Historical health reporting from October 1975; preserved as an archive, not current medical advice.
The People’s Clinic is cooperating with the American Cancer Society to provide cancer prevention screening tests for the women in our area on the last three Saturdays in October— October 11, 18, and 25, — from 10:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon.
The Clinic will be staffed by the American Cancer Society’s physicians and nurses, and volunteers and trainees from the People’s Clinic. Pap smears and breast examinations will be offered, as well as instruction in the technique of monthly breast self-examination. A woman examiner will be available.
The American Cancer Society’s studies show that annual examinations are preventive of cancer, because they can reveal pre-cancerous conditions that are readily treatable. Every woman is urged to have these tests at least once a year, every year. Women of childbearing age often have these tests as a part of their regular health routines, but is important to stress that women past their child-bearing years continue to have a need for these tests, and should continue having them annually.
The Clinic invites and URGES every woman who has not had a Pap test during the past six months to take advantage of this free service. For further information, call the Clinic — 721-5577.
PAP WHO? All women are urged to get an annual Pap smear. Women of child bearing age get Pap smears as part of their family planning routine. Women past menopause are told they should have Pap smears every year.
Pap who?
The term doesn’t refer to Pap Jones, the hillbilly father, or to pap-andpoppycock, either, but it is a nickname.
Once there was a Dr. Papanicolaou, a pathologist. He developed a technique for examining the dead cells that living tissue casts off all the time, applied it the the cells of the uterus and cervix of women (where hidden cancer is a problem) and came up with the technique called “The Papanicolaou cytology method” to tell if the living cells had cancer or not.
Doctors, like everyone else, use slang; the technique came to be called a “Pap smear”. Dr. Papanicolaou was nice, but his name was too long.
The process is perhaps uncomfortable for the patient. On the other hand, it is painless, simple, and vitally useful in preventing cancer, by allowing early diagnosis and treatment of precancerous conditions.
The patient lies on an examining table, heels drawn up and supported in stirrups. The physician inserts an instrument — a speculum — into the vagina to spread it slightly apart. Then, the physician uses a “cervical scraper” — a wooden paddle smaller than a popsicle stick—to scrape up cells from the cervix and vagina. These are spread on a glass slide, fixed (by a spritz of the social equivalent of hair spray!) and turned over to a pathologist to be read.
Results are classed from Class I, normal, to Class V, cancer, with intermediates: II, signs often associated with infection; III, watch this one, the results are none too sure, and IV, precancerous. Each indicates a level of treatment. The vast majority of Paps that are taken are Class I or Class II.
All of the People’s Clinic women have had Pap smears, and lived to tell the tale! Experience has given them an understanding for the patient and consideration for her privacy. Out of that experience has come the recommendation: EVERY WOMAN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAS NOT HAD A PAP SMEAR TAKEN WITHIN THE PAST SIX MONTHS SHOULD COME TO THE TESTING PROGRAM IN OCTOBER. Not only will this save money , it may save a life!
ARTHRITIS The Arthritis Foundation is coming to tell us all they know—which is a lot! — about arthritis.
They will present a film and speaker at 3:00 P.M. on October 13, 1975 at the People’s Clinic, 6010 Kingsbury.
Everyone is invited. If you have a problem with arthritis yourself, or in your family, you might come to learn more about this condition.
The meeting will be in the Clinic classroom in the Office. Come to the center door of the building (6010-a) and RING THE BELL—you will be answered with gladness.
Originally published in The Paper, October 1975.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1975_10.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
