CURE OF CANCER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9810, 11 June 1914, Page 5

CURE OF CANCER.

MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S PAMPHLET. TO BE PRINTED. At the last meeting of the Palmerston Hospital and Charitable Aid Board the local branch of the British Medical Association forwarded a circular dealing with cancer, and making various suggestions for the dissemination of information with a view to educating the public as to the nature of the disease. Full details of the oircular were published at the time in the "Standard." The matter came up for discussion at to-dav's meeting of the Board, when the chairman (Mr Wilson) wrote suggesting that the pamphlet be printed and supplied to patients leaving the hospital. Mr Nash (acting-chairman) thought that they should have the pamphlet printed in large letters and put up innhe public libraries of the towns in the Board's district. He moved: "That a circular issued by the local branch of the British Medical Association dealing with cancer be published in leaflet form and distributed as insets through the papers, and that it also be printed in large type and framed and placed in all the libraries in the Board's district and in other prominent places; that the Public Health Department be asked to take up the matter and advertise the circular in prominent public places." Mr Pearce enquired what would be the cost of printing the circular and issuing it through the papers. The chairman replied that the cost if sent through all the papers would be about £25. Mr Bryant considered the question of sending the circular through the papers a good one, and he supported the idea of displaying the pamphlet in the libraries. Mr Nathan quoted from a copy of the British Medical Association's paper .that it would be better to inform the public of the danger of cancer than allow them to commit involuntary suicide, even if the publio were alarmed. There was no doubt, he went on to say, that cancer was a curable disease if taken in time. People went to doctors with the disease thinking they were going to hear their death warrant, and they should make as well known as possible the fact that the disease was a airable one if taken in its early stages. He thought that they should go further and aske the Government to have the circular printed and have it placed on tho large Government buildings and railway stations in prominent positions. This had been done by the Government in regard to tuberculosis, and he did not think there would be any shocking of the sense of decency of the public if this were done. Mr Hornblow seconded the motion, which was carried. k