The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

^m^.^^^S-^KIPU6LI5AED BYTAE WhJtX CAROLINA STATE B'^ARD'/AEALTAlVol. 66 APRIL, 1951 No. 4J. W. R. NORTON, M.D., M.P.H., State Health Officer JOHN H. HAMILTON, M.D., EditorTHE CANCER PROGRAM INBy James F. Robertson, M.D.Chairman Executive CommitteeWilmington, N. C.NORTH CAROLINAIt has been my privilege to haverather intimate contact with manyphases of the Cancer Program in ourState, and I can vouch for the fact thatmuch yet needs to be done on manyfronts before any appreciable change inour vital statistics will be seen. Statisticsshow that deaths from Cancer in NorthCarolina are growing by leaps andbounds, and this rapid increase certainlycannot all be laid to the fact thatpeople live longer and therefore thereare more citizens in the cancer agegroup. The rapid increase in the deathrate definitely places this disease in theforefront of those conditions whichshould be of grave concern to PublicHealth Officials. Deaths from Cancer inNorth Carolina in 1948 were 2,661; in1949 there were 3,197, and in 1950 therewere 3.733.The only way we have at this time tofight Cancer is to discover it early, inits very beginning and eradicate it bysurgery, x-ray or radium.Acting on this premise the StateBoard of Health in cooperation with theNorth Carolina State Medical Society,and the American Cancer Society beganin 1948 to set up Cancer Clinics in varioussections of the State. The AmericanCancer Society undertook to publicizethese Clinics and acquaint the publicwith the danger signals of Cancer andurge everyone over thirty-five years ofage to go to a Clinic for examination.The State Medical Society through theLocal County Medical Societies furnishesthe physicians, surgeons and specialiststo examine the people who cometo the Clinics. No charge is made toanyone applying for examination tothese Clinics. They are supported by taxmoney, and must of necessity be free toany citizen. No treatment of any kind isgiven in the Clinics, and no medical adviceis given to any examinee, exceptto tell them to report back to their doctorwho will advise them what wasfound and what to do about it. In thecase of every person examined in one ofthese Clinics a letter is sent to the examinee'sprivate physician advising himwhat was found and making certainrecommendations.In the case of those found to haveCancer, who are imable to pay for thetreatment needed, and who are certifiedby their County Welfare Departmentas being indigent, arrangementsare made whereby either the StateBoard of Health or the American CancerSociety will go fifty-fifty with theCounty to finance the necessary hospitalor other treatments.As proof that these Clinics are gettingresults I woud like to cite some figuresfrom the Clinic in New Hanover Countywhich will have been in operation threeyears by the time this Bulletin gets intoyour hands. During the first year ofoperation there were forty one cases of