Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

468 CANCER-CANDELABRA.
physicians. They may rather be called it; and hence, when left to itself, it is
two states or stages of the same disease. certainly mortal. Internal remedies do
One of these, and the first, is carcinoma, little more than palliate symptoms, or
sciIThus, or concealed cancer, of some prevent the rapid progress to ulceration,
writers. The second is the open, or ul- which belongs to the disease. The only
cerated cancer-ulcerated carcinoma, as remedy is the knife; and, in cases in
it is designated by writers. Under proper which the constitution and neighboring
internal treatthent, the second stage may parts are not contaminated, extirpation by
be kept off for some time; and, in favor- the knife has removed the disease enable cases, the extirpation of the tumor tirely. There are parts of the body which
by the knife may effect a cure. The are liable to carcinoma, in which extirpadisease is kept in check, in the first case, tion cannot be practised, and some in
but is not removed, and is very prone to which, though an operation has been perpass into the ulcerative stage. The fact formed, death has, nevertheless, followed.
that this can be deferred, by proper treat- In cases of this sort, especially those of
ment, is an important one. The suffer- the first class, palliatives only can be reings of the patient are thus made less, sorted to; such remedies, namely, as
especially during the first stage; and, even mitigate suffering, and retard the progress
in the last, their severity is much miti- of the disease.
gated. One very early symptom of car- CANcER-Roo T, or BEECH-DROP (orocinoma is pain. This pain differs from banche virginiana, L.); a parasitic plant,
that which ordinarily accompanies local indigenous in America, growing almost
diseases of a different kind. It is de- exclusively on the exposed root of the
scribed as lancinating, occurring some- beech tree. The whole plant is powerfulwhat in paroxysms, and resembling the ly astringent, and the root of a brownish
suffering which the sudden passage of a color, spongy, and of a very nauseous,
sharp and pointed instrument would pro- bitter taste. It has been applied more
duce in the part. Besides this, there is externally than internally to the cure of
always more or less dull pain present. cancer. The one-flowered cancer-root (oroThe progress of the disease, and the oc- banche uniflora) is used in the same mancurrence of the second stage, are marked ner. All parts of the plants are used in
by increased pain of both kinds; by in- medicine.
crease in the size of the tumor, augment- CANDELABRA. Torches and lamps were
ed heat, greater inequality in the surface, the means used by the ancients for obtaina darker color, and increased tenderness ing artificial light. The latter were either
on pressure. When ulceration is just suspended from the ceilings of their
established, and even a little before, the rooms, with chains, or placed upon small,
patient complains of general irritation of movable tables (lampadaria, candelabra,
the skin; the stomach is disturbed; and and candelabri). The candelabra were
symptoms of constitutional irritation, originally made of cane, with one plate
more strongly marked, make their ap- fixed above and another underneath, or
pewaance. Ulceration begins on the sur- with feet, for supporters. The Greeks
face of the tumor, and parts are destroyed, called these:vXvovXot. The Grecian artin succession, from without, until the ists produced, in ornamenting these lampwhole texture presents a mass of disease. stands, the richest forms, which always
Instead of this destructive ulceration, we however, had reference to the original
have, in many cases, fungous masses pro- cane, and were encircled with an infinite
jecting fiom the diseased surface; and variety of beautiful ornaments. Somethese, at times, attain considerable size. times they were shafts in the shapes of
But it is not a character of carcinoma to columns, which could be shortened or
grow, and become as large as other dis- drawn out; sometimes the luxuriant acan
eases of sorne of the organs in which it thus, with its leaves turned over; some
appears. This is especially true of it times they represented trunks of trees
when seated in the womb. An offensive, entwined with ivy and flowers, and tersanious discharge proceeds from the ulcer. minated by vases or bell-flowers at the
Bleeding often takes place from it, es- top, for the reception of the lamps. Expecially when fungous, either fiom me- amples of these forms may be found in
chanical irritation, though slight, or from the British museum and the Louvre, but
accidental excitement of the arterial sys- particularly at the Vatican, where a galtem only.-Carcinomna is a malignant dis- lery is filled with marble candelabra.
ease. Its tendency is to death. The Candelabra of yet more delicate forms, of
constitution has not power to overcome bronze, inlaid with silver and other met