RADIUM AND CANCER.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 222, 18 September 1924, Page 8

RADIUM AND CANCER.

AT LEAST A PALLIATIVE. "Cancer," said Sir CM.aui Pomare yesterday, when laying the foundation stone of the new Wallace Wards at the Hospital, "is a scourge of civilisation, and we have to do all we can ■to fight it. The efficacy of radium in ( treating the disease is still a matter .of investigation, but a great authority jin England has: said that it certainly does a wonderful amount of good, and therefore we must have radium. Even if it is only to ease the pain of the victims of this disease we must have it.,l notice- that the Auckland Hospital Board is .giving Dr. Maguire leave of absence •to visit England, and while he is there I hope he will make full . inquiries and find out the very latest information upon this important subject. . There is some' doubt as to the quantity of radium that is necessary. One authority says one gramme .will suffice for two million people, and if that be so then we have enough radium in, New Zealand already, but Dr. Maguire will be able •to -.tell us about' that when he gets back." Whether they had already enough radium in New 'Zealand or not, the point Sir Maui wished to make clear was that in order to keep the hospital equipment of the Dominion thoroughly abreast of the times they must have money. Therefore they .must* be cautious- in their general expenditure. They had a duty to the ratepayers as well as in other' directions, and there must be no wasteful administration.