Cancer of the Breast, Uterus and Underarm

Miss Margaret A Mitchell

Milford Bay, Ontario

49

Dr Richards

Toronto General Hospital

Cancer of the breast and uterus and underarm

Remarks
2/1932

Patient had first operation by Dr Cleland, St Johns Hospital Toronto, Ontario.
Second operation - in September 1936 by Dr Janes Toronto General Hospital.
Patient had recurrence on muscle of arm, had this removed by radium November 1936 by Dr Richards at Toronto General Hospital, was very badly burned by the radium received at the time.

11/1936

First treatment by Caisse.
Burn at that time was very bad, angry looking and discharging, and had a bad odour. At first Dressing of wound, Miss Caisse packed a yard and a half of gauze into it.

12/1936

Burn not as angry looking, inflammation gone out of burn. Less discharge and less odour.

3/1937

Patient feeling better generally, gained in weight, radium burn filling in nicely.

5/1937

Patient better, hasn't felt as well since October 1936. Sore looks better, patient has generally improved, radium burn almost completely healed.

Copy of letter written to Miss Caisse
by Miss M. A. Mitchell
For Caisse's Treatment Hearing.

10/1931 I noticed a small lump on my left breast and immediately consulted Dr F. W. Leech and after watching growth, position etc., he advised me in January 1932 to consult Dr F. A. Cleland who sent me almost at once to St. John's Hospital where on January 14th he performed a breast amputation and again in November of same year I had a cancer removed from uterus at Wellesley Hospital by Dr Cleland.

6/1934 There was a little lump on the muscle just above the incision of the first operation.
By November 35, this had grown considerably so I again consulted Dr Leech. He sent me to Dr Richards of the Radiation Department of the General Hospital, Toronto for radium treatments.
I had radium for an hour each day for two weeks.
In less than three months another little lump appeared under my arm.
In September of '36 because this lump was growing I went to Dr Richards again. Dr James and Dr Richards decided surgery a better method of removing this, so operated. When the stitches were taken out a radium pack was put in for twenty-four hours.
I was discharged on October the eighth and told to come back November 11th for an examination. I seemed to be fairly well, but Dr James insisted I come in and have radium again.
I was then about my normal weight 125 pounds. The radium treatments always upset my stomach so I lost 8 to 10 pounds while there.
The day I was discharged about November the 28th Dr Richards stuck a probe in what looked like a little scaly sore just below my arm. This opened up a large hole and with what rapidity this grew. Only those familiar with the disease know or could believe it.

12/1936 I came to Miss Caisse of the Cancer Clinic in Bracebridge because Dr Johnston of Gavenhurst said more radium. I couldn't stand this because I was already burnt to the bone and terribly weak by its effects and if the Drs idea of radium was my only help then I was dying on my feet.
This hole was the dirtiest most awful looking sore, that more than a yard and a half of inch gauze would barely fill and the breast bone was all nodulated and the sore sluffing continually.
By this time I had quite given up any idea of having any sort of health again but through Miss Caisse's treatments I have gained from 100 pounds for I lost constantly from the radium treatments till coming to her and now December 7th 1937, I weigh 120 and am as well as I can be so would advise anyone with this awful trouble to come to her clinic and would like to see the heads of some of the departments from where her help must come visit her clinic every three or four months where I have watched so many get help and I am sincerely looking forward to the time when she can have a license to practise and help many more sufferers.
I hereby declare that the within letter is a true statement made by me as to my condition before and since receiving treatment by Miss René Caisse.

Sincerely
Anne Mitchell

Declared before me at the town of Bracebridge, in the District of Muskoka, this Seventh day of December, AD 1937
Signed

Wilbert Richards
Commissioner

Copy of a letter written to Miss E. Stephens
by Miss Margaret A Mitchell - Milford Bay

3/1938

To whom it may concern

In Oct 1931 a small lump appeared on my left breast, watched by Dr Leech of Toronto it changed in size.
In January 1932 I was examined by Dr F. A. Cleland of Bloor St, being at once sent to St Johns Hospital and operated.
Breast amputation on Feb 14, 1932.
There was analysis made of this by Dr W. L. Robinson at Toronto General Hospital and pronounced cancer.
In Nov. of the same year another operation was found to be necessary, the trouble this time being in the uterus. Again Dr Cleland operated finding a cancer the size of a small English walnut. This too was analysed as cancer.
In the spring of 1934 a small lump appeared in the muscle joining my arm and body. This Dr Leech called a recurrence from the breast amputation and was removed by radium by Dr Richards in the radiology department of the General Hospital.
A year later a small nodule appeared under my left arm. Dr Richards and Dr James advised me to have it taken off by surgery. This was done in the Toronto General and then I had fourteen hour treatments of tele radium and when I had finished I was feeling very ill, as radium seems to have this effect on me.
A small scaly looking sore appeared on my body and when Dr Richards flicked the top off it a deep nasty looking sore was there.
I came home to Milford Bay on Nov. 28, when this was opened, and brought a prescription from Dr Richards and used peroxide as he said. In five days the awful odour of this was Driving my family out of the house and I had lost several pounds. Could neither sleep nor eat. In a week this had become such a hole I could put a yard and a half of inch gauze in it.
I went to Dr Johnston in Bracebridge. He said more radium but I was so burned and sick from this I decided to give Miss Caisse a trial and I am only sorry I did not go sooner, as I would have saved a good bit of suffering and expense. I went down to less than a hundred pounds and was a green-yellow colour, but from the first of March I began to pick up and by July I was feeling almost back to normal.
Now I am up to 120 pounds and the sore has almost healed even with my body and I am thankful I am quite able to keep house again and I do hope Miss Caisse may be allowed to practice in Bracebridge where from week to week I have seen great changes in many poor sick people.
If anything I could do or say to help Miss Caisse I'd certainly be glad to do it.
Sincerely

Ann Mitchell