A RADIUM PLANT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 89, 12 October 1923, Page 6

A RADIUM PLANT

Sufficient evidence is available of the value of radium in treating cancerous growths to warrant the establishment of a radium institute in Wellington. For economical and successful administration this institute should be a department of the Wellington Hospital, and the cost of establishing and administering it is a fair charge upon hospital funds. But if an appeal is made to the Hospital Board or to the Government there will certainly be delay. If, on the other hand, the money is found by voluntary contribution, with the Government subsidy, the people will demonstrate that they are sincere in desiring that this means of alleviating suffering shall be available. Also some delay may be avoided. Contributions nee< not be limited to individuals, nor to the Wellington Hospital District, since it will be possible to supply emanations to the hospital districts further afield. It is only just, therefore, that some portion of the cost should be borne by the other districts which will benefit.

"Wellington Hospital will become, in fact, a base hospital for radium treatment. The Hospital Commission evidently had such work as this in mind when it recommended that the hospitals in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin should be constituted base hospitals and receive special subsidies so that they might be encouraged to establish special departments which would serve the smaller districts as well as their own. The Government did not adopt this recommendation, but it would be opportune to call the attention of the Minister of Health now to the specific need which has arisen. The Minister may, at the same time, be reminded of his promise that each instance of special ' expenditure, calling for special subsidy, would be dealt with upon its merits.