CANCER SCOURGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21883, 20 August 1934, Page 11

CANCER SCOURGE

SUGGESTED CAUSES SOOT AND TAR DUST "This scare about soot and tar dust causing cancer was raised at least 20 years ago," said Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, medical officer of health in Canterbury, at a meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Town Planning Institute of New Zealand last week. The institute had been listening to speakers from the Sunlight League regarding the need for reducing -the quantity of smoke in the atmosphere. The chairman, Mr. A. R. Galbraith, drew attention to what he described as a serious aspect of the nuisance. Ho said that some forms of cancer wero associated with tar dust and soot. In England, the Royal Sanitary Institute had stated that this was a very real danger. He thought that a careful analysis of the dirt flying about in the atmosphere was called for. Dr. Telford, after remarking that the scare was an old one, said it was the arsenic content of soot that was the cancer-producing factor. "In my opinion wo are living in a sophisticated age, and there are other points of view to be looked at," he said. "You have the coal tar products which distil over at more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and most of those are irritant and cancer-producing. "In our foodstuffs certain colouring matters are permitted, such as scarlet red. This is also used in the treatment of ulcers that are somewhat indolent in healing. It is used to make them heal up, and if used in too large quantities it will induce cancer. In this country the makers of saveloys and other sausages are allowed to dye the skins with Bismarck brown, a dye condemned in most civilised countries because it has been proved to induce cancer. •

"The coal tar industry is a comprehensive subject which must be approached with a broad view," concluded Dr. Telford. "There are many sides to the question, and when they are narrowed down we will get results."