cancers, have not sufficient courage to submit early to the above treatment, it is matter of useful inquiry,—how far these objects may be ob- tained without an operation. But before I enter on this very interesting matter, I must mention a recent instance of courage, in a young married lady, that has surprised me.—She complained of a small superficial tumor, perfectly moveable, on one of her breasts: she was then pregnant, and came to me, much alarmed, thinking it cancerous (her grandmother having had that disease); and, indeed, it had somewhat the appearance of a cancerous tubercle. She insisted on having it removed, if I thought it had a cancerous tendency. I said, No, I do not think it cancerousit will probably suppurate, as a boil, or be dispersed in conse- J, quence of child-birth; and I will not by any means advise you to have it taken away. Still was I pressed to the operation; but, upon my assurance that she was much too young to have a cancer, and was under circumstances in which cau-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21458571_0127.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
