RADIUM AND THERAPY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 153, 25 March 1925, Page 8

RADIUM AND THERAPY

THEIR USE IN DISEASES

A PROGRESS REPORT

Bi Telegraph-—Tress Association Christchurch, March 24. An encouraging report on the working of the Radium and Deep Therapy Department at the Christchurch Hospital was presented at to-day’s meeting of the board by Dr. Fenwick, the officer in charge. During the past month, said Dr. Fenwick, the Department had treated twenty-seven new patients, of which nineteen were suffering from malignant disease, and eight' for non-malignant disease. The total number of'patients to date was 111. During February there were 90 treatments with radium, and eighteen patients had been treated with deep therapy. The total number of treatments given to date had been 359 radium applications and 126 deep therapy treatments. “It is too early to make any statement as to results of the treatment,” said Dr. Fenwick, "but my notes and follow-up reports show the following: Rodent Ulcer, number of cases treated, 28; no sign of disease. 10.; improved, still under treatment, 11; recent cases still under treatment, 3; very advanced cases of the disease apparently arrested with absence of pain, 4. Twentysix cases have reported to me every fortnight bv post, and eighteen of them report that they have put on weight, and arc feeling better. A large number of cases report in person for weighing, and I am glad to say that the majority state that they feel in better health. I regret that many of the patients applying for the treatment are in a very advanced state of the disease, but several of these have reported that there lias been considerable relief front pain. It is only in non-malignant cases that one can use the word .‘cure.’ No case is classified as cured until a lapse of five years from the cessation of the symptoms, so I have not used the word ‘cured’ in either the malignant or non-malignant cases.”