RADIUM IN TRUST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 231, 13 July 1935, Page 3

RADIUM IN TRUST

SOUTHLAND CANCER PATIENTS. DEPARTMENT CRITICISED. (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, July 11. Criticism of the attitude of the Department of Health to the radium held in the Dunedin Hospital oil trust for the people of Southland was voiced at a meeting of the Southland Hospital Board to-day. Some years ago the people of Southland raised £3600 for the purchase of radium for the treatment of cancer. This sum, with accrued interest, rose to £BOOO, and with this amount 600 milligrams of radium were bought. The radium was placed with the Dunedin Hospital, where it was to be made available to any Southland patients requiring it. The expenses of travelling to and from Dunedin, and of hoarding there, have caused complaints to ho voiced from time to time, and requests were made for the transference of part of tho radium to Invercargill. The department, however, lias urged the desirability of the radium being kept.in main centres, where there are special facilities and equipment. At the meeting to-day a report on the recent visit of the Director-Gen-eral of Health (Dr. M. H. Watt) stated that Dr. Watt had, in conversation with members, advanced reasons for the desirability and necessity of concentrating, both lor radium and deep X-ray therapy, at the four main centres. _ . Objection to this attitude was voiced by Mr Walter Clark, who said he considered the position at present was most unfair. Southland patients requiring such treatment had to pay the expense of going to Dunedin, yet it was Southland money which secured a large part of the radium. Miss Birss said that Dr. Watt had • stated that if the Southland hoard asked for radium about 12 secondary hoards would follow suit, but these other boards had not, so far as she was aware, paid for radium as, had! the Southland hoard. _ No resolution was carried by tlie hoard.