AGEING RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 5

AGEING RACE.

MENACE OF CANCER. RESEARCH IN NEW ZEALAND. i BRITISH EMPIRE CAMPAIGN. ] '"There is no obvious general increase | in fatalities from cancer in New Zea- | land, in spite of the fact that the disease is occurring more in the older age group, but with the continuance of that tendency, combined with birth restriction, New Zealanders will soon become an ageing and a dying race," said Sir James Elliott, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, in his rej>ort presented at the eighth annual meeting of the campaign held in the Auckland University College yesterCay afternoon. ""In the year 193."),"' said Sir James, "'the last year for which figures are available, 1050 people in this country died from cancer. The suffering associated with this would transcend human powers of description. We have to cope with the gravest medical problem of the day. In New Zealand 95 per cent of cancer occurs from the age of 45 and upwards. Out of 1050 deaths in 1935 from cancer 713 were victims lietween the ages of 45 and (55, so that these people of rich experience and sound judgment were lost at the time of life when they would have been of most value to the community. ''The investigation of cancer is like the gradual completion of a huge aid complicated jig-saw puzzle, of which little areas here and there have been lifted together, leaving completion still unaccomplished," continued Sir James. Special treatment for cancer, however, should be centralised. In conclusion.' the president made an appeal for more generous support for the campaign, especially in Auckland. Clinical Research. In seconding tbe adoption of the leport, Sir Louis Barnett. vice-president of the campaign, stressed the need for the establishment of research clinics so that fullest use might be made of statistical data and the results of laboratory research. "Every year," said Sir Louis, "statistical data and detailed information is ' collected and tabulated, but it cannot be , thoroughly studied as it should be. Laboratory research which is being carried out in Dunedin, is promising and fully worth the while. In this respect our contribution is a useful part of world investigation: but only with clinical research can we co-ordinate this available data into conclusions. We must have some main centre for such research, and it is my opinion that Auckland, the largest city in New Zea-. and. possessing the largest hospital, and the largest amount of clinical material,. is most suitable. Such research might me more valuable than laboratory work and important results might easily follow." Use of Radium. Commenting on the lie- the campaign had made of radium during the past year. Sir James said that the Travis bequest had proved a godsend. Radium was a new and powerful weapon, and as a result of this l>equest-a didiological physicist had been appointed to specialise in the measuring of the effects of different quantities of radium given as doese for . various types of cancerous growth. New Zealand was a pioneer in that respect, since it was the only country in the world where this special investigation had been put on a proper footing.