X-RAY AND RADIUM IN CANCER TREATMENT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 300, 15 September 1936, Page 10

X-RAY AND RADIUM IN CANCER TREATMENT

Visit of Noted Physicist

“EXCELLENT BEGINNING IN NEW ZEALAND”

A statement that he was inclined to the opinion that for* the conditions in Australia and New. Zealand the use of such high voltages as in the millionvolt X-ray was not justified, but that an increase above the 200,000 volts nominally in use in both countries was needed, was made to "The Dominion” in an interview last night by Professor T. H. Laby, F.R.S.. D.Sc.. consulting physicist to the. Department of Health, Commonwealth of Australia, and professor of natural philosophy in the University of Melbourne, who is at present in Wellington. He is returning to Australia after a trip abroad inquiring into the u#e of X-rays and radium in the treatment of caneer. ■ Professor Laby was from 11)09 to 1915 professor of physics at Victoria University College, Wellington, and is at present external examiner in physics to the University of New Zealand. He leaves by the Awatea for Sidney via Auckland.

Professor Laby visited leading cancer clinics of France, England and the United States. His visit to France was the third for that purpose. He found, he said, that the French Government had established a cancer institute some two or three years ago in orie of the suburbs of Paris, and it was the most magnificently equipped and housejl hospital he had ever seen. Its existence was evidence that in France the treatment of cancer was-be-ing centralised. That was important He also visited the Radium Institute, Paris, which had been enlarged. As a layman in medical matters. Professor Laby said he was impressed by the evident excellence of the work of this institute, which was due to the fact that it had wholly-experienced and world-famous medical men who were, full-time workers at the institute. . Million-Volt X-Rays. One object of his visit was to dis* . cover whether it was desirable to introduce into Australia the use of mil-lion-volt X-rays, Professor Laby continued. He found one such equipment was being established at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and there were four or five in use in the United States of America. He visited tw 0 of the American clinics which had had experience witli the use of these rays. He was inclined to think that for conditions in Australia and New Zealand the use of such high voltages was not justified, but an increase above the 200.00*) volts that was nominally in use in both countries was needed. One factor that was relevant to the question of million-volt > X-rays was that Professor Lawrence, the distinguished American physicist and inventor of the instrument called the cyclotron, had reported that investigations made’by medical men and biologists in his laboratory indicated that the neutron (a recently discovered radiation), was more effective in the treatment of malignant disease than X-rays. While such a conclusion was to be accepted with reserve, it was relevant to the making of plans for the use of very high energy X-rays. Professor Laby said he had learnt something of the problems in New Zealand in the use of radium and X-rays in conjunction with surgery in -the treatment of disease, and he found a certain similarity with the problem in Australia. The four principal hospital centres corresponded with the States of Australia, and they had, too, to exercise the greatest economy in expenditure. There had been established just, before he went abroad in connection with the physics laboratory in Melbourne- an X-ray laboratory, where instruments required in X-ray therapy could be standardised for the whole of. Australia, and where the research work in relation to the same subject would be carried on. The laboratory for the purpose had been constructed on modern lines. Physical Work in Dominion.

The question of the co-ordination of the work of the treatment centres in the States in the work of this central laboratory was similar to the problem in New Zealand. He had seen the physical work which had been started in the Dominion under the auspices of the New. Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society by funds provided by the Travis Trust, Christchurch, and it seemed to him that an excellent beginning had been made. - '

Professor Laby emphasised that he spoke as a layman in medical matters, and while he spoke of the use of X-rays and radium he did not express any opinion as to when those agencies should be used in the treatment of any case. It was evident that in the treatment of malignant disease it.was the combination of the three agencies of surgery, radium and X-rays that was now followed, and it was the problem of the medipal man to determine whether one of these agencies Or a combination of them was the treatment to be used. It was the object of the physicist to enable the medical man to carry out the treatment he intended. To do that required a very high degree of skill on the part of the medical man and the physicist, and a certain very specialised hospital and physical equipment. Dr. P. P. Lynch, pathologist, Wellington Public Hospital, said last night that' in the past Professor Laby had offered very valued advice and 'assistance to the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. He had also undertaken part of the training of the present physicist engaged in New Zealand, Mr. J. A. Strong, M.Sc.