THE RADIUM (RADIATION) APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 69, 15 December 1923, Page 15

THE RADIUM (RADIATION) APPEAL

Is not a movement initiated by laymen without the aid of doctors, nor is it a doctors’ movement to which laymen have merely passively responded. The movement to establish a Radium Department at Wellington Hospital springs jointly from the medical profession and from individuals of the community. It has the support of the British Medical Association, and it is A People’s Movement.

minimum two grammes should be obtained. One gramme to be procured as Balt and divided equally between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The other gramme I would suggest be kept in solution in Wellington, and emanation taken daily and supplied to the various centres when their local stock requires augmenting. “Although I have already favoured central control by specialists, yet this rule, like all other rules, must have exceptions. Patients in New Zealand are’ not. always able to travel to a centre to obtain treatment. If a central emanation station were provided, other large centres (such as Hamilton, Napier and New Plymouth, to mention North Island only) would have facilities for certain cases. In many cases the application is simple and devoid of danger, and a doctor accustomed to hospital procedure could carry out the treatment. With such a plan any national campaign for funds would receive the greatest support of the publio outside the four main centres.” . ... It will be seen that, in order to make the best use of the transmissible Radium emanation and of the Radium salt itself, and in order to provide suitable doses for distribution and at the same time maintain reserves for massive dosage at the Radium Department iteelf, a good deal of money is needed, and it is hoped that country people will join with city residents in a liberal subscription to the Radium (Radiation) Appeal, which aims at £lO,OOO (net). Allowing for a liberal Government subsidy, every penny will be needed for Radium and X-Ray purpose*.