RADIUM TREATMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21146, 1 April 1932, Page 9

RADIUM TREATMENT.

FOUR-GRAMME BOMB." QUESTION OF DISPERSAL. [from our own correspondent.] LONDON, Feb. 25. In the last report o!t the National Radium Commission it was stated that the "four-gramme bomb" of radium was to be given up. This decision was received with some consternation among certain experts, who have now issued a stronglyworded and carefully-reasoned request i : or an. inquiry into the matter. , A letter to the press; signed by Mr. Stanford Cade and five others, savs:— "The four grammes, although only a small portion of the total quantity of radium available to the public in this country, constitutes at present the only source of mass radium radiation in Great Britain. The splitting # up of this quantity into smaller units 'is a retrograde step, and must not be permitted to pass without critical comment. "Contrast the position on the Continent and in the United States. In Paris a four-gramme bomb is in use at the tnstitut do Radium, which, as recently as 10 days ago, received tangible support from the French Government in the form of a grant of 12,500.000 francs (£147,003). In Stockholm a three-gramme unit has been in use for"several years, and the results obtained, which have been published, are excellent evidence, and fully justify the continuation of its use. "The Memorial Hospital in New York is in possession of a four-gramme unit in constant use; Brussels, which has tad the experience of the four-grammu bomb and of smaller units, is contemplating the construction of a 12-gramme bomb. As recently as last spring a three-gramme unit was installed in Vienna." Dangerous Work. The writers go on to say that to the public it matters little how irradiation is used in the treatment of cancer, providing that the result justifies the use of the method. Certain types of cancer are, however, better treated by the bomb than any other method, others undoubtedly benefit from a combination of radiation treatments. It is therefore surprising that, the National Radium Commission lias thought fit to discontinue the use of the four grammes of radium as one unit, in spite of the evidence forthcoming from other centres.

It may be argued, writes the medical correspondent of tho Morning Pest, that the National Radium Commission is itself an authoritative committee, and its pronouncements as valuable as those of any other committee.' But there is a feeling that the main question of the value of tho "bomb" method has been overshadowed by the details of housing and using this large amount of radium. Special apparatus, a special building, and care-fully-trained staff are necessary for manipulating so much radium, and the work is not without its very dangerous side. Risk of Skin Trouble. ''lf there are some cases of cancer which can ho cured or improved by the bomb and by no other way," says (he writer, "then the bomb must be available, or tho functions of a National Commission are nor being carried out faithfully. It i;: sincerely hoped that tho matter will be fully ventilated before action is take i, which may well pot back the clock of radium treatment in this country."

An eminent earner research worker, who lias himself been prominently concerned in radium treatment, expressed the opinion that the commission had been influenced by two considerations—the' results obtained and the degree of danger to the workers concerned. ''lt, would certainly be possible to build a special chamber," 1)0 added, "which would substantially reduce the risk of skin trouble. A bomb of that size is a dangerous thing, but I have no doubt that the workers have taken every possible precaution." Reply By tha Commission.

Members of the Kadiuni Commission, in replying to the comments regarding the withdrawal, of the " four-gramme bomb" stated that it- was decided to divide up the radium composing the " bomb" into units of one gramme each. Such "bombs" had already demonstrated their utility. It was decided that one of such units should be allocated to each of a selected group of London hospitals, which v.'ill carry investigation over n period of not less than three years.