MAYOR ON RADIUM

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 137, 7 December 1923, Page 4

MAYOR ON RADIUM

GOOD EXAMPLES

.WILL THEY BE FOLLOWED?,

."WANTED:. QUICK MONET. HARD

WORKERS.

Ititeryiewed to-day concerning the progress of the Radium (Radiation) Appeal, thaVMayor, of Wellington, Mr. R. A. Wright, recalled that he nad announced thaj| the iund was-open-to receive subscriptions on 17th October. In. the seven weeks that/had elapsed a little over \ '£2Cp) h-ad'Kee'n collected,: but it had

i.to $'c bofrie.'in mmd 1 that the'collecting ' machine "liad: "only been fully operating ! in Jhe later part of the period. '^Looking, at the position on the whole,'! said the Mayor, "and considering^, the,, general,, financial; situation, -the progress; qf. the; collection might have been slower. ■ At the same- time, it is noftjias .fast~;as-we" had :hoped,-and it is notg?now as fast as we would like.

VALUABLE HELP.

"The worthiness -of the appeal is not seriously denied by". anyone. It offers a fine field foi- local initiative in-sub-urb^ and districts, and {or the initiative of 3hose bodies that are in a position to.gttract'.jaublic money. Some'oi these have acted; some have ■'■ not. \' Of the suburbs* Hataitai' ■ seems to have goiie farthest with, its appeal. I am glad to say.»; that other suburbs are following closejy. . .1 wish I could, say that all the dtner^suburbs'were doing soY •■• ' "Again,--: the -Wellington Boxing Association ..has given half the proceeds of :'j one:' -*of" its ■ meetings to the Appeal Fund. This example is of '■*'; great- . moral value, as well as '-. financial •' vajue.' r The piiblic are. indebted', to the 'Wellington Boxing As-, sociation'/for theilead ■that it'has given.. I hope to'be ■.'able to say that this lead also: is being" followed by others. "Money that is collected automatically from the public as part of, the price of a popular attraction puts no strain upon the;;enerpies o! the committee that is conducting the Appeal, and .of its workers. But the general collecting imposes a very marked strain, and the committee needs all. tfye, volunteer ■. workers it can obtain, "f appeal to all people to remember the cancer-afflicted persons in New Zealand, including the considerable, number in Wellington, and to take a personal and active interest in the Radium (Radiation)" Appeal.

RELIEF.OF PAIN.

'■To those people who say that Radiation treatment is,only a palliative in advanced cases of cancer, I would say this: Even from the point ol view, of relief of pain,, remember that there are cases in Wellington to-day whose pain could be abated by Radium treatment, and'-who now can find no relief except in morphia. And, as regards the Radium treatment as a whole, and its percentageof 'caves, would the' British Medical Association have backed it without just, and ample cause?' . "_Niiiety-nine people out of a hundred dp not realise the time and labour required to organise an appeal which embraces not only!the city but the whole middle districtCof 'the Dominion. In meetings, in making- various arrangements, and in active 'canvassing, a little--bancl of conscientious workers finds its capacity taxed to the utmost,, and most of this work is unseen by the multitude. And-, however good the cause, canvassing, for subscriptions in these days is not easy. It possesses some very difficult aspects. The only way to understand the difficulties is -to experience them. . . '-, THE SOLDIER'S ■SECTION. '■ :. '!Among the bright spots in the campaign is the giving of a Lyall Bay section; carrying a Government valuation' of £210, by ;i returned soldier, who prefersUto ba known siznply.,3B 'A '^Digger.' Hisiigift is unconditional;- -But' he expressed the hope that other people-might join' him with gifts in kind. My hope is that he—and we —will not be disappointed." ..■".-"••-■ '- - • "And what about the subscriptions in the; country! "A good deal, depends on those. The appeal is from coast to coast." A good deal, is said about the distribution of emanation, and at" the same time there is gome talk about certain towns securing^Emall supplies of Radium for them- < 6elvs_s. I think the doctors will bear me out-in saying that if there is to be a distribution of Radium emanation over anjC considerable area, then a considerable; supjjly, of Radium, is. needed', ■ You , cannot have adequate Radium treatment,. and;,alsQ emanation treatment, on a small supply of the element, and that is one reason why the medical authorities have endorsed the plan of. ia' Radium DcV; paftineqt at Wellington Hospital, equip- | ped^.to Jserve the middle district. The Dominion is ,too large to''be treated as oneS unit, 'because:' of "the distance of Duhedia from the North Island, and the geographical' handicaps . of sending northern patients to Dunedin or sending ' emanation- from Dunedin to them. But, in order to make the best use of Radium and;: RadiuS emanation, the unit or district should; not.ibe top small; either. It is therefore/to tho interest'bf the coun- j try^peoplefitoK see., that tEVfull -money ob|ective J!'b-f*'!-th-e' ■■"Appeal- (BlfcOOOV: is J realised.

.'WANGANUI.' ENDORSEMENT.

"Remember that such impartial judges as the'..^medical profession of Wanganui have.recently,,stated:,.,'We. realise .that centraiisation-'is -necessary, and are: satisfied that the proper place for a Radium Department is at tjie Wellington Hospital, under the care of an expert professional roan.'.

"The increasing support of the ladies is a: matter of great satisfaction to the Radium '(Radiation) Appeal Committee. It was.a meeting-of ladies that first evolved the idea of. a great Radium 'drive' in the city on 21st December; We. are grateful to - the^ladies, and rely on 'them. And I hope that on 21st December, the Friday before Christmas Day, the : Christmas money jjocket will be unbuttoned enough to give good help to the,, worthiest Christmas gift of all. But it is also important that the rate of contribution to the Fund should in the'-meantime" be "fully maintained. The 'drive' on' 21?t December is a specialised pre-Christmas effort. It is not a substitute for the ordinary collection, which.will have to yield its harvest each day and every .day of December, if the .Fund is to.be appreciably nearer to its goal before.the New Year. "In the meanwhile it is worth remembering that he gives twice who gives quickly." ' . .