TREATMENT OF CANCER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 14

TREATMENT OF CANCER.

THE W. H. TRAVIS BEQUEST. STATEMENT BY TRUSTEE. [BV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 CIIRISTCHURCH, Friday. "In supplying radium and radium needles to the Ohristchurch Hospital, the trustees of the W. 11. Travis Trust Estate feel that it is as far as they can go for the tirno being in assisting research work into the causes, cure and eradicatioii of cancer," said Mr. O. A'. Bergh, one of the trustees, to-day. "After conferring with medical men at the Ohristchurch Hospital," said Mr. Bergh, "and from opinions gathered from medical and surgical experts, we are of the opinion that the radium treatment, although not much past its infancy, is undoubtedly the bost method of arresting and eradicating the disease and alleviating the sufferings of its victims." Regarding goneral research, the large amount of money required to establish a laboratory and equip it was beyond the present scope of the trust funds. Even if the researcher was to be found in New Zealand, there appeared to be no laboiw tory in New Zealand equipped to carry out general research into the disease, and it must, be borne in mind that the interest accruing from the Travis Estato must be spent in the Dominion, and all research work fostered by it carried out iu this country, "Some people think there has been undue delay ill administering the trust funds," said Mr Bergh, "but there have been many and varied methods of treatment of the disease, most of which have been rejected after a short period. The radium treatment, however, still survives, and is being 111010 and more extensively used. The various methods of treating the disease have been engaging the close attention ot the trustees, and it is only after several consultations with medical experts that they have been able to come l.u a definite decision."