A note on an experimental investigation into the pathology of cancer / by Charles A. Ballance and Samuel G. Shattock ; communicated by Sir James Paget.

Ballance, Charles Alfred, Sir, 1856-1936.

Date:: [1890]

Credit: A note on an experimental investigation into the pathology of cancer / by Charles A. Ballance and Samuel G. Shattock ; communicated by Sir James Paget. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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$post-mortem on the dog from which the graft was taken showed no growths in any of the internal organs. The wound healed by first intention and 50 days later no trace of the tumour could be felt. The tumour on microscopical examination was seen to be a small round-celled sarcoma containing many giant cells and undergoing calcification in places.* Dog (6).—1st Experiment.—Beneath the skin of the side of the chest was placed a piece of scirrhus of the breast 1 inch in diameter and \ inch in thickness. The tumour was discharged by suppuration and the wound healed. 2nd Experiment.—112 days after the 1st experiment, an entire scirrhus of the breast was placed in the abdominal cavity, the tumour being sliced into three pieces, which were forced into different situa- tions. 320 days after the 2nd experiment the animal was in good health. On this day it was killed. Post mortem.—Omentum ad- herent to linear cicatrix in abdominal wall. No sign of the graft dis- cernible. No disease of any of the viscera. Dog (7). Into the abominal cavity was placed a square slice inch along its sides, and j inch thick, cut from a tumour which had been a very short while previously excised from the ischiorectal fossa of another dog. A second piece of the same tumour was placed beneath the skin on the right side of the front of the thorax. Wounds healed by first intention. Animal in good health 270 days afterwards. The tumour on microscopical examination proved to be a squamous-celled carcinoma with cysts.f Sheep (1).—Beneath the skin of the back under strict anti- septic precautions was placed a square slice from a subperiosteal round-celled sarcoma of the humerus, 2 inches square, and ^ inch in thickness; this was pushed for some inches into the subcu- taneous tissue beyond the incision. The piece included at one of its borders the growing margin with the healthy tissues imme- diately connected with it. Three weeks after the operation there was a fluctuating swelling at the site of the graft, and six weeks after the operation the graft was discharged in the state of necrosis. On the 108th day the animal, apparently in good health, was killed. Fust mortem.—Sheep healthy in every respect. Sheep (2).—Beneath the skin of the back was placed a slice of scirrhus of the breast with a rim of the surrounding fat, the whole being If inch in diameter and about £ inch in thickness. * July 8th.—Animal killed 590 days after the 1st experiment. Post mortem.— No trace of the grafts. No sign of cancerous infection. t July 6th.—Animal killed 400 days aftor the experiment. Fost mortem.—No sign of graft. Viscera healthy.$