DR. ROBERT BELL AND CANCER.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] have read with great interest Sir Arbuthnot Lane's letter, which appeared in the Spectator of November 3rd, and am gratified to know that he agrees with me that cancer is a preventable disease, which doctrine I have continuously called attention to during time past twenty-nine years. Sir W. Arbuthnot Lane, . however, makes the following statement : "When, however, he asserts that 75 per cent. of cancer can be cured without operation, he is stating what we all know to be absolutely false." Now, I submit this is rather an uncalled for assertion to make, and would seem. to reflect seriously upon my integrity, which I think I am entitled to resent in some measure at least.
Then Sir W. Arbuthnot Lane asserts that if I adhere to my plea, "Many unfortunate sufferers from cancer may be led to postpone operative interference until too late." Now, I aver that it has invariably proved "too late," judging from the disastrous results following operative interference.
I had fifteen years' experience of treating cancer by operative measures, and every one of the patients died in greater agony than would have been the case had no operation taken place. On the other hand, it has been my privilege to see patients recover who had been discharged from great London hospitals as in- curable; completely recover, who are alive and well to-day, and in the enjoyment of good health, and that after the lapse of some years, while numerous victims who have been rescued from the stroke of the fatal knife have also completely recovered, and are also alive and well to-day.
Again, Sir W. Arbuthnot Lane remarks, "If Dr. Bell believes that he can Cure 75 per cent of cases by his method, . . . without operatiok, it is clearly his bounden duty to give his
profession and the -public the fullest information as to the means he adopts to effect such a wonderful result."
Now, it would from these remarks appear that . Sir W. Arbuthnot Is not aWare that the Lancet and the BritiSh Medical
Journal have point blank refused to publish any papers of mine bearing upon my bloodless method of treating the cancer scourge ; and, moreover, that the Secretary of the Royal Society of Medicine refused on two separate occasions to allow me to read a paper before this Society, of which I was an original fellow, so that I might have the privilege of demon- strating to my professional brethren the method I had the honour of inaugurating, and which had been productive of such gratifying results. Furthermore, these journals have in every instance refused even to refer to the books I have published on this important subject, and which I have so much at heart.
I was therefore compelled to go to America to have my views thoroughly ventilated, where my contributions, in every instance, were gladly accepted. And only a few weeks ago a professional brother, who had been spending some time in the States, remarked to me, "You are much better known in the United States than you arc in England.”—I am, Sir, &c.,
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