CANCER SCOURGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 6

CANCER SCOURGE

DOMINION CAMPAIGN

"ALIVE TO NEW ADVANCES"

SOCIETY'S ACTIVITY

(By Telegraph—J'ress Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 2.

In his presidential address to the annual meeting of the New Zealand branqli of the British Empire Cancer Campaign" Society today, Sir James Elliott, Wellington, said they had to cope with the gravest medical-problem of the present day. "In New Zealand, as in-many other countries," he said, "cancer is the second highest cause of death, being second only to the large and somewhat ill-defined group of deaths ascribed to heart failure and degeneration of the blood vessels. "In the year 1935, the last year for which complete figures are available, no fewer than 1656 people died .£ cancer in New Zealand. The suffering associated with this would transcend human powers of description. This death-rate equals 11.5 per 10,000 of the population. The average death-rate from infantile paralysis, which causes so much public alarm, is only about 15 a year for the total population of New Zealand. "In New Zealand 95 per cent, of cancer occurs from the age of 45 and upward and 62 per cent, from the age of 60 and upward.. In 1935 713 out of 1656 deaths from cancer, or nearly half, occurred between the ages of 45 and 65, so that these people of rich experience arid sound judgment were lost at a time of life when perhaps, parents can be of most use to their families or of most value in.public and private affairs." Speaking of the work of the society sijice its foundation eight years before, Sir James said therk was plenty of room for voluntary co-operation in public health and hospital administration, and the society had filled a want. SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVOURS. "I think, in general, we may say that we have roused the public to some extent to realise that each and all are personally concerned in the cancer menace," he said. "We have stimulated hospital boards and we have in a short period raised up a large body of highly skilled and trained voluntary workers.- We have, at our cancer clinics, ■ treated with increasing success during the past seven years a total of 4909 new cases (1015 for .this ,year), involving about 16,000 (3524 for this year) attendances. We have supplied radium and reconditioned it, and taken part in the issue of radium emanations. We have-compiled statistics for research. We have had special treatment and supervision given to cancer patients where before they were often put aside to die. . "We have maintained a cancer research laboratory at Dunedin and much useful work,has been done. The investigation of ■ cancer is like the gradual completion of a huge and complicated jig-saw puzzle of which little areas here and there have been fitted together, but the full completion is still to be accomplished. The society has, with the help of the Travis Bequest, established a radio-physics laboratory which is now to be removed from Wellington to Canterbury College, anrr which is invaluable for testing and safeguarding the methods used by deep X-rays and radium" for the treatment, of cancer., Improvements in the use of radiation 'for.treatment, of cancer may remove,to a,large extent the fear of the knife which is a deterrent against sufferers seeking early advice and treatment.. ' "We have tried to educate the public as far as advisable with the fear in our minds of creating a cancer phobia. We have kept in close touch with the Australian Cancer Conference, of which the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign is a part, and we are alive to all new advances. Through group studies and reports of results attained by caiicer clinics may come, the clue which, with the help of research laboratories, may at any time open the gates of hope CENTRALISED TREATMENT. ' "Special treatment for cancer must be centralised;" he said. "It is a public health problem and the smaller hospitals and centres must see that cancer patients requiring special treatment gravitate, to the central, clinics, where proper facilities for treatment are alone available. ■ •, , "If our money suffices, we hope to assist indigent .patients and their attendants who must come for special treatment to centres, our financial aid being over and above what can legally be supplied by-hospital boards. Here is more scope ■ for our charitable efforts." Although a large sum of money had. been* ' collected in the Dominion for the cancer campaign, the high cost of treatment and the extended activities required further ■funds?-.. It was. possible for Otago, Canterbury, and Wellington* to maintain their present organisations, and Sir James said he was pleased to hear that an effort - would shortly be made in' Auckland to provide sufficient funds for that district.

. Sir Louis Barnett, Dunedin, said it had become a convention with cancer investigators that no case should be considered as' cured until five years had elapsed after treatment had ceased. The society was now in its eighth year and a considerable number of completed cures had been'"made.

After referring to the valuable laboratory work b.ejng done at, Dunedin, Sir Louis said it was desirable that the society should have a special officer dealing with clinical research. As it was the largest city and possessed the largest hospital, and because of. the amount of clinical material available, he believed Auckland would be the most suitable centre in which such an officer should work. ;

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Sir James Elliott was re-elected president,' and Sir Louis Barriett and Sir Hugh Acland were re-elected vice-pre-sidents, ' .