CANCER SCOURGE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 October 1922, Page 10

CANCER SCOURGE.

DISQUIETING GROWTH

Attention is again directed to the : ravages of cancer by a question which i Dr. Arthur asked in the Legislative ; Assembly of New South Wales a few days ago. This was: "In view of the ' favourable reports of medical authori- j ties that cures of certain forms of cancer can be effected, and other forms alleviated, by the use of X-rays, will the Minister for Health consult with experts with a view to securing a modern X-ray plant, and place the necessary sum on the Estimates for- this purpose?'' .The Minister nromised to confer with the proper authorities. "Two medical men in Sydney, I understand,'' Dr. Arthur explained suh- j sequently, "have already acquired this i i new apparatus which is supposed.to be j so effective in certain forms of malig- | nant disease. It is suggested, how- ' ever, that the State should establish a central bureau of radiography in Sydney and instal two of these X-rays, so j that one would be always available in ! ! the, event of a mishap. The ap_ j 1 paratus is exceedingly expensive .cost- . j ing £3000 or £4000, and the doubling j :of the plant and general equipment i would mean placing at least £10,000 or £12.000 on the Estimates. There ! would have to be an expert in charge, 'as the whole treatment is one that demands the most skilled and constant | attention. IJowever, in view of the i claims made for the success of the in Great Britain, Germany, ■ and tho United States, it is urgent ! that, whatever the cost, we should at ' onne determine whether these claims ~. are well founded; and. if they are v gladly expend the money that is neces£ sary to& combat so dreadful a scourge ' i as cancer.** . STRIKING FIGURES. During * the years- 1914-20 in Australia people succumbed to cancer and< other malignant growths than were kilfed in several of the spectacular battles on the Somme, as the following official figures show (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph):—

Year Total. 1914 :., 3675 1915 i. 3702 1916 a 3979 1917 {. 4022 1918 4246 1919 /, 4421 1920 x 4UII

Grand total for 7 years 28,556 j The Commonwealth Statistician emphasises the significant point that,-the , male death rates from cancer in 1920 j. were jn excess of those from tuberculosis in all the States except Western Australia, while the female deaths were in excess in all the States. Indeed, he emphasises that, whereas the ' death rates from tuberculosis have a ! general tendency to decrease, the , death rates from cancer have, on the ! contrary, shown an increase in nearly every recent year. i -The percentage of total deaths from cancer in the Commonwealth in 1920 per 1000 of mean population is somewhat striking:— Males. Females. Total. .N.S.Wales ... 7.37 8.90 8.05 .Victoria 7.4$ 8.88 8.13 Queensland ... 6.45 8.84 7.40 S. Australia ..." 7.92 9.56* 8.66 [West Australia 7.22 9.21 7.94 Tasmania ...... 7.39 7.75 7!56 N. Territory ... 6.25 .. 13.33 7.94 Fed/Territory 25.00 — 16.67 'T " 7.31 8.95 8.01 -, In 1919, in New South Wales out of a total of 8281 deaths of women over the age of 21 years, 785 were due to cancer, representing 1 in 10.5, and out of 11,756 deaths of men cancer claimed 931, or lin 11.6. In 1920 in this htatt> theie were 4511 victims to tho disease. Of this high total 720 were between the ages of 60 and 65. 625 between the ages of ,67/and\7Q, 398 between the ages of 7o and 80, and 486 I between *50 and 55 years of age

ADVANCE OF,MEDICAL SCIENCE. The expectations of life during the last five decades have, according to health authorities', advanced by about ten years, so that many more people are reaching that stage of human existence in which cancer is prominently present. v At the same time it is becoming more prevalent in other age groups. For instance, in 1920, in New South Wales there were 44 cancer victims under the age of 15 years. While' the advance of medical science has succeeded in preventing the increases of many diseases, notably tuberculosis and typhoid, the march ot civilisation has witnessed a steady growth of cancer. x In regard to typhoid the improved conditions shown in the metropolitan area of Newcastle may be quoted. There the deathrate of 3.4 in the 1901-5 period has been brought down to .55 in the last five-yearly period; or a redemption of about, 600 lives during the last 20 years from that, disease, mainly due to improvements in sanitation .. Dtphtheria r >bir the other hand, it is interesting to note, is now more prevalent generally../ This is attributed to the changed habits of the peopleovercrowded houses, flat life, picture shows, where often vitiated atmosphere is inhaled, for in that travel the germs of the disease. RESEARCH WORK. Withm recent months, it is gratifying to record, there have been some magnificent gifts by public-spirited m«n for the encouragement of cancer .•earn rch. The most notab!e was' that of Lord Atholstari., proprietor of the Montreal Star, who offered a reward of £30,000 for the discovery of an efftctJreieP?,y- ° X Todman, 2L *" fiel<*- S^cll!ey> has given £10,----000 for cancer research in the United Kingdom, including £500 to each of the two radium institutes in London and Manchester. The late Mr. J F Archibald of Sydney, left £7000 to Sydney University for this purpose, but as that sum will give only an income of £400 a year, it is insufficient to secure the whole-time services of an investigator with the necessary qualifications, and additional contributions are needed if the object in view is to be accomplished. This would require at least £20,000.