GANGER RESEARCH

Evening Star, Issue 24047, 20 November 1941, Page 13

GANGER RESEARCH

OTA3C AND SOUTHLAND DIVISION ANNUAL MEETING ’Tho chairman (Sir Louis Barnett), Dr Stanley Batchelor (who reported on tho year’s activities;, and other speakers at tho twelfth annual meeting of tho Otago and Southland Division of the Cancer Campaign Society, which was held yesterday afternoon, spoke of tho useful work which the society continued to carry out in spite of disabilities brought about by war conditions. This work, said Dr Batchelor, benefited not only the patients concerned, but also the doctors, who, with the added experience thus gained, were able more and more to correctly diagnose and to give more effective advice.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. The Chairman, in delivering his report, referred to the loss of a valued member of the Finance Committee, Mr Frank Mitchell, and of Mr W. F. Edmond, a stalwart supporter of the campaign and a member of the Genera! Committee. Tho main objects of the society, continued Sir Louis, were well known—to lesson the grim prevalence of cancer; to cure an ever-increasing number of tho unfortunate victims, and to ease the sufferings of the incurable. The Otago and Southland Division, in epite of many handicaps, had continued to take its part in the worldwide efforts to achieve these results. War on the grand scale, said the Chairman, while it set tho wheels of industry humming fiercely, damped down tho activities.of civilian organisations such as this cancer campaign. Committee meetings had been fewer, and some projects had had to ho shelved for the present, possibly for the duration of the war. Sir Louis referred' to the clinical research scheme, which had been first suggested by the Otago Division and which was now being satisfactorily organised by Dr Gaudin, of Auckland. This collective investigation of many thousands of cancer cases occurring in the Dominion would, it was confidently hoped, bo of very great value from the preventive as well as tho curative point of view. The laboratory research work went steadily on at Dunedin, although handicapped by the absence on wav service of the research officer. Dr A. M. Begg. Tho technician, Mr Hall, was in regular communication with Dr Begg, and under the personal supervision of Dr D’Ath was carrying out investigations of great promise. Dr Begg himself spoke optimistically regarding the cancer research position as revealed by British and American workers. All the world, over evidence was accumulating regarding the value of Xrays and of radium in the treatment of cancer. Radiation treatment, indeed, was reaching such a high degree of efficiency that it was almost the routine now to use it to supplement surgical operations and in an ever-increasing number of cases to supplant them altogether. At the Dunedin Hospital Dr Rawnsley, and at the Invercargill Hospital Dr G, C. Anderson continued to give skilful and effective radiation treatment for patients. At Christchurch, where the important laboratory work for the calibration and upkeep of radiation equipment was centred, Mr Roth, who had succeeded the late Mr Strong, was giving the utmost satisfaction as radiophysicist to the branch. Sir Louis paid a tribute to the work of the .liftnorary business secretary, Mr W. E. C. Reid, the honorary solicitor, Mr J. M. Paterson, and the various committees.

GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION. Mr W. E. C. lleid. reporting on the financial position, said that the excess of income over expenditure for the year had been £378, and this had been trans-fer-red to the accumulated fund, which now stood at £30,279. The funds held by other divisions, added Mr Reid, were as follows:—Auckland. £3.202; Canterbury. £21,053: ■ Wellington, £12.574. The sum of £22,336 held by tho New Zealand branches brought the grand total to £89,444. WORK AT CLINICS. In the unavoidable absence of Dr E. F. D’Ath, Dr Batchelor reported that the work at the consultation clinic was px-ogressing satisfactorily, and that a great many cases were dealt with each week. These included numbers scut in by general practitioners. The lack of a full-time radio therapeutist was a handicap. Radium had very beneficial results, and the work being done hero was much the same as that being carried out at similar institutions in Britain. Mr J. W. Dove, chainnan oh tho Otago Hospital Board, in moving the adoption of the reports, said that the treatment of cancer was of very great importance, and it was pleasing to see that the public was at all times sympathetic to the work of the society. Ho felt that tho work of the clinic would go on to greater strength, and the Hospital Board was thoroughly alive to the situation and only too'willing to help. A start had been made with the extension of the X-ray block, and lie hoped that this would he completed within 18 months. They regretted tho absence of a full-time radio therapeutist, but efforts to obtain one had not boon successful. Dr Rawnsloy, in an acting capacity, was, however, giving grexit satisfaction. The reports were adopted.

OFFICE-BEARERS. Sir Louis Barnett was rc-clocted chairman, and a general committee of 45 was re-appointed, with the addition of Mesdames W. F. Edmond and F. W. Mitchell. Messrs J. W. Smeaton and Co. were re-elected auditors. At a meeting of tho general committee following the annual meeting, the following committees were elected;— Finance and Expenditure.—The mayor (Mr A. H. Allen), Sir Louis Barnett, Sir Lindo Ferguson, Dr D’Ath, Messrs Arthur Barnett, W. Easton, P. L. Hoisted, A. C. Matheson. J. M. Paterson, J. Sutherland Ross, W. K. C. Reid, anti A. Thomas. Medical and Research.—Sir Louis Barnett, Sir Lindo Ferguson, Drs Batchelor. D’Ath. Dawson, Fitchclt, Hercus. Carmalt Jones, Newlands, 'Williams, Douglas (Oamaru), McCaw (Invercargill), Fulton, Moore, North, Speight, Jennings (Invercargill), Begg. James Thomson, Professor Smirk, and

Messrs Gordon 8011, Renfrew White, and J. A. Jenkins. Mr W. E. C. Reid and Dr D’Ath wore re-elected honorary associate secretaries.