COMBATING CANCER

Evening Star, Issue 21320, 26 January 1933, Page 9

COMBATING CANCER

AUSTRALIAN X-RAY PLANT W. Watson and Sons Ltd., of Wellington, advise that the Now South Wales Cancer Research Committee has placed an order with its Sydney office for X-ray apparatus for the treatment of cancer. The apparatus is to generate 300,000 volts (which will be by far the highest voltage hitherto produced in that country), and will be manufactured in Australia. This is not the first time very high voltage apparatus has been manufactured in Australia. About three years ago the Perth (W.A.) Hospital placed an order with W. Watson and Sons Ltd. for equipment to produce 200,000 volts, and that equipment, which has bpen in regular daily use, has given every satisfaction. The manufacture of such highly specialised apparatus reflects great credit on an Australian secondary industry which has rendered unnecessary the sending abroad of large sums of money to pay for costly equipment. The results achieved by the use of .high voltages, in the treatment of cancer, particularly in cases of early treatment of the disease, arc very encouraging The indications are that higher voltages yield the best results, and the limitations in this respect arc decided hy the life of X-ray tubes, and the availability of ffmds to purchase equipment.