PROBLEM OF CANCER

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 6 March 1935, Page 9

PROBLEM OF CANCER

STEADY RISE IN DEATH RATE TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ESTABLISHMENT OF CLINICS. (By lolccrapb—Tresa Association.) HASTINGS. March 5. Concer is by far the greatest medical proD'icm of the present day according to Dr J. S. Elliott, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, who addressed delegates to the hospital boards’ conference at Napier tonight. H© said the steady rise in the cancer death-rate in New Zealand since 1875 now placed the total at 1500 a year. Tlio following recommendations in connection with the treatment of the disease had been made: Centralisation of treatment. Control by experts only. Reconditioning of radium. (Proper applicators fop cancer/ of the womb.

Recognition of the fact that the Xray plants of the mechanically rectified type now at the four centres cannot supply a suitable 'high voltage for deep penetration. Install at each centre an up-to-date valve , rectified plant to give 300 kilovolts for the deep therapy treatment of cancer to cost £2OOO to £2500 for each centre Hospital. Restrict the use of plants at present installed to the treatment of non-can-cerous diseases, superficial growths and perhaps mental comfort for advances and Hopeless cancer cases, there being plenty of work for two machines. :

A cancer clinic as at present and wards for 10 male and 10 female Patients and special nursing for thorough radiation treatment. There was more need for cancer wards or a cancer hospital than for tuberculosis wards or a consumptive hospital because cancer is a far greater scourge. : 4 Separation of the X-ray diagnosis from the X-ray treatment departmenfc-

Heads of the staff to be a. wholetime ( or a part-time at first, radiological surgeon and a whole-time radiotherapist, assistants and honoraries specialising in the treatment fo regional cancer, a 'house surgeon and record clerk. Large salaries because of the highly specialised professional skill and dangerous occupation with. one month’s leave each year on full pay. and six months’ travel abroad on full pay every live years. Restriction of treatment by radium or ray-tlierapv to only those who are expert. No treatment at all is better than a pretence of treatment, and moie honest. _ “If these suggestions are put into practice without delay,” said' Dr Elliott “relatively early cases of cancer will’show as high a percentage 01 cures in New Zealand as at* Stockholm. Paris, London or the clinics of America. Indeed, we have the opportunity of making our Dominion one of the leading countries of the world in the cancer campaign. ... , “We can produce zeal and talent hut can we get the money, when so much apparently is needed for eomparatively inferior