Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-10-15 | Page 7 | To Tell or Not to Tell

i I. To Tell or Not to Tell ONCE NCE A NCE MORE at the Cleveland co convention of J the American Roentgen Ray society the f p. question of whether or not to tell cancer victims i t that the dread malady has chosen them for its prey was debated One group of physicians still contends that i this knowledge may develop in sufferers a cancer can cancer ir psychosis cause needless worry probably 4 lead to more serious mental conditions and cut ut ut short the life of the afflicted Another and growing group comes out for frankness boLstering bolstering bolstering bolster- bolster ing their position on what appears appears to be the tf f sensible argument that if a patient knows he J has cancer he will seek competent medical advice advice advice ad- ad vice follow it in the hope t that at it may be cured or brought under control and escape becoming V or a B dupe for patent medicine fake cures If physicians and learned societies cannot Wake rc up th ir minds about this very important I J 1 matter how is the layman to do it The nearest nearest nearest near near- est to agre agreement ment the X-ray X experts came was that in most cases it would be desirable from their point of view to tell the sufferer what is wrong with him The excepted case would in all likelihood be the individual whose temperament temperament temperament tempera tempera- ment or mental state warned that to tell him the truth would seriously bring on a psychosis more to be feared than the cancer itself The medical profession is making progress in facing the problem of cancer It is slow to be sure but it stirs hope that the progress is leading to ultimate success It is commendable indeed that ethical physicians remain highly conservative conservative conserva conserva- tive in this connection From time to time they announce steps in this progress but restrain themselves from conveying an impression that the riddle is solved building up unwarranted hopes among the suffering It is commendable commendable commendable commend commend- able too that no list of symptoms is widely available to the laymen As is too often the case with pat patent nt medicine advertising a alist list of symptoms will convince some some persons that they are victims s of all the s from acidosis to The medical profession as far as the layman is c concerned has done most for mankind by spreading the word that cancer discovered in time is curable and by disseminating the advice to consult reputable physicians whenever any abnormal condition is suspected The chances ate are ae c cancer will not be found but some other dis dis- dis- dis order Whatever it is cancer or something else it is only reasonable that the sooner discovery is made and appropriate treatment beg begun n the better bet better better bet bet- ter off the patient will be