Historical Event
Date:
January 1, 1914
Short Description:
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Dr. William Seaman Bainbridge - as civilization develops, there came an increase in susceptibility to cancerous disease.

Title:
Book:
Person:
The Cancer Problem
URL:
Important Text:
Pages 46-47: “In 1914 there was published in New York by Dr. William Seaman Bainbridge, surgeon at the New York Skin and Cancer Hospital, an outstanding contribution of The Cancer Problem [in which Dr. Bainbridge, says] ‘... (man) in his primeval condition ... has been thought to be very little subject to new growths, particularly to those of malignant character. With changed environment, it is claimed by some, there came an increase in susceptibility to cancerous disease, this susceptibility becoming more marked as civilization develops; in other words, as environment changes.’
“With particular reference to the nutritional theory, Bainbridge observes that ‘It is held by some that cancer and cancer-like growths, whether in plants, animals or man, are due to changes in nutrition which cause altered growth and impaired development, the fundamental physiological and pathological processes being the same in plants and animals ... The influence upon cancer incidence of climate, soil, diet and habits of life, has not been proved. In other words, it has not been established that any of these factors are potent to absolutely prevent the occurrence of cancer.’”