Lake Wakatip Mail QUEENSTOWN. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17 1937 HYDATIDS AND CANCER.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4327, 17 August 1937, Page 4

Lake Wakatip Mail QUEENSTOWN. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17 1937 HYDATIDS AND CANCER.

IF the farmer to-day is to brake the most of his laud he must be equipped with a knowledge of the latest developments and practice. Intense competition is noticeable in many parts of the world, so that if the j Few Zealand .primary producer is to I hold his own he must export wool, butter, cheese, and other things of the highest quality. As an aid in this direction it is now the custom to hold in the off season educational courses for Young farmers when advice and instruction are given to them on mat-f-TS affecting their work. Last week, in Dunedin, a gathering of this kind was held, and was attended by 170 young farmers from the Otago, Southland, and Canterbury districts. A variety of subjects came up for discussion, touching the many complex problems which now faces the man on the land. The visitors were addressed by Sir Louis Barnett on a matter of importance. This referred to the prevalence of hydatids among stock, animals and human beings in the Dominion. This eminent surgeon pointed out that in Now Zealand in the last ton years there had been over 1000 cases of the disease, with a death roll of from l(i to 17 per cent. The parasite originates in dogs as a tiny tapeworm, and though the dogs themselves arc not affected, they spread the infection very rapidly, sheep being the most susceptible, though the toll of human life is heavy. Sir Louis Barnett urged that farmers should endeavour to kill the tapeworm in the dog by the use of a medicine that is on the market. The need of action on the linos indicated is obvious, for children handle dogs, and at a tender age are naturally subject to infection, which may not become obvious till years have passed. Preventive medicine is now very much in the forefront, following up the old aphorism that “prevention is better than cure,” and arising out of this attention may be directed to the efforts of the British Empire Campaign Society, a division of which exists in Otago and Southland. The

people in the rural districts should be specially interested in the work of this body, for they have not at hand the medical facilities available to town dwellers. From the statistics published it would appear that the ravages of cancer are not diminishing. In the year 1935 the total deaths from this disease in New Zealand were 1656, or 315 more than the record of 1926, but against this it is pointed out that the diagnosis is now more accurate than was formerly the case, and far more people to-day reach the cancer age. But the position is very disturbing, for many people are cut off in the prime of life by this fell disease. Intense research is going on in every part of the world to discover the cause of cancer, but so far witliout S'ucccsis., Notable work, however, is being done in another way. It is found that if the trouble is detected at an early stage, unless the cancer is deepseated, a complete cure can be effected in the great majority of cases. This has led to the establishment, in the chief centres of New Zealand of consultation clinics under the auspices of the Cancer Campaign Society, Notable results have been achieved. A clinic was established in Dunedin seven years ago. At first the response was slow, but every year shows increasing activity. All told 1075 patients have attended the clinic in this city for diagnosis and advice as to treatment. Sir Louis Barnett, who is president of the Otago and Southland Division of the Cancer Campaign Society, at the annual meeting in Dunedin last week said that in the seven years of observation at the Dunedin clinic 272 cases were recorded of cancer of the superficial parts of the body, including the skin and lips, and, he said, “of this number 236 are at the moment alive and well —a gratifying record.” The moral of this is that though the cause of cancer has so far baffled the investigators, and though deep-seated cancers are difficult to eradicate, and the percentage of cures is relatively small, the treatment of the discaso in its early stages means a definite cure in the great 'majority of cases. What Sir Louis Barnett and Dr. A. M. Begg, director of Laboratory research in Dunedin, sought to emphasise to the greatest possible degree was that when an individual notices unusual or disquieting symptoms in his body lie should make no delay in seeking advice from the clinics, which is under the direction of cancer experts equipped with the Latest methods for making careful tests. Prompt attention is given to every case, and if a patient is handicapped by limited financial resources the way is made easy for him. What has to be remembered is this, that the smallest cancerous growth, if npt treated at once by the surgeon or by X-ray and radium processes, will in all probability grow so quickly that fatal results will follow. These clinics have already saved many lives, and in this direction alone the Cancer Campaign Society is doing notable work. In their own interests people should grasp at the opportunities they provide. They are made as accessible as possible. The farmers' problems to-day are so many and varied that he is apt to neglect vital personal matters such as are referred to above. That is the exexcuse, if one were needed, for drawing his attention to them.