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Show i I Vr EZ Duncan, medical director, and nurse are shown here welcoming three girls referred to them for examination. OH HEALTH FRONT Mobile Detection Bus to Aid Kentucky's Fight on Cancer W'NU Features. The farmer's wife with the lump in her breast, the village store clerk whose voice has dwindled to a hoarse whisper no longer need they go without examination for months and live in the fear that they may have cancer. A new weapon, forged by the Kentucky division of American Amer-ican Cnncer society with the aid of General Electric X-Ray corporation, has made it possible '' for people in outlying areas, where doctors and x-ray facilities are few, to receive first-class medical examination exami-nation for cancer without the cost and difficulty of traveling great distances. dis-tances. This weapon is the first mobile mo-bile cancer detection bus ever to be , equipped with x-ray apparatus. Modeled after buses now used for x-ray surveys of apparently healthy persons in TB campaigns, the can-I can-I cer bus, known officially as the "Cancer Mobile," will carry x-ray i Into the by-ways of Kentucky, acting as an "extension arm" of the state's widespread network of 16 cancer clinics. Aid Rural Areas. The unit, however, will not be 1 used for mass survey work as this would be economically impossible. But it will permit bringing detection ' facilities to thousands who otherwise other-wise might succumb to the nation's ; No. 2 killer. Primary purpose of the unit Is to provide free examination for suspected cases among those unable to pay. In addition, doctors doc-tors who do not have x-ray facilities fa-cilities also may use the apparatus appara-tus in the bus for their private patients. Kentucky physicians are supporting support-ing the unit enthusiastically and have volunteered their services without charge for the examination of indigents. The unit was purchased for the Kentucky cancer group by young women of the Louisville Junior league, who also have offered to go out with the unit in teams to take case histories and assist in handling patients. Only cost to the cancer society so-ciety is for services of the medical director, Dr. Ellis Duncan, and his technician. To insure fullest utilization of the bus and other diagnostic facilities, the cancer organization has under 1 way an intensive program of education. educa-tion. This is designed to increase the i public's awareness of warning symptoms and to stress the importance impor-tance of routine periodic medical examinations. Stress Lay Education. The bus will go only to counties which extend a formal invitation through their county medical societies. soci-eties. After arrangements have been made to have the unit come to a particular county, members of the medical society and other groups will be asked to volunteer assistance at the diagnostic clinic to be held in the bus. While the unit is in the county, educational programs on cancer control will be presented to lay groups. Acquisition of the bus Is the latest of many steps taken by Kentucky in its battle against this dread disease. The first state to have 100 per cent organization organ-ization of all counties for fund-raising, fund-raising, Kentucky also is credited cred-ited with sponsoring frequent cancer detection and treatment clinics and with promoting an educational program reaching down to grade school children. Because of the large proportion of volunteer work done, administrative administra-tive costs of the Kentucky cancer program have been held down to only 3 per cent. The bus is of sturdy construction, designed specifically for the complete com-plete coverage of the state over roads of all types. It Is equipped with fluorescent lighting, ventilating fan, electric heater, shockproof cables, vibration dampers for the x-ray tube, lead-lined partitions to protect personnel against radiation, work benches and water storage tanks. |